Martin Lee
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| Martin Lee 李柱銘 |
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 Martin Lee campaigning during the 2004 Legislative Council elections |
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Former Chairman of the Hong Kong Democratic Party
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| In office 1994 – 2002 |
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| Preceded by | None |
| Succeeded by | Yeung Sum |
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| Born | June 8, 1938 Hong Kong |
| Nationality | China |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Religion | Roman Catholic[1] |
Martin Lee QC SC JP (Chinese: 李柱銘; Pinyin: Lǐ Zhùmíng; born June 8, 1938) was the founding chairman (1994-2002) of the Democratic Party (DP), a pro-democracy political party in Hong Kong. A member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong (LegCo), elected by direct election from the Geographical Constituency of Hong Kong Island. Professionally he is a barrister-at-law, and as of 2003 the first on the order of precedence of Senior Counsels in Hong Kong. [2]
Lee has been the major face of the Hong Kong democracy movement on the international stage, especially in the United States. He is a controversial figure in Hong Kong.[3]
On 27 March 2008, Lee announced that he will step down his seat in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong after his term ends in 2008.[4]
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[edit] Biography
Lee was born in Hong Kong and son of a former Kuomintang major general.[5] He was the first Chinese person to practice as a pharmacist in France[citation needed]. After he graduated from Wah Yan College, Kowloon, Lee obtained his undergraduate BA degree in English and Philosophy at the University of Hong Kong. After graduation, he worked as a teacher for 3 years. Thereafter, Lee studied law at Lincoln's Inn in London.
[edit] Career
[edit] Early career
Lee was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1979, and was the chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association from 1980 to 1983.[6] He has been a LegCo member from 1985 to 1997.[6]
[edit] Leaving Basic Law draft committee
From 1985 to 1989 Lee was a member of the Hong Kong Basic Law Drafting Committee until he was forced to leave the committee immediately after the infamous Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.[7] He realised that the long-term trends in the PRC were not in favour of moving towards democracy and human rights. Indeed, the zeal behind Lee's activism is to renew the momentum behind the Chinese democracy movement which has stalled since 1989. Most notable is Lee's call for the overthrow of mainland China's leadership.[7]
[edit] Democracy icon
He chaired the Hong Kong Consumer Council from 1988 to 1991. Lee also chaired the United Democrats of Hong Kong (UDHK) since its establishment in 1991, and retained his chairmanship when the group was transformed into the Democratic Party in 1994. He was succeeded in the position by Yeung Sum in 2001. In the run up to the 1997 transfer of Hong Kong to mainland China, Lee was an outspoken critic of China's policy towards Hong Kong and a supporter of the political reform of the last Governor Chris Patten,[7] who said later that "Hong Kong was lucky to have him."[8]
Internationally he became an icon for fighting the Chinese government for more democracy in Hong Kong, and was recognized and awarded by a number of international organizations, including the "1995 International Human Rights Award" by the American Bar Association, the Prize For Freedom by the Liberal International in 1996, the "Democracy Award" of the U.S. National Endowment for Democracy in 1997, and the "Schuman Medal" in 2000 which Lee was the first non-European to receive from the European Peoples Party and European Democrats.[6]
[edit] Defending HK special international status
Lee supported the overseas governments legitimate concern over the situation in Hong Kong. He cited the 1992 US-HK policy act, which allowed the US Government to give Hong Kong special economic treatments that differ from mainland China. Under the act the US is committed to support democratic institutions in Hong Kong, and could terminate Hong Kong's special economic treatment if the US President considers Hong Kong is not autonomous enough to justify such treatments.[9] Tung Chee-hwa countered the generally negative image of Hong Kong under Communist Party rule, and said Lee was "bad mouthing" the Special administrative Region in front of the international audience.[10]
[edit] Improving PRC human rights via Olympic
In October 2007, Lee published an article named "China's Olympic Opportunity" in The Wall Street Journal criticizing People's Republic of China for not living up to its promise to improve its human rights status during the Chinese Olympic bid. However Lee urged the West, particularly United States, not to boycott the 2008 Olympic games, and instead take the opportunity when China is opening itself up to the world, to directly engage China in efforts to bring China closer to the international community in terms of its human rights.[11] His article was somehow being twisted and words like "direct engagement" was translated to Chinese equivalent of "intervene", and some media even claimed that Lee asked United States to boycott the games. This immediately stirred backlashes from Beijing loyalists, who virtually accused Lee of being a hanjian.[12] On October 27, the Democratic Party issued an announcement to newspapers setting out the party's position regarding the article Lee published. Chairman Albert Ho reiterated, "It is not an apology, but a clear declaration of what we stand for."[13]
[edit] Criticism
As early as 1992 PRC warned Chris Patten, the new Hong Kong governor at the time that Lee must not be appointed to the cabinet.[7] The pro-Beijing camp have since called Lee a "traitor" in 2004 upon his return from Washington D.C. His patriotism was questioned along with his Chinese identity.[3] Lee's father is connected to the Kuomintang[5], which can further complicate things. Some have complained the democratic movement have gone too far and his uncompromising stance for universal suffrage at the earliest possible date is destructive to the local business climate and political stability.[3]
[edit] Other info
Martin Lee visited the Holy See with Joseph Cardinal Zen in March 2006.
In 2007, Lee took up the conservationists' application for judicial review of the Government's decision to demolish Queen's Pier.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Abrams, Elliott. The Influence of Faith: Religious Groups and U.S. Foreign Policy. [2001] (2001). Rowman & Littlefield. United States. ISBN 0742507637.
- ^ barlist.hkba.org
- ^ a b c Jensen, Lionel M. Weston, Timothy B. [2006] (2006). China's Transformations: The Stories Beyond the Headlines. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 074253863X
- ^ Hong Kong's Martin Lee to step down from territory's legislature
- ^ a b Rafferty, Kevin. City on the Rocks: Hong Kong's Uncertain Future. [1989] (1989). Viking publishing. ISBN 0670802050.
- ^ a b c Martinlee official website
- ^ a b c d Overholt, William H. The Rise of China: How Economic Reform is Creating a New Superpower. [1994] (1994). W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0393312453.
- ^ Chris Patten (1998). East and West: The Last Governor of Hong Kong on Power Freedom and the Future. Pan Macmillan, 150. ISBN 978-0-330-37308-1.
- ^ Hong Kong's reversion to China: effective monitoring critical to assess U.S. DIANE Publishing. ISBN 1428978372
- ^ Chan, Ming K. The Challenge of Hong Kong's Reintegration With China. [1997] (1997). Hong Kong University Press. ISBN 9622094414.
- ^ China's Olympic Opportunity, The Wall Street Journal, October 17, 2007. Retrieved on October 26, 2007.
- ^ Lee fires bullet at Beijing, asks Bush to meddle, The Standard. Retrieved on October 26, 2007.
- ^ Democrat bid to curb Lee fallout, The Standard. Retrieved on October 26, 2007.
[edit] External links
- Home page of Martin Lee
- 1992 U.S.–Hong Kong Policy Act
- Expert addresses Hong Kong political system The Daily Cardinal
- Biography on liberal-international.org
| Professional and academic associations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Henry Litton |
Chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association 1980-1983 |
Succeeded by Henry Litton |
| Party political offices | ||
| New political party | Chairman of United Democrats of Hong Kong 1990-1994 |
Party became the Hong Kong Democratic Party |
| Preceded by Himself as Chairman of United Democrats of Hong Kong |
Chairman of Hong Kong Democratic Party 1994-2002 |
Succeeded by Yeung Sum |
