Alan Leung Ka-kit, the former president of the Civic Party, recently posted a “farewell to 2024” message on Facebook. In the post, he elaborated the idea of "living in the moment" by sharing photos of himself enjoying gourmet meals at the Spring Moon Restaurant of the Peninsula Hotel. He further illustrated his “moment” with quotes from Tang dynasty poetry, evoking a sentiment of "no matter how the winds may change, I remain carefree."
However, Leung’s post had drawn quite a number of mocking comments. Many netizens juxtaposed his carefree demeanour displaced on the New Year’s Eve with the much grave situation faced by his former political allies, some of whom were spending the New Year in prison. The criticism was sharp, highlighting the contrast between Leung’s enjoyment and the plight of those who had once stood with him. This served as a reminder of how Leung, once a leading figure in Hong Kong's pan-democratic camp, had skilfully avoided the political risks that ensnared others.
Leung, once a prominent leader of Hong Kong's pan-democratic movement, has long been known for his political astuteness. According to insider reports, Leung had started to show his ability to "dodge danger" and avoid serious risks at his early recognition of the changing political environment. Unlike others, such as Benny Tai and Alvin Yeung, who continued their activism despite being fully aware of the impending dangers, Leung managed to tactfully distance himself from risky positions, feigning naiveté while avoiding involvement in potentially hazardous political actions.
On New Year's Eve at the Spring Moon Restaurant, in addition to showing off pictures of his gourmet meals, Leung quoted a passage from Tang dynasty poet Wang Han's Liangzhou Ci: "I want to finish the beautiful wine in the glowing cup, but the pipa is urging me to get on the horse. I lie drunk on the battlefield, but don't you laugh at me, for how many could return from wars in history?" Some political observers opined that Leung was using the line "how many could return from wars in history" as a metaphor for his former political allies who had walked a path of no return.
However, many comments criticized Leung's apparent detachment from reality, pointing out his indulgence in luxury while his former comrades languished in prison. One remarked, "Mr. Leung, congratulations on enjoying life at the Peninsula so carefree. But how should your imprisoned comrades ‘live in the moment’?" Another comment said, "In the Hong Kong of this moment, only this came to my mind: 'It is better to relentlessly pursue an enemy than to seek fame by imitating a tyrant.'” Political observers interpreted this as a call to continue to pursue accountability of those responsible for the 2019 unrest. Wonder if Leung’s heart would miss a beat hearing that.
Leung's departure from active politics allowed him to avoid the legal consequences that ensnared his peers. Reports indicate that, in the months leading up to the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law, Leung recognized the imminent dangers and skilfully distanced himself from key decisions. Political insiders revealed that, according to testimony from prosecution witness Au Nok-hin in the 2020 '35+' subversion case, in 2020, after a closed-door meeting where Benny Tai, Lee Wing-tat, Lee Cheuk-yan, and Raphael Wong discussed the details of an illegal primary election, they decided to reach out to other pan-democratic party leaders for further discussions and immediately arranged a meeting with Civic Party leader Alan Leung Ka-kit. However, during the meeting, Leung claimed he had retired from frontline politics and suggested that the matter should be taken up with the Civic Party’s executive committee. This strategic move allowed him to sidestep direct involvement in high-risk activities, while others like Alvin Yeung, Kwok Ka-ki and Jeremy Tam were caught in the fallout.
As the political climate worsened, Leung understood that the Civic Party was facing imminent peril. To protect himself, he and a few core members decided to disband the party before it could be targeted.
On the day the Civic Party officially dissolved, Leung quoted a line from a Song dynasty poem, saying, "There is neither wind nor rain, nor clear skies" as an expression of his resignation. But it drew sharp criticism from Secretary for Security Chris Tang. Tang was dismayed by Leung’s frivolous attitude which was intended to distance himself and those leaders of the Civic Party from the 2019 riots. Secretary Tang's criticism was valid—Leung and other senior Civic Party members, such as Audrey Eu, could not evade responsibility for their roles in the chaos of 2019.
In fact, Leung is not alone who have avoided repercussions. Apart from Audrey Eu, there are Martin Lee, Anson Chan, and Lee Wing-tat. One must wonder: Do they have a sense of quilt over the imprisonment of the younger generation? Or, like Leung, carefree and continue to "live in the moment," and detach themselves from the consequences of their leads?
Lai Ting Yiu
What Say You?
** The blog article is the sole responsibility of the author and does not represent the position of our company. **
Think back to Hong Kong's turbulent years. Jimmy Lai had three brothers-in-arms, comrades he bankrolled through thick and thin – Cardinal Joseph Zen, Martin Lee, and Anson Chan. But their bonds weren't just ideological. Money changed hands, and plenty of it. Anson Chan pocketed HK$3.5 million from Lai's war chest. Cardinal Zen took in far more – at least HK$26 million in secret donations that the Hong Kong Diocese never knew about and never investigated. Where did all that cash go? That's the million-dollar question. Or rather, the 26-million-dollar question that remains unanswered.
