Presidents and top managers of universities in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region voiced publicly in succession Tuesday, calling for rational talks, opposing the use of violence.
Hong Kong has experienced weeks of protests lately against a proposed fugitive bill, with several activists breaking into the Legislative Council (LegCo) building on July 1. As a result, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie has declared the bill "dead" on Tuesday.
Wei Shyy, the president of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, condemned violence used by some of the protesters. He said some protesters acted violently all while knowing the consequences of such action, adding that they should have tried to solve the fundamental cause underlying the issue they had with the proposed fugitive bill through dialogue and discussion. Similarly, Teng Jin-guang, the president of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University said it was painful for him to see the protesters storming the LegCo building, stressing that each party should contribute to building a constructive dialogue with calmness, ration, and peace, to resolve their differences.
The president of the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, Simon Ho, said continuous confrontation or violence can not resolve the current dilemma, calling for students to cherish life, pay attention to safety issues, and respect the rule of law.
Zhang Xiang, who was born in Nanjing, China's Jiangsu Province and now serves as the president of the University of Hong Kong, said, "I truly believe people with different views can get along civilly and rationally. As long as each party seeks positive dialogue, society can seal its cracks. I believe people from all walks of life would like to seek common ground while accepting their differences for a better Hong Kong."
