NITAAH(4)
Background
Mr Martin Lee
CONFIDENTIAL
1. Mr Lee QC (CV attached) is a member of the Legislative Council
(representing the legal functional constituency) and one of Hong
Kong's most prominent independent political figures.
2. Mr Lee has been called Hong Kong's leading 'democrat'. He is an
outspoken critic of the British and Hong Kong Governments,
particularly on political reform and the right of abode.
3. He is closely involved in a number of political groupings in
Hong Kong, including the Hong Kong Alliance for the support of
patriotic democratic movements in China, a loose federation of
liberal political organisations in Hong Kong formed in response to the student movement in Peking. Mr Lee is Vice-Chairman of the Hong
Kong Alliance; his LegCo colleague, Szeto Wah, is Chairman. Both Mr
Lee and Szeto Wah have been strongly attacked in the People's Daily
for 'subversive activities'.
He
4. Mr Lee has recently formed the Hong Kong Democratic Association,
which is pressing for more rapid democratisation in Hong Kong.
is also active in the Joint Committee for the Promotion of
Democratic Government which has opened a dialogue with other groups
on the future political structure.
5.
Though widely considered a radical, events in China have
enhanced Mr Lee's standing in Hong Kong and brought him more respect
in less radical circles eg from the business community whose own
views of China have altered for the worse in recent months.
6.
Mr Lee has been a vigorous advocate of right of abode for all
Hong Kong people. He took part in a televised debate with Sir G
Howe on this issue. Mr Lee attended the SLD Conference in Brighton
on 10 September to promote this cause.
CONFIDENTIAL