The Foreign Correspondents' Club Hong Kong

All you need to know about the legal risks of covering the Hong Kong protests

Valuable advice on how to cover the Hong Kong protests was given to journalists by a leading legal expert at the FCC.

Sharron Fast, Deputy Director of Master of Journalism Programme and lecturer from The Journalism and Media Studies Centre at the University of Hong Kong, covered a wide range of topics and took questions from the audience – including members and journalists – at the August 6 breakfast briefing. The event was the latest in a series of workshops on covering the Hong Kong protests, now in their tenth week.

What to do if arrested, whether you should hand over your mobile phone, and the legal risks around trespassing were all discussed at the event.

Watch the video here.

Security expert Stevo Stephen briefs journalists on how to stay safe covering protests

More than 100 Hong Kong journalists and Hong Kong Journalists Association members attended a talk on how to cover protests safely following a weekend of demonstrations in the city that saw violence break out, resulting in the injuries of dozens of people, among them reporters.

Stevo Stephen at the FCC. Photo: FCC

In the first of a series of FCC workshops focused on the protests in Hong Kong, security expert Stevo Stephen gave a briefing on the safest and most effective ways of covering demonstrations and street violence.

Stephen, APAC and Africa News Risk Senior Manager for the Wall Street Journal, demonstrated the best equipment to use when covering protests, including protective wear. The former private security expert, who has a background with the British Commandos, shared his knowledge on how journalists can interact with the police and demonstrators, particularly when violence breaks out.

Future FCC workshops will include sessions on the use of technology in covering the protests and the kinds of legal risks media face. With the launch of the workshops, the FCC is furthering its goal of promoting press freedom in Hong Kong by acting as a forum for education and discussion.

Watch the video

Stevo Stephen at the FCC. Photo: FCC

Hong Kong protests: Panel discusses next move for anti-extradition bill campaign

The manner in which protesters have demonstrated again the proposed Hong Kong extradition bill, and their next move, was discussed by a panel of experts at the club on July 10.

Author and lawyer Antony Dapiran, reporter Mary Hui, and leader of the Civic Human Rights Front, Bonnie Leing Wing-Man, all gave their views on the ongoing political unrest in the city.

Watch the video here.

FCC announces recipients of inaugural Clare Hollingworth Fellowship

The Foreign Correspondents’ Club has chosen Mary Hui and Jessie Pang as recipients of the inaugural Clare Hollingworth Fellowship, named in honour of the preeminent and path-breaking journalist.

Mary Hui, left, and Jessie Pang.

The adjudicators noted the winners offer clear potential as future leaders both within the FCC and the wider Hong Kong journalism community.

“In its first year, we were pleased and gratified by the level of talent and potential of the applicants for the fellowship,” said Jodi Schneider, president of the FCC. “Mary and Jessie both exemplify the qualities we were seeking in Fellows.”

The Fellowship is aimed at early career journalists and current journalism school students in Hong Kong.

The open competition drew significant interest from a cross spectrum of applicants. The adjudicators noted the high standard of applicants and encouraged all to apply again next year.

“The fellowship is a key part of the FCC’s outreach efforts aimed at diversifying the membership base and bringing younger talent into the club,” Schneider said.

WINNERS

Mary Hui
Mary Hui is a correspondent with Quartz covering Asia business and geopolitics. She was previously a freelancer for publications including the New York Times and Washington Post.

Jessie Pang
Jessie Pang is a recent graduate of Hong Kong University’s journalism program and is joining Reuters after an internship. Her previous freelance work appeared in publications including the Atlantic and HK01.

Further information on the Fellowship can be seen here: https://www.fcchk.org/clarehollingworth/

Brexit: Why, despite the European election results, nothing has changed since the 2016 referendum

The recent European election results actually show nothing has changed regarding Brexit in terms of how many voters want to leave the EU and how many wish to remain, says a leading British political scientist.

British political scientist, Philip Cowley, brought some clarity to the topic of Brexit when he appeared at the FCC on May 29. Photo: Sarah Graham/FCC

Despite the newly-formed Brexit Party making huge gains in the poll, taking more than 30% of the total UK votes, the country is still almost evenly split on the issue and the results mirror those of the 2016 referendum.

“It’s British politics as it has been played out since 2014, just in its latest manifestation,” said Philip Cowley, Professor of Politics at Queen Mary University of London.

But what the results of last week’s elections did show was that voters want simple and powerful messages, as was seen from the two parties to gain the most: the Brexit Party’s push to simply leave Europe, and the Liberal Democrats’ adoption of the slogan, Bollocks To Brexit., said Cowley, author of a series of books on British general elections. The parties with the biggest losses – the Conservatives and Labour – campaigned on messages that were too nuanced, he suggested.

As a Conservative leadership contest kicked off with 11 names in the ring so far – “we’ve already hit a football team and I think we’ve got more to come” – Cowley said that although Boris Johnson was the bookies favourite to win, in every Tory leadership contest since 1965, the favourite has failed to be elected.

Watch the full video here

FCC will remain ‘strong, steadfast voice for press freedom in Hong Kong’, pledges new president, Jodi Schneider

Senior Bloomberg editor Jodi Schneider pledged that the FCC Hong Kong would remain “a strong, steadfast voice for press freedom in Hong Kong, Asia and the world” as she was elected president of the prestigious press club.

