Reporting on Thin Ice

November 11, 2020

Journalists washed their eyes after being hit by pepper balls. (Photo courtesy of Cheung)

The implementation of the national security law has put the journalism industry at risk. Journalists and media outlets are now seeking ways to survive in the tight corners.

By Charlie Yip & Reus Lok

Protection of sources has become journalists’ major concern in Hong Kong after the introduction of national security law. “I won’t just phone call an interviewee whom I think is in need of high security. I will use applications such as Telegram or Signal to contact my interviewees,” says Ronson Chan Long-sing, the deputy assignment editor of The Stand News and the vice-chairperson of the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA), says.

Signal is an instant messaging application currently on shelf with increasing popularity, especially among Hong Kongers after the law went into effect on June 30, 2020. It works just like other instant messaging tools, but with more security features such as end-to-end encryption for better privacy protection. To keep himself and his interviewees safe, Chan steps up security by using more reputable communication softwares and applications.

Chan in a protest in January, 2020. (Photo courtesy of Ronson Chan Long-sing)

The national security law aims to prevent, stop and punish secession, subversion of state power, terrorist activities and collusion with foreign countries with legal accusation or even life imprisonment.

On August 10, 2020, Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai, Lai’s younger son, Ian Lai Yiu-yan and a few executives of Next Digital Media, which is well-known for being critical of Beijing and the Hong Kong government, were arrested for alleged collusion with foreign forces.

About 200 officers raided the premises of the company in Tseung Kwan O and conducted inspection on news desks, sparking an outcry over the implications for press freedom.

Chan thinks that the law is generally seen as a menace to all media practitioners. “The law threatens freedom of speech and discourages people from voicing out their opinions,” he says. He also describes the job of journalists now as skating on thin ice and expects to see a decline in the number of outspoken media outlets which are critical of the government and Beijing.

“The law threatens freedom of speech and discourages people from voicing out their opinions.”

“Of course my wife and my parents are worried about me, but they’re well-aware of my passion and ambition for my job,” Chan says. He also reveals that he is mentally prepared for the worst.

Deterrent Effect and Panic

Cheung*, a free-lance reporter, shares Chan’s worries. She thinks ambiguity in the law allows flexibility for interpretation. “The law gives them a very convenient tool to curb press freedom,” Cheung says.

Cheung is worried and aware that some journalists have already self-censored their works to avoid falling into any legal trap.

“No matter what aspect a story is about, say education or entertainment, as long as it is associated with politics, people no longer have the guts to speak up. It makes the interviewing process much harder when even speaking the truth has such serious consequences,” she says.

“Holding the authorities accountable and informing the public are the two main responsibilities of journalists. Unfortunately, under the national security law, perhaps journalists can no longer serve the public, but the government. We have to report the truth even when we are facing an increasing risk,” Cheung adds.

“Unfortunately, under the national security law, perhaps journalists can no longer serve the public, but the government.”

Journalism is at Risk

The HKJA conducted a survey after the introduction of the law between June 8 and June 11. Of the 535 journalists polled, 98 per cent disagreed with the enactment of the national security law and 98 per cent were concerned about adverse effects on press freedom and expected stronger self-censorship.

Chris Yeung Kin-hing, chairman of the association, says that the concern reflected in the survey is well-founded. He cites wordings such as “incites” and “advocates” in some articles of the national security law as sources of worries, as reporters could be incriminated by wordings such as ‘incites’ and ‘advocates’ easily.

Yeung at the annual dinner of the Hong Kong Journalist Association. (Photo courtesy of Chris Yeung Kin-hing)

Hong Kong ranks 80 out of 180 in 2020 World Press Freedom Index as compared to 18 in 2002 when the index was first launched. Yeung expects a further decline in Hong Kong’s ranking in press freedom after the introduction of the national security law.

Yeung points out foreign journalists are having difficulties in applying for working visas in Hong Kong. On August 25, the Immigration Department denied a working visa application filed by an editor hired by Hong Kong Free Press (HKPF).

“The government has not explained this matter, but it is believed to be related to the law,” Yeung says. He expects to see a rise in the number of similar cases.

Varsity filed a question about the visa application of foreign journalists after the enactment of the law to the Security Bureau. “In handling each immigration case, the Immigration Department will consider the circumstances of the case and act in accordance with the laws and immigration policies”, the bureau says in a written reply.

“This may give foreign journalists an impression that Hong Kong is like China which expels foreign journalists or revokes foreign journalists’ working visas,” Yeung says. “We did not have this in the past, but it seems that there are signs showing that this is happening now,” he adds.

The HKJA, as promised by Yeung, vows to speak up and may take legal action against the government to defend press freedom. Yeung adds they will also remind their members to uphold professionalism to gain public support.

The Road Ahead is Lost

Journalism students are also worried that the law will have a great impact on their future career. Lcarus Chan, a journalism and communication major student of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and the president of the CUHK Campus Radio says, “To be honest, I may not work as a journalist after my graduation,” Chan says.

Citing the arrest of Jimmy Lai, Chan worries that reporting the truth may be considered as illegal by the national security law. “I study Chinese news reporting as I think it is worth studying. But it is hard to say whether journalists can continue to do their duty and serve the public in the future,” Chan adds.

Allan Au Ka-lun, a professional consultant of the School of Journalism and Communication of CUHK and a former journalist says, “Some principles have to be adhered and we should not scare ourselves at once.” “If we practice self-censorship out of fear, it is us who are giving up our values,” he adds.

“If we practice self-censorship out of fear, it is us who are giving up our values.”

Asked if the national security law will affect journalists doing reporting duty in Hong Kong, the Security Bureau says: Any measures or enforcement actions taken under the law must observe the principle that human rights including freedoms of speech, of the press and of publication”, the Security Bureau says in a written reply.

“However, the above rights and freedoms are not absolute, and may be restricted by law for respect of the rights or reputations of others, and for the protection of national security, public order (order public) and public health or morals,” the bureau says.

The amendment came into effect on September 23, one day after the announcement, without discussing and consulting HKJA or HKPPA.

HKJA, HKPPA, Citizen News Staff Union, Independent Commentators Association, Journalism Educators for Press Freedom, Ming Pao Staff Association, Next Media Trade Union, and RTHK Programme Staff Union issued a joint statement on September 22 to voice their opposition against the amendment.

“The amendment allows authorities to decide who are reporters, and this fundamentally changes the existing system in Hong Kong. It is no different from having an official accreditation system. The amendment seriously impedes press freedom in Hong Kong, leading the city toward authoritarian rule,” the statement reads.

“The amendment seriously impedes press freedom in Hong Kong, leading the city toward authoritarian rule.”

Chris Yeung Kin-hing, chairman of HKJA says the police have not fully explained why membership cards issued by HKJA are no longer recognised under the Police General Order despite repeated requests for clarification.

He points out journalists who work as freelancers, stringers, fixers and foreign freelance journalists are not on the list of the Information Service Department’s GNMIS system, their reporting job will be affected. They face higher legal risk when doing reporting in public places and may be liable to charges of offences such as unlawful assembly.

Ronson Chan Long-sing, the deputy assignment editor of an online news website, The Stand News and the vice-chairperson of the HKJA, says the amendment limits reporting duty of journalists working for online media outlets that are not on the list of GNMIS system.

The police explain that the new arrangement allows frontline police officers to recognize media representatives more efficiently in the email. Secretary of Security John Lee Ka-chu stresses the amendment does not affect the lawful reporting of journalists and the press freedom in Hong Kong has not changed in an article dated on September 23 on the Security Bureau’s website.

