for the right in israel's fourth election in two years — although exit polls suggest he may fail to secure a majority in parliament. three previous elections have ended inconclusively, with mr netanyahu, who faces a corruption trial, struggling to assemble a governing coalition. president biden has urged the senate to take swift action on the hotly—contested issue of gun control — there was another mass shooting on monday, in boulder, colorado. police have charged a 21 year—old man with ten counts of murder. it's just a week since another gunman killed eight people in atlanta. prince harry has begun a newjob at a professional coaching firm in the united states. better up offers counselling, mentorship and careers guidance. the duke of sussex says his aim is to foster an environment for honest conversations, around mental health.

now on bbc news, it's hardtalk. welcome to the programme. it seems the biden administration is putting greater emphasis on human rights issues. in the already fraught relationship with china. that prom wishing to think twice about the crackdown on pro—democracy activism in hong kong? it seems not. it seems the repression of political dissent is intensifying. my guest as regina ip lau suk yee, member of the legislative council of hong kong and one of beijing's most loyal backers in the territory. is the concept of one country two systems dead?

regina ip, in hong kong, welcome to the programme. thank ou for welcome to the programme. thank you for having _ welcome to the programme. thank you for having me. _ welcome to the programme. thank you for having me. it's _ welcome to the programme. thank you for having me. it's a _ you for having me. it's a pleasure _ you for having me. it's a pleasure to _ you for having me. it's a pleasure to have - you for having me. it's a pleasure to have you. i you for having me. it's a i pleasure to have you. you you for having me. it's a - pleasure to have you. you are a member of the legislative council, hong kong lawmaker. in recent months, it seems to many outsiders that the chinese communist party has rendered the legislative council nothing more than a rubber stamp. how do you feel about that? that more than a rubber stamp. how do you feel about that?- do you feel about that? that is totally untrue. _ do you feel about that? that is totally untrue. in _ do you feel about that? that is totally untrue. in fact, - do you feel about that? that is totally untrue. in fact, are - do you feel about that? that is totally untrue. in fact, are 15 i totally untrue. in fact, are 15 colleagues from the so—called camp abandoned their duty, they resigned in november. leaving 43 of us to do the work of 70

people. you know. it is their choice. there is no such thing as a crackdown on democracy in hong kong. we as a crackdown on democracy in hong kong-— as a crackdown on democracy in hong kong. we will discuss that but may those _ hong kong. we will discuss that but may those pro-democracy l but may those pro—democracy politicians who chose to walk away from the legislative council saw what was coming down the track. because in the last few days, we've all read about the decision made by the national people's congress that only and i quote true patriots will be allowed to stand and sit in the legislative council. what on earth does that mean, a patriot, a true patriot? fire patriot, a true patriot? are ou patriot, a true patriot? are you one? _ patriot, a true patriot? are you one? definitely. - patriot, a true patriot? fife: you one? definitely. labels, you one? definitely. labels, you can't use labels too loosely. a lot of our colleagues, so—called democrats, they are actually anti—democratic in their values and in their behaviour in the past decade or more. what we

are doing, what beijing is doing, is launching an electoral reform which is long overdue. fixing the flaws in our system. we can't do it ourselves because we don't have the two thirds majority to amend the provisions in the basic law. so the national people's congress has to step in and i'm confident after our electoral laws have been improved, hong kong will be relaunched, we will have a better future. relaunched, we will have a betterfuture. it relaunched, we will have a better future.— better future. it will certainly _ better future. it will certainly be - better future. it will. certainly be relaunched better future. it will - certainly be relaunched but it will be relaunched in a way that completely undermines the notion of one country two systems. because what we see here and you've just basically said it yourself, is that the political system, the political culture in hong kong is now being redrawn, reshaped, by the national people's congress and the leadership of the communist party in beijing and that runs entirely counter to the way in which the promises were made in

