The anti-extradition protests in Hong Kong are continuing and there have been many scuffles between police and protestors on university campuses. With the situation escalating, City University of Hong Kong President Way Kuo has been criticized for failing to appear. Kuo is from Taiwan. Pan-green legislators are attacking him and calling on the Academia Sinica to strip him of his academician title. Pan-blue legislators, meanwhile, say the Academia Sinica should stay out of politics and the pan-green camp is a political bully.
The anti-extradition protests in Hong Kong have spread to college campuses, with many altercations between protestors and police reported. City University of Hong Kong President Way Kuo has come under criticism for not doing more to protect students.
When major discussions are needed -- people are having an extremely negative reaction. Shouldn't the Academia Sinica be able to strip academicians of their status or have some appropriate exist mechanism in place? Academician is an honorary lifetime title.
Are you going to stay silent, or are you going to express regret? It is regrettable these things should happen. If there is anything we can do for these students, we are more than willing.
The legislative Education and Culture Committee is threatening to freeze the Academia Sinica's budget, and pan-green lawmakers are demanding the Academia Sinica strip Kuo of his academician title. However, pan-blue lawmakers have a different view.
Are you or are you not the (vice president of the Academia Sinica)? I can get rid of you (as vice president), but I can't strip you of your academician (title). Political games are meaningless and only serve to undermine the Academia Sinica.
Do you think it is appropriate for us to arbitrarily evaluate an academician right now? Should he or should he not -- has he or has he not lived up to his responsibilities here? Should he be stripped of his academician status? Under existing laws, the Academia Sinica does not have the authority to do this.
One lawmaker, however, says the pan-green camp is being a political bully. One media report quotes Kuo as saying a school committee has been meeting daily since June to monitor campus safety. In addition, CityU established an emergency response task force in August. News updates are being posted on CityU's website, and the university is providing students and staff with various forms of assistance. Law enforcement personnel, meanwhile, have to get permission from the school to step foot on campus so that street politics stay on the street.