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DATELINE: HONG KONG

As a true union, the Hong Kong Journalists Association will have more work to do as a watchdog [after the hand over], to try to get things on the record: Lai Pui Yee

Introduction: Lai Pui Yee is vice chairperson of the Hong Kong Journalists Association. A freelance reporter, she currently hosts a talk back radio show on RTHK radio. This interview was conducted at the union office in Wanchai on 5.4.97.

Lai: We are the only trade union for journalists in Hong Kong. We try to fight for the journalists' rights; the right to work in the newsroom, not so much for pay rises but more with the conflicts that occur inside their organisations. We lobby the government on the various laws which might affect press freedom. We also do lots of encouraging dialogue with China, especially when they went up there to report and they got into trouble. That is our long term work. Frequently we try to talk to them to exert pressure, to lobby the Chinese government to have more lenience and tolerance towards Hong Kong reporters. We have also established links with many overseas trades unions, such as the international Federation of Journalists.

Knight: How do you see yourself as different from the Federation of Hong Kong Journalists?

Lai: We are very different. They are a federation and not a union. When they set up a year ago they openly said their objective is to do more training and to have more dialogues with mainland China, to organise more exchanges with mainland counterparts. We do more on lobbying law reform and advise on strengthening administrative procedure which may affect the journalists' profession

They are subsidised by pro-Beijing newspapers. They openly said that. They don't hide their political position. Also they don't do much fighting with the [British-Hong Kong] Government regarding the draconian laws and when journalists got into trouble locally and up in Beijing.

Knight: How does your Association's code of ethics work?

Lai: We urge journalists that they have a duty to maintain the highest professional standards. that is we need to have integrity. We object to checque book journalism and reporters accepting bribes. We oppose intrusion into people's privacy in order to get a story.

Knight: Are unethical journalists difficult to deal with?

Lai: If we receive any type of complaint we try to do some sort of investigation. We will discuss it in out ethical committee and state our objections. In the past few years, many people have suggested we [Hong Kong] establish a Media Council to combat unethical stories. But we object to that idea because we think that it may lead to media controls. We think that we should rely on our professional standards.

Knight: Do you think the role of the Association will change after July 1?

Lai: It is a difficult question to answer. In the past fews, things have been changing pretty fast . As a true union, the HKJA will have more work to do as a watchdog, to try to get things on the record. We will continue our role as a trade union. We will need to be more determined in many ways, because things will not be easy in terms of the whole working environment of journalists.

Alan Knight