*Name changed at interviewee’s request

Edited by Emilie Lui

Invisible Red Lines Threaten Publications

November 11, 2020

bookstore_cover — Independent bookstore Bleak House Books. (Photo courtesy of Albert Wan)

The vagueness of national security law has sparked ‘white terror’ over book production and publications.

By Kelly Yu

Daniel Lee, owner of Hong Kong Reader Bookstore, an independent shop featuring books on humanities and social sciences, is one of many booksellers in Hong Kong who is concerned about the implementation of national security law.

“When the bookstore first established in 2007, Hong Kong was still a relatively free and open society. I never thought there would be (a concept of) banned books (in Hong Kong) one day,” Lee says.

In view of the legislation, Lee says that he has reluctantly removed books about “Hong Kong Independence” from his store shelves. “Publishers have filtered content mentioning independence and rephrased polically sensitive terms. Some book printers have refused to print books related to independence even long before the law (was introduced) in light of the political climate,” Lee says.

Daniel Lee reading a book at Hong Kong Reader Bookstore.

“I did not expect independent booksellers to become guardians of freedom of speech,” Lee says. “Ten years ago, we did not take politics into consideration. But now, running an independent bookstore and selling books is already like taking a (political) stand,” Lee adds.

The national security law, introduced by the Beijing government to prevent, stop and punish acts of secession, subversion of state power, terrorist activities, and collusion with foreign forces that endangers national security, took effect on June 30, 2020, the eve of the 23rd anniversary of the city’s handover to China from British rule.

Following social unrest brought by the anti-Extradition Law Amemdment Bill (anti-ELAB) movement since June 2019, implementation of the law has caused public outcry over Beijing’s tightening control on the semi-autonomous city.

Soon after the law was introduced, books written by prominent pro-democracy figures, including at least nine titles by localist Horace Chin Wan-kan, activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung and former lawmaker Tanya Chan Suk-chong have been removed from public library shelves, triggering fears and concerns over possible impact of the law on freedom of expression.

Fear over Independent Bookselling

“There is zero guideline from the government, and that is worrying,” Lee says. “Until now, there is no official announcement as to what content might possibly be considered as threats to national security. All we can do is to pay close attention to how the law is being enforced,” Lee adds.

Lee, who still sells political titles such as 1984, On Tyranny and books about the anti-ELAB movement, says his biggest concern over the law is its vagueness. “What if I sell books about Mao Zedong or Marxism which also include issues about freedom of speech? Would it be considered illegal?” he laughs. “We would never know, not until the government knocks on my door one day, which is the scariest scenario,” he says.

“We would never know, not until the government knocks on my door one day, which is the scariest
scenario.”

White terror over independent bookstore sector sparked public outcry in 2015, when Lam Wing-kee, owner of Causeway Bay Books and five of his coworkers went missing. Lam later informed the public that he was detained by the Chinese authorities in Guangdong province for more than 400 days for selling books critical of China’s leaders. Lam flew to Taiwan in April 2019 and reopened his bookstore, Causeway Bay Books, in Taipei on April 25, 2020.

The missing booksellers case has put Hong Kong under the spotlight of international media, provoking widespread concern over Hong Kong’s declining freedom. With the national security law imposed, booksellers are worried that similar incidents will take place again – only this time it is carried out according to the law.

Chilling Effect

Wan, owner of Bleak House Books, an independent bookstore that specialises in English language books, shares Lee’s worries. “They did that to the Causeway Bay booksellers without a law in place. Now that there’s a law in place and they have the whole apparatus to enforce the law, … I don’t see those tactics going away, if anything, it is going to be more common,” Wan says.

On Tyranny being sold at Bleak House Books. (Photo courtesy of Albert Wan)

As a former US lawyer himself, Wan is most concerned about validity and accountability of the law. “The enforcement of the law is very much up to the political leadership. There is no accountability and no transparency,” he says.

Wan views vagueness of the law as a way to generate a chilling effect. “There is no clear guideline and I think it is intentional,” Wan says. “The government wants us to set our own red lines and instil fear and self censorship among members of the public in terms of not saying things that might possibly offend the regime,” Wan adds.

Wan thinks there is obviously a certain level of self censorship: “People may still agree with a lot of what they want to publish but cannot do so. At the same time, they have a business to run, they have families too, so they are concerned about their own safety.”

Persisting in Resistance

Despite the depressing circumstances, both booksellers are committed to upholding what they think is right. “I don’t think we need to do anything especially brave. We just have to keep doing business as usual,” Wan says.

Citing a quote from German philosopher Hannh Arendt, “There are no dangerous thoughts; thinking itself is dangerous”, Lee explains that he firmly believes in the power of books. “The act of thinking or bookselling itself is a way of resisting the political suppression. All we can do is to carry on,” he says.

“The act of thinking or bookselling
itself is a way of resisting the politcal suppression. All we can do is to carry on.”

Reviewing Textbooks

Apart from books sold in bookstores, publication of textbooks is also facing similar situation. According to a circular issued by the Education Bureau on July 3, 2020, schools are urged to review curriculum and teaching resources, with “a view to reinforcing the learning elements of national security education”. The criteria and guidelines for reviewing materials are not mentioned.

Controversies emerged when Liberal Studies textbooks were found altered after six local publishers joined a voluntary professional consultancy scheme established by the bureau in 2019. The scheme aimed to “improve the quality of the textbooks to ensure that they are in line with the aims, objectives and learning focuses of the curriculum”, according to a pr e ss release issued by the bureau on August 19, 2020.

The term “separation of powers” was removed and legal consequences of civil disobedience were highlighted in examined textbooks published in August 2020, months after the national security law was imposed. The bureau dismissed allegations about censoring textbooks under the law, saying that the pusblishers “voluntarily participated in the professional consultancy service and refined the textbooks” in the same press release.

A spokesperson of the Education Bureau tells Varsity that the bureau is seeking advice from relevant policy bureaux and experts in different areas, and has been consulting with the education sector, with a view to providing more detailed guidelines as soon as possible.

“It is the professional duty of teachers to review regularly their teaching materials for student learning to gatekeep the quality and relevance of the resource materials of the school curriculum,” the spokesperson says. “The teaching materials provided to students by schools should not involve and promote any acts that endanger national security,” the spokesperson adds.

On August 19, the Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Union issued a statement condemning the government of censoring Liberal Studies textbooks, describing it as an act undermining the learning objectives of the core subject.

Education lawmaker Ip Kin-yuen, who is also the vice president of the Union, raises his concerns over potential threats to academic freedom under the national security law.

“In the past, we enjoyed freedom of speech in Hong Kong. Now with the law in place, teachers have to be cautious about what they say during lessons. That has a significant impact on teaching and learning,” Ip says.

“In the past, we enjoyed freedom of speech in Hong Kong. Now with the law in place, teachers have to be cautious about what they say during lessons.

Ip perceives the removal of “separation of powers” in Liberal Studies textbooks as an infringement of academic freedom. “The government should not ban academic discussion,” Ip says. “There should be space for teachers to teach and students to discuss the concept of separation of powers, which is a long-standing model of Hong Kong legal and administrative system,” Ip adds.

He urges educators not to practice self censorship and teach students independent thinking regardless of the current political climate.

Liberal Studies teacher Lo Kit-ling, who is also a committee member of the Hong Kong Liberal Studies Teachers’ Association, thinks that schools should be given clearer instructions.

“Without an ‘official’ red line, teachers have no choice but to practise self censorship,” Lo says. “Our immediate action is to review teaching materials thoroughly and filter content that might be seen as possible threat to national security,” Lo adds.

