HKU Head Promises Talks To Students This Month

The vice-chancellor of the University of Hong Kong, Zhang Xiang, has vowed that a forum to be organised with students this month will not be “a show” but a frank dialogue to discuss the way forward for the city amidst the current political crisis.

This comes after students at the institution issued an ultimatum to Zhang, saying he must promise to hold a dialogue session with students – or they'd escalate their actions targeting his office.

In a letter to students, Zhang said he’s always ready to talk and support them.

“Repeated demands have been made of me in public announcements, setting deadlines and threatening escalating action. I care about you, my students, and none of you needs to issue an ultimatum to talk to me,” he said.

“I am equally concerned that I am not here to put on a show for anyone. I wish to have sincere, heart-to-heart conversations with young members of the HKU family. I know many of you are in pain, Hong Kong is in pain. It is time to think differently, to work on solutions and find ways forward together,” he wrote.

The heads of universities in Hong Kong have come under pressure to make clear their stances on the extradition bill saga and condemn the use of force by the police during the protests in recent months.

The head of the Chinese University, Rocky Tuan, issued an open letter calling for an independent probe into allegations of police abuse that some of his students made after holding a marathon meeting with them in the campus.