Jodi Schneider.

Ms. Schneider takes over from Florence de Changy as Club President, while Eric Wishart was elected First Vice-President, it was announced this week. Tim Huxley was voted Second Vice-President.

Ms. Schneider is Senior International Editor at Bloomberg News, based in Hong Kong, where she discusses world politics and policy on Bloomberg Television and Radio, and edits coverage via the Asia Editing Hub. She is a founder and co-lead of the Women’s Voices initiative in Asia and a co-lead of the Bloomberg Women’s Community in Hong Kong. While in Washington, D.C., she was active in the National Press Club, heading the Fourth Estate Committee.

Eric Wishart.

Former AFP editor-in-chief, and past FCC president, Mr Wishart is responsible for special editorial projects for the Agency’s global news management. He teaches journalism part-time at Hong Kong University and Hong Kong Baptist University.

The FCC is one of the oldest and most famous press clubs in the world, having been established in China in 1943. Home to journalists and a host of other professionals, the members-only club provides a neutral platform for local and international speakers from the worlds of politics, business, sports and the arts. The club’s core mission is to promote and facilitate journalism of the highest standard, and to promote press freedom across the region.

“I am honoured to become the next president of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Hong Kong, undoubtedly one of the world’s great press clubs,” Ms. Schneider said. “As president, I will make a top priority the commitment to being a strong, steadfast voice for press freedom in Hong Kong, Asia and the world. We have a long tradition as a home for discussion and debate on press freedom issues and I will work to uphold that role.”

For the full election results, visit www.fcchk.org/election-2019

Video: James Bullard, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, on the U.S. Economy and Monetary Policy

The US economy and monetary policy was the topic of discussion when Dr. James Bullard, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, spoke at the FCC on May 22.

Watch the full video here

Media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai: Hong Kong Extradition Law is ‘the battle against the massacre of our freedom’

Hong Kong’s proposed changes to its extradition agreement with China will finish Hong Kong, warned media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai, as he called on residents to protest.

Jimmy Lai, founder and chairman of Hong Kong-listed Next Digital, at the May 20 club lunch. Photo: Sarah Graham/FCC

If the bill passes, many foreign businesses will leave Hong Kong, Lai predicted, quoting a new and as yet unpublished survey that found 90% of businessmen in the city were against the proposed Fugitive Offenders Ordinance amendment bill that would allow the city to accept extradition requests from countries where there is no prior agreement.

“This is the last battle. This is the battle against the massacre of our freedom,” Lai said at the May 20 club lunch.

The founder and chairman of Hong Kong-listed Next Digital, publisher of Apple Daily and Next Magazine, also described Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam as “evil” and gave this advice to young journalists: “It’s a risky business… but you’re fighting for society, which is worth fighting for, and that has a lot to give us as a person – the dignity, the pride, the reason to live.”

Watch the full video

Maria Ressa on press freedom, dictators, social media, and the day George Clooney made her coffee

The biggest battle for our generation is the battle for truth and as journalists, we must continue to fight for it, said Rappler founder and press freedom fighter Maria Ressa.

Maria Ressa at the May 17 club lunch. Photo: Sarah Graham/FCC

Appearing at the FCC on a travel bond amid several pending court actions in the Philippines, the journalist at the centre of a harassment campaign directed by President Rodrigo Duterte discussed her country’s “descent into tyranny” but admitted that the pressure on her and her reporters “has made us stronger”.

During the lively May 17 guest appearance, Ressa gave her views on why so many populist leaders were being elected, in part blaming the rise of the internet and social media and their role in the spread of disinformation.

She also talked about the pressure that comes with being an international symbol of the fight for press freedom, which sees her traveling the world to meet global leaders and human rights advocates. In one anecdote, Ressa recalled a recent meeting with leading human rights lawyer, Amal Clooney, and her actor husband George, who made the two women Nespresso – for which the actor is global brand ambassador – as they discussed human rights issues.

Watch the full video

Heated debate over proposed Hong Kong extradition agreement with China

A proposed controversial extradition agreement between Hong Kong and China was the topic of lively debate when prominent lawyers with opposing views on the move discussed it at the FCC.

Dennis Kwok. Photo: Sarah Graham/FCC

Watch the video below

Days after an estimated 150,000 marched through Hong Kong in protest at the proposal, Ronny Tong, a non-official member of the Executive Council of Hong Kong, joined Legislative Council member Dennis Kwok to discuss whether the move was a knee-jerk reaction to the recent case of a Hong Kong citizen suspected of committing murder in Taiwan or a way in which China can legally abduct people from the city. Both men are co-founders of the Civic Party.

Ronny Tong. Photo: Sarah Graham/FCC

Tong argued that the amendment would respect the human rights of those taken to the mainland under the agreement, and that extradition decisions would be taken having been considered by Hong Kong’s respected judiciary. He added that political crimes would be exempt from the agreement. Kwok, however, said he feared that once Article 23 was enacted, such crimes would fall under the agreement.

Watch the full May 2 debate here.