Lo is most worried about facts being removed from textbooks after assessment. “We are afraid facts will be altered one day. Historical events like the Cultural Revolution are worth mentioning and discussing,” Lo says.

She believes that Liberal Studies has an important role in cultivating students’ critical thinking and ability to analyze current affairs.

“I hope students can learn in and out classroom with the help of both unbiased textbooks and real life experiential learning,” she adds.

Edited by Emilie Lui

Sub-edited by Howard Li

Screen Crisis

November 16, 2020

Parents struggle to control children’s use of electronic devices during lockdowns.

By Charleen Chen in Hsinchu

It is not easy for Kyra Kuo, a mother of two, to take care of a 2-year-old son, Enzo, and a 10-month-old baby. Anti-COVID19 measures such as class suspension make it even more challenging for Kuo.

“I gave up strict control over Enzo’s television time, because I was just too busy,” Kuo, a Taiwanese blogger and housewife, who is now living in the Netherlands after spending five years in Singapore, recalls. “I literally handled the baby and Enzo 24/7 with no breaks during the lockdown,” she says.

Schools were shut down from March till June in Singapore in 2020 when the country was under lockdown. Enzo, Kuo’s 2-year-old son had to stay at home, as his kindergarten closed.

Longer Screen Time Under Lockdown

“Enzo watched television for roughly one hour [every day] during the lockdown,” Kuo recalls.

The kindergarten pupil used to only watch 15 minutes television every day and do outdoor activities such as picnicking and playing at parks. The family also took him to the zoos and aquariums on weekends before the pandemic.

The toddler’s television time jumped four times after the world has been affected by the pandemic. His mind sometimes went blank after watching television for an hour. “He sometimes threw temper tantrums when I turned off the television,” Kuo says. “When staying indoor for so long, it was very hard to keep my elder son away from the electronic devices during the pandemic,” Kuo adds.

“When staying indoor for so long, it was hard to keep my son away from the electronic devices.”

Wang Chun-ping, a Taiwanese blogger who has been living in France for over 10 years, encountered similar problems. Her two sons, Alexandre, aged 9, and Andre, aged 6, stayed at home when the country was under lockdown from March to May this year.

“They used electronic devices indeed more often when staying home all day,” Wang says. Apart from having online lessons, the brothers used the devices for games and surfing on the Internet during the lockdown.

Her children used to enjoy going to school and doing outdoor activities such as hiking and swimming. But now they switched to indoor activities such as playing with building blocks and cleaning the garden.

“Our family used to travel a lot. When we couldn’t go out all of a sudden, the boys actually needed some mental preparation,” says Wang. “I explained to them that we must stay indoor because we have to protect ourselves and others.”

Asking for More Cartoons to Watch

Lin Tien-yu, a Chinese teacher in Taiwan, has a daughter, aged 5, and a son, aged 2. Her children used to join many activities such as drawing, sightseeing, and simple DIY projects. But all these activities and their art classes have been cancelled due to the pandemic.

“They ask if they can watch Disney cartoons more often,” Lin says. Her children used to watch television for 10 to 20 minutes a day. But they now spend more time on television as they have to stay home most of the time and avoid going out to reduce the risk of infection.

Lin’s children ask to watch Disney cartoons more often during the pandemic.

“When the kids watch cartoons, I can take the chance to relax a bit,” Lin says. As working parents, Lin and her husband, an engineer, have become much busier juggling between family and their work, as their children stay home all the time. They cannot let the childrens visit their grandparents as usual to prevent infection. And that deprives the couple of their time to rest. “Their grandparents used to look after the kids at their place on Saturday afternoon, so my husband and I could rest or go shopping,” Lin says.

Lin lets her children watch more cartoon. “But I find the children really are addicted to watching TV,” Lin says. “They ask for more cartoons and become emotionally unstable. They will throw a tantrum and it is difficult to communicate with them when they cry and act naughty,” Lin adds.

In Search for Solutions

To reduce screen time for children, parents try hard to think of alternative activities for their kids. Kuo let Enzo make chalk paints on the balcony. The toddler also used boxes to build a 3D parking garage with his father. “Enzo sometimes joined me in cooking dinner and bathing his baby brother. This allowed me to keep him company when doing the chores,” Kuo says. Wang tried reading books and playing board games more with her children to reduce their use of electronic devices during the lockdown. “I also encourged my children to play basketball and clean the yard at home,” she says.

Similarly, Lin tries to shift her children’s attention away from the cartoons. She purchased teaching packages for her children to make homemade soap, build blocks, and assemble magnetic building toys.

Cut Down Screen Time

Cecilia Lam Wing-chi, the professional consultant of the Department of Educational Psychology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, says it is “unavoidable” for children to use electronic devices during the pandemic. “Parents should try to minimize their screen time,” she says. Lam suggests 30 minutes per time for primary school children, and 15 minutes for preschoolers.

Lam thinks that parents should arrange engaging games and activities as alternatives. Toys sets such as Lego, arts and crafts, readings, and family board games are recommended. “For preschoolers, hands-on toys are more suitable for them,” she says. “Parents are encouraged to create toys corners for preschoolers to get them fully engaged,” she adds.

Enzo was making chalk paints on the balcony during the lockdown in Singapore.
(Photo Courtesy of Kyra Kuo)

Lam points out that e-learning has positive and negative effects on children. “On the positive side, children are more comfortable with learning in the virtual classrooms,” she says.

“Since teachers now are making efforts to make online lessons more interactive and engaging, children have fun in learning too,” Lam says. “For kids who are shy, they feel more comfortable to speak up,” she adds.

“On the other hand, online lessons deprive children of social interactions, like learning the social cues and social positions,” Lam says. Socializing is an important part of children development, when children learn how to form friendships and interact with others.

“Long period of exposure to screens is bad for their eye sight,” Lam says. “It provides too much stimulation to children’s physical and mental health. Children tend to get emotionally unstable when stimulated by digital content,” she adds.

“Children tend to get emotionally unstable
when stimulated by digital content.”

Edited by Emilie Lui

Sub-edited by Howard Li

U.S. Cancels China Student Visa

November 15, 2020

Chinese students who graduated from universities which are listed on the U.S. sanction list are banned from getting student visa.

By Gloria Wei in Harbin & Lynne Rao in Luzhou

On September 9, Ashley Liu* received an email from the U. S. embassy in Beijing informing her that her student visa had been revoked by the U.S. Department of State.

The civil engineering major student returned to China in December 2019 after getting her master’s degree in University of Illinois. Her visa was expected to expire in November this year and she had planned to pursue her P.H.D degree in the U.S. But now she cannot fly to the U.S. without a valid visa.

“I graduated from Beihang University in 2018 and the university is now on the American sanction list,” Liu says. “I broke down when I learnt that my visa was revoked,” she adds. The “Entity List” comprises institutions that the U.S. believes are linked to the Chinese military.

Liu had to cancel her plan of applying for a P.H.D program in civil engineering in the United States after her visa was revoked. She is preparing to file application for P.H.D program offered by the University of Science and Technology of China.

“The stupid policy damages academic freedom because we (students who graduate from universities on the sanction list) cannot go to the U.S. for research and academic exchange,” Liu says. “Trump stated that he did this to prevent Chinese students from stealing technology from America. But why does he punish innocent people?” Liu adds. She regrets going to Beihang University for undergraduate study, as the university is on the sanction list which means she cannot go to the U.S. for higher education now.

“The stupid policy damages academic
freedom because we cannot go to the U. S. for research and academic exchange.”

