Chinese authorities have arrested five speech therapists in Hong Kong for publishing children’s books that allegedly contained anti-Beijing sentiments.
The five healers, who were arrested more than a year ago, are finally facing trial on sedition charges over a series of books about a village of sheep and a village of wolves. The books clearly differentiate the two cities as good and bad, with wolf society bearing a striking resemblance to mainland China.
The books depict a society of wolves—watched by closed-circuit cameras—planning an infiltration of the sheep village after their shepherd leaves.
The characters are clear analogues of mainland China, Hong Kong and the island’s former British government.
“[The books’] The combined effect was to influence or educate readers to neither be Chinese nor have a sense of belonging to the country,” said Laura Ng Shuk-kuen, the chief prosecutor, according to the South China Morning Post.
VATICAN WARNS HONG KONG CATHOLICS OF PERSECUTION, SAYS ‘BETTER BE PREPARED’
Chinese President Xi Jinping attends an event marking the 110th anniversary of the Xinghai Revolution at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 9, 2021. Xi appears to be laying the groundwork for a third term as the all-powerful Communist Party convenes in Beijing. The official Xinhua news agency reported that the party’s president and general secretary Xi issued a draft resolution on the party’s “significant achievements and historical experience” at the Central Committee plenary session that began on Monday, November 8. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
“[The books] is effectively instilled in the readers [sentiments of] separatism, tribalism and betrayal of their country, resulting in the loss of national identity, as well as damage to Chinese sovereignty, territorial integrity and the long-term stability of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region,” SCMP’s translation of Shuk- kuen the statement continued.
After taking over the village, the wolves announced that a new rule would allow any wolf to eat any sheep it liked. The sheep resisted and were “struck in the eyes” and “struck in the feet” but eventually drove the wolves out of their village.
The books also made clear references to real-life political strife, including the arrest of would-be escapees from Hong Kong.
The defendants, all in their twenties, are members and executives of the former Hong Kong speech therapists union — Lorie Lai Man-ling, Samuel Chan Yuen-sum, Marco Fong Tsz-ho, Melody Yeung Yat-yee and Sidney Ng Hau-yi.
Demonstrators display a ‘Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of our time’ banner at a shopping mall during a protest in Hong Kong in June. The slogan had just been banned by the government under new legislation, saying it had separatist overtones. (AP)
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Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrived in Hong Kong on Thursday ahead of the 25th anniversary of the British handover and after two years of transformation that has put the city more firmly under Communist Party control. It is Xi’s first trip outside mainland China in nearly 2½ years.
Supporters waving Chinese and Hong Kong flags chanted: “Welcome, welcome! Warm welcome!” as Xi’s train pulled into the train station.
Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, were greeted by city leader Carrie Lam as they disembarked the train. Xi greeted supporters who welcomed him to the podium and later greeted John Lee, the city’s incoming leader, and Leung Chun-ying, the city’s former chief executive, along with other officials.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Timothy Nerozzi is a writer for Fox News Digital. You can follow him on Twitter @timothynerozzi and email him at [email protected]
