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FCC Statement on Closure of Voice of Democracy in Cambodia

The Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong is deeply troubled by the forced closure of Cambodia’s leading independent media outlet, Voice of Democracy.

Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered VOD’s licence revoked, effective Monday, over what he said was an erroneous report about his eldest son. The prime minister had demanded an apology from VOD, but refused to reconsider the revocation even after the outlet later complied.

The sudden and arbitrary closure is a devastating attack on the country’s free press and is yet another example of the increasing restrictions on press freedom in Cambodia, coming after years of harassment and intimidation of journalists, independent media outlets, and civil society groups.

The FCC notes that the closure of VOD will have far-reaching implications for Cambodia’s already fragile democracy. As the country prepares for a general election in July 2023, Cambodian citizens need access to truthful and unbiased information to help inform their choices. The right to free and independent press is essential to the functioning of any democratic society and the FCC urges the Cambodian government to respect this fundamental right.

The FCC stands in solidarity with VOD and other independent news outlets in Cambodia, and supports all journalists’ right to cover stories without fear of harassment or arrest.

Can a story change the climate? Why two climate activists chose fiction to propose climate change solutions

Novels have captured the imagination of readers for centuries. Fantasy, horror, science fiction (a.k.a. sci-fi), and mysteries are just a few popular genres, but now a new one is emerging: climate fiction, or “cli-fi” for short. 

The rise of this new genre coincides with increasing awareness of climate change across the world. Just in February, Climate Copernicus – the European Union climate monitor – reported that the average worldwide temperature over the past 12 months was 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.5 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than at the dawn of the Industrial Age.

While activists and non-profit organizations can certainly spread awareness, authors of the latest addition to the cli-fi literary canon argue that fictional characters and scenarios can be more effective in motivating people to take action.

“Nobody reads a boring report,” said Steve Willis, co-author of Fairhaven – A Novel of Climate Optimism. “A story is far more engaging than that.”

Willis, along with his co-author Genevieve Hilton, spoke at an FCC Club Lunch on the day of their book’s debut. Moderating the talk was FCC Correspondent Board Member Karen Koh.

Willis is the Director of Herculean Climate Solutions, an environmental consulting agency based in Malaysia, while Hilton is a full-time sustainability activist and writer under the pen name Jan Lee. The duo initially connected on LinkedIn and brainstormed their ideas for Fairhaven and continued to meet and discuss online while crafting their novel. Their recent trip to Hong Kong for their book launch was the first time they had met in person.

Hilton also shared her thoughts on why she as an activist figured a novel might be a better approach to the message she wants to share.

“There’s a whole ‘scared straight’ phenomenon. If I give you all the evidence and show you how horrible it could be, you will do something about it [climate change],” Hilton said.

Fairhaven is set in 2036 in Penang, Malaysia. The main character, Grace Chan, is about to take office as President of the newly-formed Ocean Independent State, yet crashes into a dyke and begins reviewing the life she has lived as the tide rises.

Despite being fiction, the novel roots itself into the environmental history of Malaysia – and the world – and proposes two solutions: restoring ocean ecosystems and refreezing the Arctic. Both of these solutions, while not currently being worked on by any organization, are possible, say the authors. But, it would take the right people to step forward and make it happen.

“It feels absolutely hopeless, but when you actually have your hand on something and you think, ‘This would actually work – we just need to keep pushing,’ you’re determined to make it otherwise,” said Willis.

Thinking about a climate change solution that doesn’t currently exist – but could – is what Hilton also finds to be instrumental in inspiring climate action.

“You can’t work towards something if you don’t know what it looks like,” she said.

Watch the full talk on our YouTube channel below:

FCC Nomination for the Board of Governors 2024–2025

FCC Nomination for the Board of Governors
2024 – 2025
      
Dear Members,
The FCC Annual Nomination Meeting will be held on Wednesday, 10 April 2024 for the purpose of accepting oral nominations for the Board of Governors for the 2024 – 2025 Term.
Under the provisions of the Articles of Association, nominations may also be made in writing.
For those who wish to make a written nomination or nominations, please use the form(s) we are sending to you by mail or you can ask from the office. The written nominations should be delivered to the Club office, either in person or by registered letter, no later than 6pm on Wednesday, 10 April 2024.
Nominations are invited for the following positions:

A President who shall be a Correspondent Member. The nomination must be made and seconded by Correspondent Members.