Donald Trump, President of the U.S., signed a proclamation on May 29, barring Chinese graduate students and researchers who have ties with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) from entering the United States, claiming to stop China from using graduate students to steal intellectual property and technology from America.

Seven military-affiliated universities in China are included in the list. They are Northwestern Polytechnical University, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin Institute of Technology, Beihang University, University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Nanjing University of Science and Technology and Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Graduates of these universities are banned from studying in the U.S.

Netizens talking about the U.S. revoking Chinese students’ visas on a forum.

China-U.S. relations have hit historic lows with the world’s two biggest economies clashing over issues ranging from trade and human rights to Hong Kong and the coronavirus.

On 2020 State of the Homeland Address on September 9, Chad Wolf, Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security of the U.S., said, “We are blocking visas for certain Chinese graduate students and researchers with ties to China’s military fusion strategy to prevent them from stealing and otherwise appropriating sensitive research.”

Foreign Ministry Spokeperson Zhao Lijian critizised the U.S. for revoking visas of Chinese students and reseachers in a regular press conference of Ministry of Foreign Affair of People’s Republic of China on September 10. “The measures taken by the U.S. government blatantly harm the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese students in the U.S., which are outright political persecution and racial discrimination and seriously violate the human rights of these Chinese students,” Zhao said.

Jay Yang* was another student affected by the presidential proclamation. Yang received an email informing that his visa application was rejected by U.S. embassy in Bern, Switzerland on August 31, 2020. “It was not surprising. But I still felt upset when I knew the result,” Yang says. He graduated from Harbin Institute of Technology, one of the universities on the sanction list, in 2017.

Refusal letter from U. S. embassy Jay Yang recieved in Bern, Switzerland. (Photo courtesy of Jay Yang)

Yang graduated from a university in Switzerland with a master degree this year. He refused to reveal the name of the university. Yang was admitted to a P.H.D program in Computer Science in the University of Chicago in February and now he is attending classes online. “I planned to study in the U.S. when I was an undergraduate,” Yang says. He thinks his visa application should not be rejected since the U.S. stated that the sanction only targets ‘sensitive subjects’, which are linked to national security such as Material Science and Defense Engineering. “It is unfair because my major is computer science and it is not sensitive,” he adds.

He hopes the U.S. will change its visa policy after the election. “I considered studying in other countries if nothing changes next year,” Yang says.

China has been the biggest markets for the U.S. universities. According to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) 2019 SEVIS by the Numbers Report, an anual report on nonimmigrant student trends released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in September 2020, 4.7 million Chinese students entered the U.S. in 2019 with a F-1 visa, which is required for those studying in the U.S. as a temporary and non-immigrant visa-holders or a M-1 visa, which is required for those studying in the U.S. as a vocational, non-academic school. The report of ICE also reveals that the number dropped by 4,235 compared with 2018.

Daxue Consulting, a market research and management consulting firm focusing on Chinese market, published a report titled “Education elsewhere: China seeks out exchanges in other countries” on June 23, 2020. The report found the U.S. remained the top destination in the past few years because of the high quality of the U.S. education. Also, many Chinese students hoped to stay and live there after graduation in order to enjoy the lifestyle of a developed country.

Yet according to English Learning, a multimedia news platform widely known as EL, American universities are starting to see steep declines as political tensions between the two countries escalate. Several universities in the U.S. have reported drops of 20 per cent or more in the number of new admission from China this fall. At the Bentley University in Massachusetts, the number of new Chinese students arriving for graduate level work dropped from 110 last autumn to 70 this fall. As a result, officials from Bentley University are wondering whether all of its graduate programs can survive.

Ya Waning, manager of an agency based in Beijing, has helped students studying overseas to apply visa for more than 15 years. Ya realises graduates from universities on the sanction list cannot obtain study visa. “It is just a waste of time to apply for American universities unless Biden wins the election and changes the visa policy,” he says.

Given the situation, many Chinese students have changed their study plans. A report investigating undergraduate program applications in the U.K. in 2020 by Universities and Colleges Admissions Service shows the number of Chinese students applying for universities in the U.K. increased by 23 per cent year on year as of June 30, 2020. Other countries such as Japan, Korea and Singapore, are also gaining popularity among Chinese students as the destination for higher education.

Sam Qi*, who graduated from the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) in 2018 used to dream of going to the U.S. for higher education in the field of civil engineering. But since the HIT is one of universities on the sanction list, he thinks his visa application will not be successful.

Qi has applied for other universities in the U.K. and Canada as his backup plan. “I’ll be thrilled if I can get the visa for studying in the U.S., and I’m still praying for it,” Qi says.

“I’ll be thrilled if I can get the visa for studying in the U.S., and I’m still praying for it.”

*Names changed at interviewees’ request

Edited by Emilie Lui

Unbearable Pressure of Parcels

November 14, 2020

The rise of online shopping during the pandemic has made couriers in South Korea overwork. The unbearable pressure of parcels is pushing them into a corner.

By Soweon Park in Seoul

“I have to deliver 300 parcels a day. I cannot work without taking muscle relaxer,” Lee Hyeong-goo says. The 55-year-old courier in South Korea has been working in delivery service for two years.

More and more consumers are shopping online for daily necessities and food such as sanitisers, bottles water or fresh sushi and have them delivered to their doorsteps.

“My daily workload jumped by 30 per cent,” Lee says.

The average daily working hour of courier stretched to 14 hours a day during the pandemic, as people are urged to practice social distancing, and many are working from home. “Most couriers including me work for more than 12 hours a day these days,” Lee says.

Lee’s daily work starts at 7 a.m., loading up a truck with parcels to be delivered. At 12 p.m., he starts dispatching parcels to consumers. It is already 9 p.m. when he can finally go home after all parcels are delivered.

Couriers’ daily work starts with loading up a truck with parcels to be delivered.

“My whole body is in pain every night. It strains my leg to deliver heavy parcels where there’s no lift (at some locations),” Lee says. Despite of the heavy workload, most couriers do not have any day off. They can only rest on Sundays and public holidays. “We don’t even have time to eat lunch or dinner. I sometimes grab some snacks from convenient stores and eat in my truck when I’m extremely hungry,” he adds.

First Day Off in Nearly Three Decades

A labour union of delivery workers demanded logistic firms to offer an official holiday for couriers. Four major logistic companies in South Korea – CJ Logistics, Hanjin Express, Lotte Global and Logen – and Post office finally designated August 14 as ‘No Parcel Day,’ amid surging workload in the wake of the COVID-19.

For the first time in 28 years since delivery service was introduced in South Korea, delivery workers were allowed to take a day off on August 14 – Friday. The government and the firms will also make August 14 a rest day for couriers every year. “With the Liberation Day on August 15, we all had three days off for the first time. I did nothing during the long weekend and just stayed at home and let my exhausted body rest,” Lee says.

With the Liberation Day on August 15, couriers took three-days holiday.

Consumers also support couriers for having their first official holiday, uploading #it’s_okay_to_be_late on their social media. President Moon Jae-in also posted ‘No Parcel Day’ on his twitter on July 18, 2020. “We should keep hard working couriers who are taking the leading role in overcoming the COVID-19 in our minds,” he tweeted.

Death from Overwork

Parcel service is very labour intensive starting from sorting parcels to actual deliveries and requires physical labour. Some workers died from overwork.

The total number of couriers reportedly died from overwork is 18 in the past eight years. In the wake of surging delivery service demand this year, the number of couriers who are believed to have died from overwork this year alone is eight with the latest tragedy reported on October 8, 2020.

“It’s heart-breaking to see young couriers dying from overwork. I’m afraid that I could be next too,” Lee says.

