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About The Asian reporter. (Portland, Or.) 1991-current | View Entire Issue (June 19, 2017)
ASIA / PACIFIC June 19, 2017 THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 5 Illegal Tiananmen Square liquor displayed in Hong Kong By Kelvin Chan The Associated Press ONG KONG — A bottle of forbidden liquor produced last year by Chinese activists to mark the 1989 military crackdown on Beijing’s Tiananmen Square has arrived in Hong Kong after a trip around the world. Hong Kong pro-democracy leaders unveiled the bottle of Chinese baijiu marking the date June 4, 1989, when communist leaders sent tanks and troops to retake the square from student-led protesters, leaving hundreds if not thousands dead. They called for the release of the four Chinese dissidents arrested last year for bottling the baijiu in a bid to raise awareness about the crack- down. The bottle was smuggled from China and taken on a symbolic trip around the world. It was displayed at a Hong Kong museum dedicated to chronicling the bloodshed just days before the city marked the anniver- sary with a candlelight vigil. The four dissidents, Fu Hailu, Chen Bing, Zhang Junyon, and Luo Fuyu, were arrested in the south- western city of Chengdu and charged in March with “inciting subversion of state power.” Their arrests are part of a broader crackdown on rights activists under President Xi Jinping. “What is Xi Jinping afraid of?” said pro-democracy organizer Lee Cheuk-yan. “If he is afraid of this June 4, ’89 liquor, then I believe he should be even more concerned about Hong Kong peoples’ candlelight.” H ROYAL VOW. Japan’s Crown Prince Naruhito speaks to the media during a press conference at Togu Palace in Tokyo. Prince Naruhito has pledged to tackle every task of an emperor with devotion and care, just like his father, when he assumes the Chrysanthemum Throne. Japan’s parliament has passed a special law allowing current Emperor Akihito to abdicate within three years. (Kyodo News via AP) Japan crown prince vows to be devoted emperor like father By Mari Yamaguchi The Associated Press OKYO — Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito has pledged to devote himself to the role of emperor, like his father, when he assumes the Chrysan- themum Throne. “I will devote myself body and soul to every single duty,” Naruhito said. Japan’s parliament has passed a special law allowing current Emperor Akihito to abdicate within three years. Last August, Akihito indirectly expressed his wish to abdicate, saying his age and health might start limiting his ability to fulfill his duties. No specific dates have been announced, but officials are reportedly eyeing an abdication at the end of 2018, when Akihito turns 85 and his reign is in its 30th year. Akihito would be the first emperor to abdicate in 200 years. Naruhito said he understands and respects his father’s feelings. “While serving many years as a symbol of the people, the emperor has tackled his tasks extremely seriously, taking every one of them close to heart and sincerely seeking out how his ideal role should be,” Naruhito said. Naruhito, 57, the emperor’s eldest son and first in line to the throne, made the comments to a group of journalists ahead of a trip to Denmark marking 150 years of diplomatic ties. Akihito is the first emperor to ascend to the throne with his role defined as the symbol of the people under Japan’s Continued on page 13 T HOT HOOTCH. Pro-democracy activist Andrew To holds a bottle of baijiu, or sorghum wine, at a tiny museum in Hong Kong to mark the anniversary of China’s 1989 Tiananmen Square crack- down. The bottle travelled to Hong Kong after a clandestine trip around the world. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) Talk of the crackdown remains to the Hong Kong Alliance in Support taboo in mainland China and many of Patriotic Democratic Movements people are not aware of it, though it is in China, which operates the freely discussed in Hong Kong, a museum. Neither the countries nor special Chinese region with much the couriers were identified. It reportedly arrived in Paris, autonomy. The four dissidents dubbed the where it was mailed to an exiled booze “Eight Liquor Six Four” and Chinese activist, Yang Jianli, in sold it for 89.64 yuan — shorthand for Washington, who handed it off to the crackdown date. In Chinese, the Hong Kong activist Andrew To, who word for liquor sounds similar to the carried it on its final leg from the U.S. before he flew back home. word for nine. To said it was crucial to bring it The bottle’s label depicts a lone figure facing down a row of tanks, back to Hong Kong to commemorate reminiscent of the famous “Tank the event on June 4. “It’s just a label, Man” image from 1989, and boasts of but it scares the Chinese govern- being aged 27 years with 64 percent ment,” he said. The bottle was on view at the mu- strength. The bottle was carried by hand seum’s temporary location through through countries in South Asia, the June 15. Organizers are looking to Middle East, and Europe, according buy a permanent space. How to identify a possible gas leak. If you smell ROTTEN EGGS it could be a gas leak. And the best thing to do is leave your home and call NW Natural. We’ll be out to make sure everything is safe. Unsure of what to do? Just take a look at our tips to the right. Smell. Go. Let Us Know. 800-882-3377 If you smell a rotten egg or sulfur odor, you hear a blowing or hissing sound, or you see blowing dirt, it could be a gas leak. 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