Hong Kong broadcaster RTHK removes letter of gratitude for Tiananmen coverage from newsroom
Hong Kong Free Press
Hong Kong public broadcaster RTHK has removed from its newsroom a letter of gratitude for its reporters’ coverage of the Tiananmen crackdown, ahead of the anniversary of the 1989 incident, according to local media reports.
The one-metre-long letter, which had been displayed in the newsroom for 34 years, was presented to reporters who covered the Tiananmen protests and crackdown in Beijing, according to RFA Cantonese and local newspaper Ming Pao.
“Standing firm at the forefront of reporting on the Beijing incident, setting an exemplary standard for professional broadcasting, standing guard at our roles, demonstrating fearless dedication, reporting with utmost truth and sincerity, we sincerely salute you,” the letter read.
The broadcaster told HKFP that from time to time it carried out work to maintain its offices in accordance with accommodation regulations covering government premises, adding that it refused to comment on “individual speculative reports.”
Citing sources, Ming Pao reported that Wong Kam-fung, head of the Chinese News Current Affairs team, was the one who ordered the removal of the thank-you letter. According to previous reports, the veteran journalist has been at the helm of the news team since 2016.
The Tiananmen crackdown on June 4, 1989, ended months of student-led demonstrations in China. It is estimated that hundreds, perhaps thousands, died when the People’s Liberation Army cracked down on protesters in Beijing.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic and the promulgation of the Beijing-imposed national security law in 2020, Hongkongers had for decades held annual candlelight vigils at Causeway Bay’s Victoria Park to commemorate the Tiananmen victims. The assembly was banned in 2020 amid Covid-19 restrictions, and there has been no vigil for the past three years.
Officials have declined to say whether attempts this year to stage a commemoration would be illegal. Secretary for Security Chris Tang said on Monday that authorities would take action against people who plan to harm national security on “a special occasion in a few days time.”
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