“It’s heart-breaking to see young couriers dying from overwork. I’m afraid that I could be next too.”

Kim Se-kyoo, who is in charge of education and promotion of the labour union of delivery workers says most of the death cases did not have record of suffering from chronic diseases and they worked for more than 14 hours a day before they died. For the latest death case, the concerned delivery worker had to deliver 400 parcels a day. “We believe there are cases that are not made public,” Kim says.

The labour union is worried delivery workers will have heavier workload in the coming months because shipping volume reaches the peak between September to November every year.

In a bid to prevent workers dying from overwork, the labour union is demanding logistic companies to hire supplementary workers for doing parcel classification which is a long and tough process before actual deliveries are made. In the long run, the labour union is planning to discuss with the government about introducing legislation to address the issue of long working hours.

Couriers at the Blind Spot in Law

According to the labour union of delivery workers, the average weekly working hour from this January to August of couriers is 71.3 hours. This is 1.9 times higher than the average working hour of workers of other professions and is much longer than the 52-hours workweek scheme that Korean government regulates.

The Labour Standards Act is applied to company with more than five employees. However, delivery service workers are not protected by the law, as couriers are regarded as self-employed workers (special contract worker), but not employees of a company.

Kim vows to fight for a better working environment for delivery service workers. Established in 2017, the labour union has combated unreasonable and unfair issues for 45,000 couriers face. “Many offices where parcel classification work is done didn’t even have toilets in the past,” Kim says.

“Logistic companies do not recognise couriers as their employees. We really hope these companies will offer a better working environment and treatment to couriers,” Kim says.

“We are still in the process of fighting for couriers to be recognised and treated like other normal employees,” Kim says.

‘Parcel Service’ Exhibition

Kim Jee-youn, a photographer who loves taking photos of marginalised people in society held an exhibition ‘Parcel Service’ in Jeonju, South Korea, praising their contribution to the country.

“I was so surprised when my parcel was delivered to the doorstep at 11 p.m.,” says Kim, explaining why she held the exhibition.

“The shipping volume surges during the pandemic. I read several news articles regarding the working conditions of couriers. It was poorer than I thought. So, I started taking photos of parcels I have received for the photo exhibition,” she says.

The exhibition – ‘Parcel Service’ held between September 9 and October 10 this year showcased photos of parcels, illustrations of work structure of parcel service, screenshots of news articles and piles of parcel boxes.

Parcel boxes showcased in the ‘Parcel Service’ exhibition (Photo Courtesy of Kim Jee-youn)

“I wanted to give a courier a bottle of juice in hot summer. But he was too busy that he had to leave my place right away. So I took a picture of his back and showcased the photo in the exhibition,” Kim says.

“We always seek fast and convenient service, but I believe that we need to think of those who provide this speedy service for us all,” Kim says.

Edited by Lasley Lui, Regina Chen

Press Freedom under Threat in Indonesia

November 13, 2020

Journalists working in Indonesia are struggling with the declining press freedom.

By Sarah Ryou in Jakarta

Kate Walton, a 32-year-old Australian journalist has been banned from entering Indonesia for taking photos of a street protest in Jakarta in June 2019.

The protest was held to rally against a corruption law, which undermines a government agency to fight corruption.

“As a writer, I loved researching Jakarta and Indonesian culture. Just to get banned so suddenly, it is quite confusing…not only for me but other foreign journalists,” Walton says. She was forced to go back to Australia in 2019 after living in Indonesia for eight year, but she is still writing news stories about Indonesia and Australia.

Walton was not the only one who has been banned by the Indonesian government. Statistics of blacklisted journalists are not open to the public but there are reported cases of foreign journalists being blacklisted, deported, and jailed.

Journalists and academics must have a valid visa when conducting research in Indonesia. Many have been imprisoned because they do not have the correct type of visa. For instance, two British journalists, Rebecca Prosser, and Neil Bonner, who worked for National Geographic were imprisoned for three months after being arrested on Batam Island in May 2015 for filming a documentary without a press visa.

According to Reporters Without Borders, a non-governmental organisation supporting journalists around the world, Indonesia ranks 119 out of 180 countries in the 2020 World Press Freedom Index. Critiques state that the Indonesian press freedom is still in the developing stage.

President Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, failed to keep his campaign pledge about safeguarding press freedom in his first term of office. The Journalist Association of Indonesia held a rally to voice their discontent about government’s curb of press freedom and interference of editorial independence after his re-election in May 2019.

Protestors gathered in Central Jakarta to voice their discontent about government’s curb of press freedom. (Photo courtesy of SBS News)

Foreign journalists and local fixers in Indonesia are liable to be arrested and prosecuted, according to Reporters Sans Frontiers. Indonesian journalists also say the police and the government are hostile to them, and some journalists have been arrested.

Yoon, a Korean journalist who has worked and lived in Indonesia since 1997, also feels worried that she might be sent back home one day like Walton. “Our visas are issued to us by the Indonesian government. We always have to show them what news stories we are writing lately,” she says.

According to Yoon, after the re-election of President Joko Widodo, stricter guidelines for journalist visa application were introduced in 2019. Applicants are required to submit approval letter from a news agency, detailed disclosure of a company profile and profiles of staff members who will visit the country.

Protestors holding a rally to voice their discontent about government’s curb of press freedom. (Photo courtesy of SBS News)

Yoon, who writes news for Koreans living in Indonesia adds that censorship has been reinforced since last year. “They used to erase some of our articles uploaded to our website. When we first came to Indonesia, we had to allow Indonesian government to have access to our news website,” she says.

“Now they tell us a certain wording or a sentence is not appropriate by sending us emails. They ask us to avoid writing news stories which are controversial or they ask us to change some wordings in stories,” she adds.

“They ask us to avoid writing news stories which are controversial or they ask us to change some wordings in stories.”

“The biggest challenge to work as a journalist is to stay safe. Our job is to go out and speak to our sources. But if we take any step that the government does not like or go against the law, then we cannot carry on our job anymore,” Yoon added.

Having covered news stories in Indonesia for more than 20 years, Paik Joo Yoon, editor-in-chief of the Korean Community News is upset by the declining press freedom in Indonesia.

“We feel very sorry that we cannot produce proper news for the Korean community. We sometimes get feedback from our readers saying that our news looks too ‘filtered’,” Paik says.

“We are cautious every time we deal with a news story. If a story causes trouble, our visas may be revoked, and we might be deported right away. Then we will not be able to work in Indonesia anymore,” Paik says.

While deportation is the worst consequence for foreign journalists, local journalists might have a higher price to pay for press freedom. A 38-year-old Indonesian National Television reporter, Jason* says the government regulations are quite vague and that makes it difficult for journalists to do reporting.

In a bid to protect the journalists, he says his news agency censors news stories to avoid government interference. He adds that many journalists are scared by the government’s curb on press freedom.

“Not just because I will lose my job, it really does threaten my life. I might have to spend the rest of my life in jail,” he says.

“Not just because I will lose my job, it really does threaten my life. I might have to spend the rest of my life in jail.”

Jason thinks that there should be a turning point for journalism in Indonesia, so that the truth can be reported. He also hopes that journalists can enjoy press freedom and stay safe.

*Name changed at interviewee’s request

Edited by Lasley Lui, Regina Chen

Plastic Pandemic

November 13, 2020

How is the city fighting against single-use plastics amid COVID-19?

By Kassandra Lai & Fiona Cheung

A student in a traditional blue cheongsam waited in a long queue in front of a restaurant. While other students returned to school with their lunch packed in white styrofoam boxes, she handed out her lunchbox after ordering her takeaway. The waitress looked hesitant while reaching for the container.