1997 for hong kong to be given guaranteed special autonomy. well, i have to remind you, i have in my hand, the 1984 authentic copy of the sign of a declaration. there is nothing in thejoint declaration. there is nothing in the joint declaration that refers to democracy or universal suffrage. universal suffrage is given to us by pitching, not by the british authorities. and in fact, since 1997, beijing has progressively, directly elected element in the legislature. but that has not worked well. our democratic experiment has been on a downward spiral because our colleagues, ourso on a downward spiral because our colleagues, our so called democratic colleagues, or only democratic colleagues, or only democratic in name. what they do runs counter to democratic values. �* ., ,

do runs counter to democratic values. �* . , , ., values. but that is your subjective _ values. but that is your subjective opinion. - values. but that is your subjective opinion. the j values. but that is your - subjective opinion. the problem here is with this new patriot test, there is going to be a power and it seems the vetting committee will be stuffed full of people loyal to beijing, there is going to be a power which decides who is a suitable and who is not suitable to sit in the legislative council and to any outside observer, it is very obvious that that is beijing �*s way of snuffing out all pro—democratic opposition to beijing �*s complete domination of hong kong? patriot rule in hong kong is nothing new. it was already pronounced repeatedly in the 19805. a pronounced repeatedly in the 1980s. a patriot is simply someone who welcomes hong kong , someone who welcomes hong kong �*s reunification with china. and who respects the country and will not do anything to undermine the stability and prosperity of hong kong. it's

as simple as that. if i prosperity of hong kong. it's as simple as that.— prosperity of hong kong. it's as simple as that. if i may say so, is as simple as that. if i may say so. is there — as simple as that. if i may say so, is there not _ as simple as that. if i may say so, is there not a _ as simple as that. if i may say so, is there not a very - so, is there not a very important distinction between the notion of a patriot, that is someone who accepts chinese sovereignty and to also place great store by the basic law that was implemented when hong kong was returned to china in 1997, and is loyal to the concept of hong kong being a special autonomous region. that is one version of patriotism. your version seems to be not so much that but much more about plain and simple loyalty to the communist party. and to many people, that is not patriotism at all. i people, that is not patriotism at all. ., people, that is not patriotism at all. ~' �* at all. i think you've misinterpreted - at all. i think you've misinterpreted me. | at all. i think you've - misinterpreted me. there is at all. i think you've _ misinterpreted me. there is no conflict between the definition of patriotism that i put forward in the idea of respecting china �*s sovereignty and upholding separate systems but you see some of our colleagues, they took the oath of allegiance but they burned the basic law, they defaced the

chinese emblem, they urged our young people to pick up independence, go for independence. you cannot possibly regard that as patriotism or respect for china �*s sovereignty. in patriotism or respect for china 's sovereignty-— 's sovereignty. in your view, anybody _ 's sovereignty. in your view, anybody who _ 's sovereignty. in your view, anybody who is _ 's sovereignty. in your view, anybody who is a _ 's sovereignty. in your view, anybody who is a democrat, j 's sovereignty. in your view, - anybody who is a democrat, who says i have a right to express my opinion that through peaceful means, i want to advocate for a future for hong kong which in the long run, may involve some form of super autonomy, maybe even separation from china, you are saying that however peaceful, however democratic that argument is made, it is fundamentally subversive and criminal? i5 subversive and criminal? is that what you are saying? i am not saying that, but that statement definitely goes against the basic design and legislative intent of the basic

law and the whole purpose of one country two systems. our separate systems are predicated on us being a part of the country. the signing of the joint declaration, your ministers are so fond of referring to. the first statement is the prc government will restore and resume the exercise of sovereignty and restore hong kong to china, in july 1997. the second statement by your government is the uk will restore hong kong to china, as simple as that. for does it say we cannot enact national security laws or we cannot undertake electoral reviews?— cannot undertake electoral reviews? ., ., ,, ., reviews? you are keen on coding to meet the _ reviews? you are keen on coding to meet the joint _ reviews? you are keen on coding to meet the joint declaration - to meet the joint declaration of 1984, to meet the joint declaration of1984, i to meet the joint declaration of 1984, i am to meet the joint declaration of 1984, iam rather working with you on discussing the promises made by beijing in 1997 which included a guarantee of the basic rights of hong kong people to, rights which are not frankly enjoyed in mainland china, including the