A First Vice-President who shall be a Correspondent Member. The nomination must be made and seconded by Correspondent Members.

A Second Vice-President who may be a Journalist Member or an Associate Member. The nominations may be made and seconded by Correspondent Members, Journalist Members or Associate Members.

Eight (8) Correspondent Member Governors who shall be Correspondent Members. The nominations must be made and seconded by Correspondent Members.

Two (2) Journalist Member Governors who shall be Journalist Members. The nominations may be made and seconded by Correspondent Members or Journalist Members.

Four (4) Associate Member Governors who shall be Associate Members. The nominations may be made and seconded by any Voting Member.

A Member being nominated does not mean that he or she is elected a Club Officer. An election by mail ballot will be held subsequently and the mail ballot papers together with a list of candidates accepted will be sent to all Members of the Club one week after the Nomination Meeting.
A candidate for election to the Board of Governors can accept nomination for only one position on the Board of Governors.
By order of the Board of Governors,
Lee Williamson
President

China will “think twice” before initiating a war with Taiwan, says expert on Chinese military strategies

The People’s Liberation Army, China’s massive yet untested military force since the Sino-Vietnamese War in 1979, is prepared but will not take rush actions despite heightened tension along China’s borders, according to a renowned China observer.

Professor Jean-Pierre Cabestan, author of the new book Facing China: The Prospect for War and Peace shared his insights with nearly 100 FCC members during his lunch talk at the club, digging into China’s military strategies in the past decade. The talk was moderated by William Zheng, an FCC Professional Committee member who works full-time as a Senior Correspondent on SCMP’s China desk.

The talk came just days after mainland China and Taiwan’s government representatives traded accusations over the death of two mainland fishermen, causing a new round of tension on the world’s most dangerous waters.

Besides Taiwan, the East and South China Seas, the Sino-Indian border, and the Taiwan strait are the main forefronts where China’s military stands. Across the world, diplomats, generals, scholars, and journalists analyze China’s military strategies and attempt to predict how the country would fare in these potential conflicts.

“Nuclear powers have to think twice about starting a military confrontation,” Cabestan said early on.

China, as well as 8 other countries, have nuclear capabilities. In order to avoid nuclear warfare (or any kind of warfare), Cabestan explained that China’s military strategy consists of “grey zone” tactics — movements and operations that stay under the threshold of official combat. According to him, these grey zone tactics are fueled by China’s growing military capabilities and nationalist passion.

“China’s become more assertive, more risk-taking than before, but up to a point,” he said, noting how each of China’s moves are carefully calculated.

The focus of the discussion, as well as Cabestan’s new book, was on China’s potential conflict with Taiwan.

China views Taiwan as a “renegade province” that must be reunited with the mainland — by force if necessary. After the Chinese Civil War in 1949 in which the Communist Party succeeded in gaining control over the mainland, the Kuomintang Party relocated to Taiwan and established a de-facto state with their own currency, political system, military, and infrastructure.

The rest of the world now must follow the One-China Policy and establish official ties with either the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on the mainland or the Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan. As of 2024, the ROC has only 11 diplomatic allies.

“The clear admission in Taiwan that Taiwan may be part of China for some, but it’s not part of the Communist Party. It’s not controlled by the Communist Party,” Cabestan said.

Cabestan clarified that while a war between China and Taiwan would result in devastating consequences for Asia and the rest of the globe, he remains optimistic that such a conflict is unlikely to happen. Even more unworried about the risk of conflict are the people in Taiwan themselves.

A trip to Taiwan, Cabestan says, can show that the average person in Taiwan isn’t deterred by the threat of war and can still go about their daily life in peace.

“If you go to Taiwan… there’s no sense of panic or fear,” he said. “It [war] is still far away from affecting the morale of the Taiwanese.”

Still, countries including Japan, South Korea, Australia, and the US are committed to defending Taiwan if the PRC were to launch an attack on the island. The US, while establishing ties with the PRC in 1979, simultaneously passed the Taiwan Relations Act which solidifies the US’ commitment to helping defend Taiwan should the PRC attack.

The US, like China, has nuclear capabilities, yet this fact is precisely why Cabestan predicts peace for the region — instead of war.

“We have to bear in mind that we have two nuclear powers here [the US and China] which are involved in the security of Taiwan — the future of Taiwan. I think the Chinese will think twice before starting a war against Taiwan,” Cabestan concluded.

