News Release
June 27, 2006

Punishing a person known for his patriotism and good intentions
will send the wrong message to society

The Ching Cheong Incident Concern Group has today released an open letter to the Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Mr. Jia Qinglin. The letter has been forwarded to Chairman Jia through the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.

The Concern Group stresses in the letter that if our Country was to penalize Ching Cheong, a person known for his patriotism and good intentions, it will send a wrong message to society creating major conceptual confusion and emotional antagonism.

The Concern Group stresses that according to members’ long years of close knowledge of Ching Cheong as a person, they firmly believe he will absolutely not do anything to endanger the state. As a journalist, it was totally normal behaviour for Ching Cheong to have engaged in gathering information, conducting research and writing reports. Under “One Country, Two Systems,” different sets of standards should be allowed to coexist.

The Concern Group has indicated that it is concerned that Hong Kong people working in the mainland should have liberties to which they are entitled under the law. Investigations into the Ching case having taken more than one year, the case should be handled as soon as possible.

The Concern Group states that it hopes Ching Cheong can have his freedom back as soon as possible. The Group will continue to scrutinize and follow up on developments of the Ching case until it is satisfactorily resolved.

The Concern Group hopes that Chairman Jia can take time out of his busy schedule to meet with the Group members, so that members can directly relate to a state leader their understanding of Ching Cheong’s character, and to express their anxiety and thinking regarding the Ching case to secure the early resumption of Ching Cheong’s freedom.