Emily Cheung Yee-kwan, an 18-year-old student, was one of the only few in her school to do so.

“I was taught to avoid using disposable plastics,” Cheung says. “So I bring my containers as I feel uncomfortable and guilty knowing that single-use plastic ones are going to end up in the landfill for years,” Cheung adds.

“So I bring my containers as
I feel uncomfortable and guilty knowing that single-use plastic ones are going to end up in the landfill for years.”

It takes 500 years for plastics in landfill sites to decompose, according to the Friends of the Earth.

According to the data from the Environmental Protection Department in 2018, plastics constituted 21 per cent of municipal solid waste with a daily disposal quantity of 2,343 tonnes per day. Almost nine per cent of them were plastic or polyfoam-dining wares.

People carrying takeaway food in several plastic containers, however, has become a common scene in Hong Kong under COVID-19.

As confirmed cases of coronavirus surged in March, the government announced its first dining restriction on March 27, and the regulations have been eased and reintroduced for a few times since then. As of September 30, the number of customers at any catering premises must not exceed half of the normal seating capacity and no more than four persons can sit together at one table.

With uncertainty of the pandemic and changes in dine-in restrictions, many restaurants have rolled out takeaway or food delivery services. Over the past few months, Foodpanda, a mobile food delivery marketplace, has also observed an uplift in demand order by 50 per cent in Hong Kong on the overall platform, including both food and grocery delivery services.

The health crisis seems to have derailed effort against plastic waste reduction and left many in frustrations, as few are bringing their own containers.

“I feel alone and not supported because none of my schoolmates does the same and some restaurants don’t understand or feel annoyed,” Cheung says.

“I feel alone and not supported because none of my schoolmates does the same and some restaurants don’t understand or feel annoyed.”

Seeking Alternatives

Noticing the severity of the plastic waste problem, businesses in Hong Kong seek solutions to tackle the issue. Jorch Wong Ching-hei, founder of a recycling business started in late 2019, sees a loophole in Hong Kong recycling chain: unreliable recycling bins.

“Most Hong Kong people don’t know what is recyclable so they put everything in it, including diapers and masks,” he says. To prevent the recycling from going to waste, his company, The Loops, collects plastics directly from customers’ residences and sorts wastes collected before giving them to recycling factories.

Wong also sees a drastic increase in plastic use from his customers. “We see plastic use jump by 50 per cent when dining in restaurants was banned all day,” he says.

As of September, The Loops have hundreds of customers in Tseung Kwan O, the only district in which the company is operating. “Up to now (late September), we have recycled about 1.5 tonnes of plastics and we are seeing an increasing trend,” he says. The company hopes to extend its service into other districts in the future.

Recycling aside, some restaurants try to eliminate plastic waste source by finding alternatives to replace plastic takeaway containers and utensils.

The Alchemist Cafe, founded by Dylan Leung Tik-lun in October 2012, has been looking for more environmentally-friendly substitutes for three years. “Plastics are definitely more economic, but just one straw will take hundreds of years to decompose in the landfill,” Leung says. “So we insist to opt for a greener option,” Leung adds.

A restaurant replacing single-use plastics with bio-degradable materials.
(Photo Courtesy of The Alchemist Cafe)

Reactions from customers have proved Leung’s decision right. “I think the majority of customers support and appreciate our decision,” Leung says. “In fact, I found them very tolerant to situations like straws made of rice becoming soggy after a while,” Leung adds.

Apart from finding disposable alternatives, Yvonne Leung Yee-wan from Space Cafe and Kitchen, believes using reusable containers is another way out. Since mid-March, the restaurant has been providing discounts to customers who bring their own dining wares, and tableware rental service for takeaways.

“We collect $50 deposit from our customers for every reusable lunch box and they can return it anytime at their convenience. At least one customer would rent a lunch box per day,” Leung says.

“We put the environment as our priority,” Leung says. Apart from economic cost, she believes one should also take environmental cost into account. “We need to evaluate and strike a balance between both costs,” she adds.

A restaurant offering lunchbox rental service. (Photo Courtesy of Space Cafe and Kitchen)

Plastic ACTion Initiative

As businesses are trying their best to minimise plastic waste, WWF Hong Kong launched the Plastic ACTion Initiative (PACT) in March this year to target the entire food industry.

Leading food delivery companies in Hong Kong including Deliveroo and Foodpanda, which accounts for about 90 per cent of the market share in the city, have signed an industry-wide pledge to eliminate plastics by 2025.

Apart from default cutlery opt-out option, Foodpanda is working with global and local suppliers to source sustainable packaging products for its merchants and restaurants to use in the future, the company says in a written reply.

Looking into the Future

June Wong, Lead of Marine Litter and Plastic Smart HK from World Wide Fund (WWF), believes that the government should also step up effort to combat the city’s plastic waste problem.

Leading food delivery companies signing Plastic ACTion Initiative with WWF.
(Photo Courtesy of WWF HK)

“Hong Kong lags behind when it comes to plastic waste legislation,” Wong says. She believes the “Plastic Shopping Bag Charging Scheme” that bans free plastic shopping bags distribution in the retail industry in 2015, has proved the effectiveness of legislation.

“The amount of plastic bags disposed of at landfills plummeted,” Wong says. “Legislation could definitely help reduce plastic waste effectively because it is legally binding and it could also arouse public awareness,” Wong adds. According to the Environmental Protection Department, the number of plastic bags in landfills decreased from some 660 million before the implementation of the scheme to some 150 million one year after the implementation.

“Legislation could definitely help reduce plastic waste effectively because it is legally binding and it could also arouse public awareness.”

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor stated in the policy address in 2018, that the government would “study the feasibility, scope and mechanism of controlling or banning disposable plastic tableware.”

The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) says it is conducting the study to “draw up proposals suitable for implementation in Hong Kong” and the study is expected to be completed by the end of 2020 in a written reply.

As Wong welcomes legislation for the use of plastic dining wares, she also advises the government to subsidise the food and beverage industry by offering funds.

“If disposable plastic tableware is to be banned in Hong Kong, the government has to provide financial support to the industry during the transition period,” she says.

Edited by Kayi Tsang

Overworked and Underprotected

November 13, 2020

Vulnerable migrant workers being discriminated and exploited during COVID-19.

By Bonita Wong

More recognition and protection should be given to nearly 400,000 migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong, especially to those suffering from heavy workload and unfair treatment during the pandemic.

Filipino domestic helper Lia* needs to juggle taking care of a seven-month-old baby and more daily work as her employers are currently working from home.

“The workload doubles. Before COVID-19, I just need to cook dinner. But then when my employers work from home, I need to cook breakfast, lunch and dinner,” Lia says.

Lia has been working in Hong Kong for three years. “The problem that I am struggling with is pressure. My employers work in a bank, and their work is really a stressful one, especially given the economic status of Hong Kong now. Because they are pressured, and they are at home, so they check every single detail of my work,” Lia says.

Banner by migrant worker unions on Chater Road, Central.

The situation improved when the second helper reported duty in June.

“Even we have a second worker, I am responsible for everything. If the second worker did not do her job properly, the blame is on me. Also, both of my employers are foreigners, I am not used to their expressions and I am very sensitive about that, so emotionally I am so depressed at first,” she says.

According to an online survey conducted in March by Asian Migrants Coordinating Body – the first and biggest coalition of migrant worker association and union in Hong Kong, more than half foreign domestic helpers had the same experience as Lia that their workloads increased. 40 per cent of the 1,127 respondents did not have weekly rest days as stated in their contracts.