Watch the full talk on our YouTube channel below:

FCC Submission on the Consultation Document of Article 23 of the Basic Law

On February 28, The Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong sent the following submission to the Security Bureau on the Consultation Document of Article 23 of the Basic Law.

FCC panelists differ on how Hong Kong’s Article 23 will impact the city’s journalists

Following up on his vow to pass Article 23 of the Basic Law, Chief Executive John Lee and the HKSAR government announced a four-week public consultation period for the bill in late January. Article 23, originally shelved in 2003 after mass protests against it, enables the city to enact laws prohibiting seven offenses – including treason, espionage, and theft of state secrets.

The government claims that Article 23 will “plug the gaps” that aren’t covered by the National Security Law that Beijing imposed on the city in June 2020. Various sectors have urged the government to clarify terms like “national security” and “state secrets”, as well as to lengthen the public consultation period, which ends on February 28.

On February 19, the FCC held a Club Lunch moderated by President Lee Williamson in which a panel of government, journalism, and legal experts shared their thoughts on the bill.

Regina Ip, Ronson Chan, and Lee Williamson. Photo: FCC

“I think the proposals are actually less broad or ‘sweeping’ than a lot of the similar proposals introduced by other common law jurisdictions,” said Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, Convenor of the Executive Council.

Ip was the Secretary for Security in 2003 when Article 23 was originally proposed. She stepped down after mass protests caused the HKSAR government to shelve the bill, but eventually returned to the government in 2008 when she was elected as a member of the Legislative Council.

Sitting alongside Ip was Ronson Chan, Chairperson of the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA). When asked about Article 23’s impact on journalism, Chan referenced a recent HKJA survey in which 75% of respondents indicated that the law would negatively affect their work.

“It is very easy for journalists to feel [in danger] in their work and I think that it may affect the atmosphere for the freedom of press. So that’s why we are highly concerned about the legislation,” Chan said.

Chan also emphasised the need for the government to clarify what are state secrets, otherwise journalists may inadvertently violate Article 23 while waiting for the government’s official response for a story.

“It still has to be a secret,” said Professor Simon Young, the Ian Davies Professor of Ethics at The University of Hong Kong’s Faculty of Law, who also sat on the panel. “I would think it is something you would reasonably expect to be confidential.”

Young further elaborated that the acquisition, possession, and disclosure of a state secret all need to meet the same mens rea – knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe it is a state secret and intending to endanger national security by sharing it.

Simon Young and Regina Ip. Photo: FCC

“It’s not just any kind of knowledge or disclosure. You have to show that that person really intended to endanger national security. If they’re doing legitimate journalism business, then it’s unlikely that they would have that intention,” Young concluded.

Ip, on the other hand, didn’t believe Article 23 would harm the work of Hong Kong’s journalists.

“I don’t think the media really needs to worry,” she said early on in the discussion, but later emphasized that there is “no absolute freedom of speech” when asked if people in Hong Kong should worry about Article 23 criminalizing free speech.

Chan agreed with Ip that there is no absolute freedom of speech, but that efforts should still be made in order to clarify what free speech means in Hong Kong.

“The red line is floating and moving,” he said. “I think we need to distinguish the differences [of free speech] from Hong Kong and the outside world.”

Watch the full talk on our YouTube channel below:

A Message from the President

 

      “As mid-term report cards go, I’m satisfied with the progress we’ve made thus far and confident that we can build on what we have achieved in
the Year of the Dragon.”
      
     
Dear FCC members,
When I wrote my first president’s letter in June 2023, I laid out six priorities that I aimed to achieve as president. Six months later, halfway through the Board year, I’m writing to share updates on the progress we have made towards achieving these goals.
1) Resume issuing press freedom statements
We have issued six press freedom statements in the past six months, making our voice heard after a period of prolonged silence. In my policy statement, I made a pledge to lead with pragmatism—to engage in the issues and make our substantial voice count while safeguarding the future of the FCC. With several key verdicts expected in the coming months, we will not deviate from this path. More than 50 civil society organisations have disbanded in the last three years. It’s vital that the FCC remains standing as an independent voice, steadfast in its mission to defend press freedom and support journalists.
2) Appoint a new permanent GM
As previously communicated, David Brightling has been appointed as the next general manager of the FCC, having joined the team at the end of January. An experienced GM, David has managed multiple prestigious clubs in Asia across his decades-long career and was most recently GM at the Tanglin Club. I’m confident he will elevate our already high standards and improve the member experience. 
 