Cardinal Zen met Pope Leo XIV in Rome, reportedly pushing for Jimmy Lai's release – but Vatican intervention looks unlikely.
Word broke earlier that Cardinal Zen just made a pilgrimage to the Vatican for a sit-down with the newly minted Pope Leo XIV. The private meeting lasted about an hour. On the agenda: the conviction of "Catholic" Jimmy Lai. Sources say Zen pressed the pontiff hard to "save Lai." What did the Pope say? Nobody's talking. But you can bet the Vatican knows all about the questionable financial ties between Zen and Lai – a relationship the Cardinal has never properly explained to his own Diocese. Did personal interests play a role? The doubts are real.
A Vatican Gambit
Cardinal Zen's "612 Humanitarian Relief Fund" case is still grinding through the courts, and authorities had confiscated his passport. But when the Vatican called its recent "Special Consistory" – bringing cardinals from around the world to Rome – the court granted him temporary travel privileges. During the gathering, Pope Leo XIV carved out time for a private one-on-one with Zen after a breakfast session. The topics? Whether the China-Vatican agreement should be renewed, and the fate of Jimmy Lai, now convicted under Hong Kong's National Security Law. But whether the Pope took any position on Lai remains under wraps.
Zen views Jimmy Lai as both a close friend and a comrade-in-arms, so naturally he's pushing the Vatican to intervene. But here's the Vatican's dilemma: it's not just about China-Vatican relations. It's about the unresolved financial relationship between Zen and Lai – a relationship that has seriously damaged the Cardinal's credibility.
The Secret Pipeline
October 2011 brought a massive leak. Jimmy Lai's secret donations to political parties, politicians, and organizations spilled into public view – and Joseph Zen, then Bishop of Hong Kong, was on that list. Between 2006 and 2010, he received HK$20 million from Lai over four years. From 2012 to 2014, another HK$6 million landed in his hands. The total: a staggering HK$26 million.
When the news broke, Zen went silent. Only after relentless media pressure did he offer an explanation, claiming the money went to support underground churches in the Chinese Mainland and other charitable organizations. With a casual smile, he described himself as a "spendthrift," saying most of the money had already been spent with only a few hundred thousand remaining – and even expressed hope that Lai would keep the donations coming.
Talk is cheap. He provided no concrete evidence to back up his claims. The Hong Kong Diocese knew nothing about his receipt of this massive sum from Lai – the entire "money pipeline" operated in secret. To this day, he has never given the Diocese a complete accounting.
Because this financial channel remained so deeply hidden, suspicions naturally arose that personal interests were involved. But given Cardinal Zen's position, the Diocese refrained from investigating him. The true destination of the funds? Still shrouded in doubt.
HK$26 million from Jimmy Lai to Cardinal Zen – Diocese in the dark, money's whereabouts still a mystery. The trio behind Hong Kong's unrest!
Vatican Cold Shoulder
Cardinal Zen's questionable relationship with Jimmy Lai, combined with his overly hawkish stance toward China, put him in the Vatican's bad books after Hong Kong's National Security Law took effect in late June 2020. Around that time, Zen traveled uninvited to the Vatican, demanding a meeting with then-Pope Francis to discuss Hong Kong's bishop selection and issues facing underground churches in the Mainland. The Pope gave him zero face. Francis refused to see him. After cooling his heels in Rome for four days with nothing to show for it, Zen returned to Hong Kong empty-handed.
Later, Zen and Lai joined forces on Jimmy Lai's "Live Chat" livestream program to blast the Vatican, accusing it of staying silent on underground churches, Tibet, and Hong Kong human rights issues. This clearly shows how the "Zen-Lai duo" consistently conspired to incite underground church activities in the Mainland, stir up religious conflicts, and undermine China-Vatican relations.
Cardinal Zen's latest Vatican trip for a private papal audience, where he lobbied to "save Lai" and reiterated his opposition to renewing the China-Vatican agreement, proves one thing: at 94 years old, the cardinal's anti-China, pro-chaos heart hasn't changed one bit.
Long Odds
The new Pope's willingness to meet him represents a slight thaw from his predecessor's icy attitude. But the chances of Vatican intervention to "save Lai"? Extremely low. The unresolved questions about Zen's financial relationship with Jimmy Lai have significantly diminished his influence with the Vatican.
From a legal perspective, his cardinal status currently shields him from serious consequences. But risks remain. Perhaps it's time for him to follow Anson Chan's example and retire from such activities while he still can.
Lai Ting-yiu