Lia’s employers asked her not to go out on Sundays when Hong Kong was hit by the third wave of COVID-19 in July. She had to meet her friends online for five weeks. Fortunately, Lia has her own room and toilet, and her employers did not assign her any work on rest days.

“But the discrimination is still there. When the number of cases goes down, they say ‘okay you can go out but please don’t meet your friends,” Lia says. “Why should I not meet my friends and you can let your friends visit us in the house? We workers have strict self-discipline. We have family in the Philippines waiting for us. If we are sick, we are alone. Why can’t I meet my friends? Do you mean that we Filipinos or migrant workers carry the virus?” she argues.

Migrant domestic workers packing parcels to send back home.

“Why can’t I meet my friends?
Do you mean that we Filipinos or migrant workers carry the virus?”

Lia says she is fortunate to have masks and alcohol sprays from her employer because she knows many workers are treated unfairly and do not receive proper protection.

“Migrant workers are frontliners (who fight against the pandemic) as well. We are the ones who look after the cleanliness (hygiene) of the house, going in and out of the house to get food and protective materials for families,” says Shiela Tebia-Bonifacio, chairperson of Gabriela Hong Kong, an alliance supporting Filipinos in the city.

“Many of us cannot go out and some are not compensated well for overtime work. If you don’t have your own room, what can you do inside the house? You work. Do you expect migrant workers to sit down with their boss on the sofa on Sunday?” Tebia-Bonifacio says. “Before COVID-19, migrant workers are already complaining, some are working 16-20 hours a day, staying up till 11 p.m. to 12 a.m. Now it’s worse,” Tebia-Bonifacio adds.

These frontliners in the city’s battle against the pandemic not only need to bear heavier workload and hardship at work amid the pandemic, some are forced to live with their employers when they are tested positive for COVID-19 or had close contacts with the infected.

Kuya Edwin, a domestic helper from the Philippines, recalled her anxieties in July. She was required to have two-week self-quarantine with her employer after the son of the family had close contact with an infected patient when attending a dinner gathering earlier that month.

“I was so worried during the 14 days. I was also very scared of doing the swab test as I really hate needles and things like that. And he (employer’s son) only kept saying sorry. I stayed at home for two weeks with no holidays,” says Edwin who has been working in Hong Kong for 28 years.

Luckily, her employer’s son was tested negative.

“I can say a lot of migrant workers are experiencing long working hours and no day offs. We have a lot of members crying saying about how their employer treated them (badly),” Tebia-Bonifacio says.

“We have a lot of members crying saying about how their employer treated them (badly).”

But no worker dares to file a formal complaint, fearing they may lose the job.

“Why aren’t they complaining? Just because of termination. If they complain, it means they risk termination. Are they really prepared for termination? No, because they have family back home who are relying on them,” she says.

Gabriela Hong Kong pointed out the government fails to offer a helping hand to foreign domestic workers. It turned its back on worker’s inhumane working conditions and stigmatize foreign domestic workers instead of promoting social inclusion.

Concern groups like Gabriela Hong Kong, Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants and Mission For Migrant Workers designed, printed and distributed information leaflets with updated policies concerning COVID-19 and virus testing. They also teach workers to safeguard their labour rights and welfare and distribute free face masks, hand sanitizers to workers on Sundays.

These should be employers and Hong Kong government’s responsibility,” Tebia-Bonifacio says.

She was furious when the Labour Department urged foreign domestic helpers to stay at home on rest days in January and March and avoid going out for social activities on rest days such as meal gatherings.

“It’s very discriminatory when they say please don’t go out during your holidays. From Monday to Saturday, you let your helper go to the market, do the errands, and you don’t care about the virus? But then for just the day that they can take a rest, be free from their work, you tell them not to go out to not get the virus. So are you telling us that the virus is only active during Sunday? Or are you telling us the virus is only in the migrant workers’ -community?” Tebia-Bonifacio says.

“We also need a rest like you. Sitting on the streets is our way of rest. That one day will recharge our body, our mind,” she adds. “There are a lot of ways to protect migrant workers. But don’t tell us to protect us by not letting us go out on our day off. The Hong Kong government should at least recognise our contribution and provide us with proper protection. But not singling us out, not discrimination, but inclusion,” she says.

“We also need a rest like you.
Sitting on the streets is our way of rest. That one day will recharge our body, our mind.”

*Name changed at interviewee’s request

Edited by Howard Li

Strength Training with Babies in Wombs

November 12, 2020

Melissa Hsieh performed deadlifts in her 26th week of pregnancy. (Photo courtesy of Melissa Hsieh)

Mothers find strength training beneficial for their pregnancy.

By Linn Wu in Taipei

Melissa Hsieh, a fashion designer, kept doing squats and deadlifts until the week she gave birth to her seven-pound baby boy in late August. The 31-year-old mother thanked the skills she learnt from her training for making her delivery quick and smooth.

“I only pushed about five rounds with 10 to 12 seconds for each round. My doctor and nurses praised me for making use of my body strength to push the baby out. They didn’t help me push at all,” Hsieh says. “[Giving birth on] an obstetric table is like performing Hatfield squats, which means you hold handles on each side and step on pedals. It’s almost the same.”

Melissa Hsieh performed deadlifts in her 30th week of pregnancy. (Photo courtesy of Melissa Hsieh)

Though strength training has better prepared Hsieh for giving birth to her large-sized baby, her friends and family have different views on her workout during pregnancy.

“They want me to do moderate exercise such as yoga. Many people never train and they don’t understand. But my friends who also work out know that training is good for me. My husband supports me too,” she says.

Hsieh finds the concept of doing exercise during pregnancy alien to older generations. “The elderly usually think pregnant women should not carry heavy things and should avoid physical activities to keep babies safe. At first, I also thought lifting weights could hurt my baby. But I was soon corrected by my coach. She also did training during her own pregnancy,” she says.

Dr Wu, En-tzu, a 37-year-old obstetrician-gynaecologist, explains 80 per cent of miscarriages are due to abnormal embryos in early pregnancy. “Since there was no ultrasound in the old days, causes of miscarriages were unknown to most. It has nothing to do with doing exercise. If an embryo has no heartbeat, it will die eventually no matter what a mother does,” she says.

“Many factors can affect pregnancy. Some can be explained by science but some cannot. When doctors are uncertain, people make up something for the sake of seeking an explanation,” she adds.

Wu points out a mother’s body is gradually pulled forward during pregnancy as her baby grows. But most mothers do not know how to utilise their body strength and adapt to the change.

“They lack muscle strength. So it is easy to get hurt if they lift heavy objects. The problem here is not about whether pregnant women should lift heavy objects. The issue here is they should lift with the right movements,” she says.

“The problem here is not about whether pregnant women should lift heavy objects. The issue here is they should lift with the right movements.”

The Online Community

Wu started a private Facebook group in February. Lee Chia-hsin, a freelancer who is now eight months pregnant, is one of the group members.

“Medical consultation only lasts for about 15 minutes, including taking ultrasound pictures. But we have many questions to ask, such as questions about exercising during pregnancy. What kind of sports can pregnant women do? What kind of workout clothes suits us better? These are not big issues, but they do bother us,” Lee says.

Dr Wu, En-tzu (sitting on the far right) has been giving lectures to trainers at gyms about strength training during pregnancy. (Photo courtesy of Wu, En-tzu)

The 36-year-old mother finds the Facebook community helpful and encouraging. “Even if a doctor assures that you can train, you still feel doubtful because you don’t see any real-life examples. But after seeing pictures of many pregnant women lifting heavy dumbbells or plates in the Facebook group, you believe it’s doable. Mothers will never risk hurting their babies,” she says.

