NED Hong Kong Commentary: We need your help to stop Demosisto registering as a company

Joshua WONG has recently complained that the Companies Registry is holding up the application of Demosisto to form a company and because of this they cannot open a bank account to raise money.

We need your help to make sure Demosisto can never register as a company – here’s how:

Relevant Hong Kong laws

1. Under Sec 67 para 2 of the Companies Ordinance (Cap 622): A company may only be formed for a lawful purpose.

2. Under Section 5A para 3 of the Societies Ordinance (Cap 151) the Societies Officer may, after consultation with the Secretary for Security refuse to register a society:

(a) if he reasonably believes that the refusal is necessary in the interests of national security or public safety, public order or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others; or

(b) if the society or the branch is a political body that has a connection with a foreign political organization or a political organization of Taiwan.

3. Under Sec 360B of the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap 32) the Chief Executive in Council has the power to order the Registrar of Companies to refuse registration if satisfied that a company is being formed to evade the Societies Ordinance,

So Joshua WONG and his friends are in real trouble if they have a connection with a foreign political organization or a political organization of Taiwan.

Evidence of Joshua WONG’s connections with political organizations of Taiwan

Exhibit 1

In May 2014, the Hong Kong Economic Journal reported on a visit Joshua Wong made to Taiwan:

“Wong and some friends visited Taiwan last week to take a break from the heated political weather in the city. They also took the opportunity to touch base with their counterparts on the island, including Sunflower student movement leaders Lin Fei-fan and Chen Wei-ting, who have been campaigning against a cross-strait service trade agreement with China … It’s no secret that Wong and his friends wanted to share their experiences with the Taiwanese counterparts, and perhaps learn a tactic or two on how to pursue the campaign”.

This is direct and unequivocal evidence showing Joshua Wong has a connection with a political organization of Taiwan, which is contrary to Section 5A para 3 of the Societies Ordinance.

Exhibit 2

In January 2016, Hong Kong media reported Joshua Wong and his colleagues would seek closer ties with Taiwan:

“Student leaders of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy Umbrella Movement said yesterday they would seek closer ties with Taiwan after the island elected a new president who pledged to stand up to China”.

This shows an intention to seek closer political ties with groups in Taiwan, which is contrary to Section 5A para 3 of the Societies Ordinance.

What we want you to do

Both of these reports provide direct evidence to show Demosisto is trying to circumvent the Societies Ordinance by registering as a company, but we need your help to find more.

We are looking for any evidence to show Joshua WONG, Nathan LAW, Oscar LAI, Agnes CHOW or anyone else involved with Demosisto has any connections with a foreign political organization or a political organization of Taiwan.

The types of evidence we are looking for is Facebooks posts, newspaper articles, photographs or interviews (in any language) connecting Demosisto members with a foreign political organization or a political organization of Taiwan.

Luckily for us, for the sake of transparency, Joshua Wong regularly updated his social media status with reports and pictures during the visit to Taiwan, so there should be loads of information and photos out there.

Our targets

Our Targets
Joshua WONG, Oscar LAI, Nathan LAW, Agnes CHOW

Examples of foreign political organizations

National Endowment for Democracy (NED)

National Democratic Institute (NDI)

Example of a political organization of Taiwan

Sunflower Movement

What to do with the evidence

You can post the information or links to it in the comments section below or send it directly to the Companies Registry under the title: Complaint against Demosisto registering as a company.

By post

Registrar of Companies, 14th floor, Queensway Government Offices, 66 Queensway, Hong Kong.

By Email - change (at) to @

crenq(at)cr.gov.hk

Link to Companies Registry website: http://www.cr.gov.hk/en/contact/complaints.htm

Hong Kong laws

Societies Ordinance