3) Build on last year’s training stream for early-career journalists
After a successful fundraising event, over the last few months we have hosted subsidised workshops on digital security, covering China and presenting skills aimed at early-career journalists.
4) Bring back the FCC’s Journalism Conference
The conference will return on April 13 after a five-year absence. With a mission to inform and uplift, we are building the programme to help journalists equip themselves with the knowledge and tools they need. Expect talks and panels on China, climate journalism, mental health, artificial intelligence and more.
5) Develop community outreach initiatives
The Board voted to reinstate the club’s long-dormant Charity Committee this autumn, with Correspondent governor Morgan Davis taking the lead as convenor. More than a dozen members have joined the rejuvenated committee to help the club make a positive impact in the community.
6) Make diversity a priority at FCC speaking events
The Professional Committee has started to track gender representation at FCC speaking events. In the last three months of 2023, 43 percent of our speakers were women. We will continue to monitor and strive for parity.
As mid-term report cards go, I’m satisfied with the progress we’ve made thus far and confident that we can build on what we have achieved in the Year of the Dragon. I’m tremendously grateful to the Board of Governors and all committee members for their support of these priorities and for the countless hours that have been put in behind the scenes over the last six months. It really does take a village.
 
 
As always, I welcome all feedback on how we can improve.
 

Lee Williamson
President
[email protected]

A Message from the General Manager

      
Dear members,
It is a pleasure for me to write my first note as your General Manager.
I have enjoyed a warm welcome from members and staff alike since my arrival on Monday 29th January. I have already noticed familiar faces at familiar spaces around the main bar and I now know where the lawyers and photographers sit! You will see me around the club well into the evening – especially on Friday nights – and I ask for your patience and understanding as it will take me a while to connect all the names and faces.
Member feedback is very important, and I appreciate the many comments and suggestions I have received to date. FCC members are certainly passionate about their club! Comment Cards are shared with me and discussed with the management team, and a summary is presented to the House/F&B Committee and to the Board each month. The team is also planning a comprehensive Membership Survey for March. This will enable us to gather statistically valid data on member satisfaction with our various outlets, programmes, events and facilities. Ample space will be provided for comments which, while not statistically valid, help to provide context to the numerical scores and will assist us in identifying opportunities for improvement. The scores will be cross tabulated with demographic information so that we can understand the needs and wants of our diverse, multinational membership.
I encourage you to participate in this important initiative. Survey data is very valuable for the Board, its various committees, management and staff. Results will be shared with each of these groups and with the membership through The Correspondent magazine and will form the basis of planning for the future. Survey results are also invaluable for me, as your new General Manager, as they will help me to clearly understand what members want and to plan and prioritize accordingly for the months ahead. We are also planning three lucky draw prizes for survey participants, which we will announce in late February.
Finally, a word about our staff. The FCC is blessed with a dedicated, hard-working, warm and welcoming team, some of whom have worked at the club for decades. I am enjoying working with them and look forward to giving them the tools they need to help to improve the club’s already high standards. They are an integral part of your experience at the club, and I know how much they are valued and appreciated.
I look forward to seeing you around the club in the weeks and months ahead.
 
Kung Hei Fat Choy!
Yours faithfully,

David

David Brightling
General Manager
[email protected]

Festive Season Opening Hours

New Monthly Subscription Fees from 2024

New Monthly Subscription Fees from 2024
      
Dear Members,
I’m writing to inform you that the Board of Governors has voted to increase monthly subscriptions for all categories of membership by HK$100 per month, to HK$1,300, effective from January 1 2024. Joining fees will be unchanged.
I’m proud that the FCC remains one of the best value clubs in the city—even with this latest amendment to our fees—but we must balance value for members with the long-term financial health of the club.
In 2022, the club increased monthly subscriptions for the first time in seven years. With only one increment over the better part of a decade, our fees remain behind inflation. To remedy this moving forward, the Board has also made a commitment to review monthly subs on an annual basis.
One way that we can all help to increase club revenue is to recruit more members. If you’re successful, of course, the HK$1,000 club credit you’ll receive for recruiting a new member will pay for almost all of this year’s increase in subs fees—the definition of a win-win!
On behalf of the Board, I wish you a happy and peaceful festive season.
Yours faithfully,
Lee Williamson
President
[email protected]

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