Group members also find practical suggestions and knowledge about pregnancy that most doctors cannot provide. “Doctors do not study physical education and sports. They may not know details of sports that we want to do. But we can ask those who have experience in the group. Dr Wu, En-tzu also answers most of our questions as she has taken lessons about special training for pregnant women,” Lee says.

“Sometimes the group is more convincing than doctors’ advice, as you see examples in real life going through the same journey as I did. They are all normal people like you and me, so you believe you can do it too,” she says. The group has around 1,150 members as of early November.

The First Learner

Another member of the Facebook group, Jennifer Lin, 29, shares how she starts strength training. The first time mother started lifting sessions instead of jogging in the fifth month of her pregnancy. “Many pregnant women develop back pain and swelling, but I had neither of them during my pregnancy. I think my training helped. I didn’t use the support belt either,” she says.

In mid-September, Lin entered her 37th week of pregnancy, which is considered full-term. “Now I still train my core muscles and lower body. I feel good and plan to continue until I give birth,” she adds.

Jennifer Lin took advice from her doctor and started strength training in her fifth month of pregnancy. (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Lin)

Two Babies, Different Experiences

Another mother, Catherine Chiou, stopped strength training when she had her first baby in 2017. “Not every medical staff knows pregnancy as well as an obstetrician. Their ideas are old-schooled,” the 32-year-old radiographer says.

She switched to light yoga in the second month after experiencing vomiting and vaginal bleeding, which are common in early pregnancy. “The elderly just ask you to sit. One tends to take extra care, as you don’t have any experience in your first pregnancy,” she says.

Her first baby belonged to the small-sized group, weighting less than four pounds at birth. When Chiou was pregnant again this year, she adjusted her diet and continued strength training at least three times a week. “All the problems during pregnancy were gone, such as gestational diabetes and urinary incontinence,” she says. Her second baby was born in early September and it weighed more than six pounds.

“My second baby came out in less than 10 minutes after I was on an obstetric table. Before the anaesthesia wore off, I felt energetic and posted myself on Facebook after giving birth. I also recovered faster this time. I went to the restroom by myself half a day after giving birth. Two weeks later, my belly was nearly back to normal shape,” she says.

Although Chiou recognised the benefits of lifting weights, she exercised secretly during her second pregnancy because people around her could not understand.

“I worked from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. I rushed to the gym and trained for an hour during lunch break. My colleagues always questioned if I would [accidentally] squeeze my baby out earlier due to the heavy weights. But that’s not true,” she sighs.

According to British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in 2017, exercise can lower the risk of preterm birth by reducing oxidative stress or improving placental vascularisation.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in April, 2020 reported physical activity during pregnancy is safe and desirable. Pregnant women are encouraged to continue or to initiate safe exercise.

Wu suggests that mothers engage in both strength and aerobic exercise during pregnancy. Since pregnant women often have health problems such as dizziness and low blood sugar, they should avoid new challenges. Using up to 70 or 80 per cent of their maximum strength is preferred.

“If you encounter vaginal bleeding or suspected premature delivery, stop immediately and check with your doctor,” she adds.

Edited by Howard Li

Eating Green

November 11, 2020

Plant-based dish from the vegetarian café. (Photo courtesy of Years HK)

Modern vegetarian eateries are emerging, in response to the rising demand for plant-based dishes.

By Hayley Wong

Po Chen founded her vegan bubble tea store in Central in August 2020, the first of its kind in Hong Kong.

“I want to turn bubble tea into something healthy, homemade and vegan so that it wouldn’t be a problem for my children to drink bubble tea every day,” Chen says.

Chen’s bubble tea does not contain refined sugar, but natural, low-glycemic alternatives like coconut sugar and lakanto monkfruit sugar. Chen uses oat milk, almond milk, and hempseed milk to replace dairy milk which is used by most bubble tea stores. They are higher in fibre, anti-inflammatory and contain no lactose.

Plant-based bubble tea. (Photo courtesy of Mother Pearl)

Chen says there is a rising demand for plant-based food options in Hong Kong. “Oat milk and vegetarian meat brands have been widely added to retail and restaurant menus,” she says. “I do think Hong Kong has the potential to develop further on vegetarian catering options, especially during the pandemic when everybody pays more attention to their health.”

Increasing Popularity of Plant-based Diet

According to British Dietetic Association, a plant-based diet is based on food derived from plants with few or no animal products.

While only three per cent of the population in Hong Kong are full-time vegetarians or vegans, 34 per cent of the 1,000 respondents adopt a plant-based diet at least one day a week, according to the Hong Kong Vegetarian Habit Survey conducted by Green Monday in 2020. The number has increased by 44 per cent compared with the same survey conducted in 2018.

Green Monday, the Hong Kong-headquartered plant-based social venture, was founded in 2012. It advocates the adoption of a plant-based diet, and it owns nine retail stores in Hong Kong which provide plant-based food products.

The social venture announced it raised US$70 million from global investors to accelerate its market growth on September 22 on its website.

Modern Vegetarian Startups in Hong Kong

Esther Chan and Joei Lo became vegetarians three years ago. “At that time, most vegetarian restaurants were traditional Chinese restaurants. There were some luxurious vegetarian restaurants, but they were expensive,” Chan says.

The pair decided to open their own vegetarian restaurant in 2017 – an all-you-can-eat restaurant that serves Southeast Asian plant-based dishes located in Tai Kok Tsui.

My Meat Run Buddy in Tai Kok Tsui. (Photo courtesy of My Meat Run Buddy)

Chan and Lo are determined to prove plant-based dining can be innovative, delicious and diversified with food choices. “We encourage meat lovers to take a small step to try giving up meat gradually for a better me and better world,” Chan says.

“Anti-COVID-19 restriction on seating capacity caused a drop of 50 per cent of our business. In July and August, we had a six-digit loss in both months.” She adds that the pandemic is the most difficult situation since they opened and they expect no improvement in coming months.

Kay Kwan King-wun and his wife Kit Ho Kit-ting is another pair who opened a vegetarian restaurant. The couple quit their jobs last year at the age of 33 and started a vegetarian café in Sham Shui Po and later in Tsuen Wan. The café serves fusion plant-based dishes such as Spicy Thai Impossible Spaghetti and Tom Yum Risotto.

Front door of the vegetarian café Friends of Years. (Photo courtesy of Years HK)

“More and more people are aware of vegetarianism, but vegetarian restaurant choices (in Hong Kong) are limited,” Kwan says. Inspired by restaurants the couple visited in other countries, they develop fusion dishes for their menu.

The Online Vegetarian Community

Joe Ching Pui-sang started a Facebook community group “The Vegetarian Youth” 11 years ago in a bid to build networking with vegetarians who also love animals. The group now has over 70,000 members.

“The platform connects vegetarians, vegetarian-to-bes, and plant-based businesses. Members exchange cooking recipes, recommend restaurants to each other and share diet tips in the group,” Ching says.

The Vegetarian Youth has over 70,000 members on Facebook.

Ching says many vegetarian restaurants have little resources in doing marketing while vegetarians lack an effective tool to find plant-based products. Ching and other administrators of the Facebook group are also building an app – VegFuture, which has lists of plant-based restaurants and plant-sourced shops. The app has a search function for users to identify non-vegan ingredients like additives E120 and E966 which are commonly used in sweets and cakes.

“Even though conscious entrepreneurs are bringing greater variety to vegetarian catering market, we still need to speed up the change,” Ching says.

“Every bill in a vegetarian restaurant is a life-or-death vote for animals,” he adds.

Edited by Regina Chen

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