(Clearwisdom.net) On March 4, the Hong Kong-Canada Association, Toronto Chinese Democratic Movement Aid Association, Global Coalition Against Article 23 Legislation, and the Southeast Asian Legal Aid Center in the Greater Toronto area jointly held a press conference at the Toronto City Hall to oppose the Hong Kong government's recently published blue bill for Article 23.

Li Shude, the vice president of the Hong Kong -- Canada Association, Lawyer Wu Yaoyao, Guan Zhuozhong and Chen Shichao from the Chinese Democratic Movement Aid Association, as well as Wu Jiantao from the Global Coalition Against Article 23 Legislation attended the press conference.

Representative from the Global Coalition Against Article 23 Legislation Mr. Wu Jiantao said that the purpose of the enactment of the anti-subversion law is to set up a formal channel to enable the Chinese authorities to extend its persecution of groups that it does not like to Hong Kong. The anti-subversion law is simply an excuse for the Chinese authorities to make it legal to suppress groups such as Catholics, Falun Gong and the Branch-Coalition Association. At the same time, Article 23 will sacrifice the people of Hong Kong's basic civil rights and freedom of the press.

Vice president of the Hong Kong -- Canada Association Li Shude said that the public should stand up and raise their opposition to the Canadian government. The Canadian government expressed its concern regarding Article 23 twice last year to the Hong Kong government. The Hong Kong -- Canada Association will continue to appeal to the Canadian government.

Mr. Guan Zhuozhong, the president of the Toronto Chinese Democratic Movement Aid Association said that before Hong Kong is able to elect the city council and to maintain its legislative independence, forming the statutes of the Article 23 violates China's promises of "one country, two systems" policy and "keeping Hong Kong unchanged for 50 years." This is harmful to Hong Kong's prosperity and development.

During the three-month public consultation period before last December, Article 23 received widespread opposition from both Hong Kong and overseas. Last month, the Hong Kong government hastily published a blue bill for Article 23, which encountered strong opposition from many organizations and individuals, including the Bar Association, many from the media, labor unions, Falun Gong, and the bishop of Hong Kong's Catholic church.