right of free expression and assembly, all the things which are being undermined, but also included a commitment to move towards universal suffrage for the election of the chief minister. that is patiently not happening and that is china reneging on a treaty agreement. i'm afraid you've got all the facts completely wrong. the national people's congress is not amending the relevant articles in the basic law which promises universal suffrage is the ultimate goal. but promises universal suffrage is the ultimate goal.— the ultimate goal. but it's not happening. — the ultimate goal. but it's not happening. it's _ the ultimate goal. but it's not happening, it's not _ the ultimate goal. but it's not happening, it's not happening at all. �* , happening, it's not happening atall. �* , ., happening, it's not happening atall. , ., ., at all. because of all the --eole at all. because of all the people that _ at all. because of all the people that these - at all. because of all the i people that these so-called people that these so—called democrats fermented in the last two years, ever since they occupied central in 2014, they have been whipping up chaos, opposition to sovereignty in the last couple of years, derailing progress towards universal suffrage. derailing progress towards universalsuffrage. i5 derailing progress towards universal suffrage. is it true

that this — universal suffrage. is it true that this goes _ universal suffrage. is it true that this goes far _ universal suffrage. is it true that this goes far beyond i universal suffrage. is it true that this goes far beyond a l that this goes far beyond a patriot test for future members of the legislative council? is it true as it is being reported in the local hong kong media, that civil servants are now being required to swear an oath of allegiance to china and up to 200 have refused and are facing dismissal? i5 to 200 have refused and are facing dismissal?— to 200 have refused and are facing dismissal? is that true? 200 out of _ facing dismissal? is that true? 200 out of a — facing dismissal? is that true? 200 out of a civil— facing dismissal? is that true? 200 out of a civil service i facing dismissal? is that true? 200 out of a civil service body| 200 out of a civil service body of over 180,000, which is not surprising at all. the author is very simple. to uphold the basic law and swear allegiance to the hong kong sar of the people's republic of china. that is very reasonable. let's be clear- _ that is very reasonable. let's be clear. this _ that is very reasonable. let's be clear. this loyalty - that is very reasonable. let's be clear. this loyalty test i be clear. this loyalty test which has its origins in beijing, which is all about imposing china �*s will on hong kong, it doesn'tjust apply to future lawmakers, it applies to civil servants, future lawmakers, it applies to civilservants, it future lawmakers, it applies to civil servants, it presumably applies to other senior public officials including judges and the judiciary. officials including judges and thejudiciary. so what officials including judges and the judiciary. so what is

happening here is the complete undermining of hong kong �*s autonomous special status? i think again you've got all the facts wrong. you know. the requirement to take the oath in article 104 of the basic law, they had been there since 1997. alljudges have to take similar oaths, it's nothing new. and it's very reasonable. public servants and other parts of the world also had to swear allegiance and and i saw an advertisement in the cia in the economist that they are recruiting patriotic professionals. what's wrong with that? recruiting patriotic civil servants?— civil servants? does it trouble ou civil servants? does it trouble you there _ civil servants? does it trouble you there is — civil servants? does it trouble you there is now— civil servants? does it trouble you there is now a _ civil servants? does it trouble you there is now a great i civil servants? does it trouble you there is now a great deal| you there is now a great deal of beer in hong kong? we have seen, in essence, every single voice of hong kong opposition, thatis voice of hong kong opposition, that is to quote and quote the pro—democracy boys, has been eitherjailed, is currently facing charges and trial, or has had to flee into exile

overseas. you are a lawmaker, you are somebody who presumably believes in the right to express opposition to government, and the right to have an individual opinion. does it worry you there is now this profound fear in your territory?— this profound fear in your territo ? , ., ., ., territory? only among those who mi . ht territory? only among those who might have _ territory? only among those who might have broken _ territory? only among those who might have broken the _ territory? only among those who might have broken the law- territory? only among those who might have broken the law in i might have broken the law in the past few years. our freedoms of expression, assembly, association, are alive and well.— alive and well. you keep tellin: alive and well. you keep telling me _ alive and well. you keep telling me it's _ alive and well. you keep telling me it's all - alive and well. you keep telling me it's all aboutl alive and well. you keep i telling me it's all about the law but sometimes, the lot to a democrat is simply unacceptable. what we have seen with our own eyes, is video evidence injanuary with our own eyes, is video evidence in january for example, of police rounding evidence injanuary for example, of police rounding up and arresting political activists, simply on the grounds that they were involved in primary election process, amongst the pro—democracy political camp, to find the most effective candidates to stand in the next legislative

council elections. that was deemed by the police and we saw it on video, they told people face—to—face, it was deemed as subversive activity. you're a politician. how can you accept that being defined defined as subversive activity?— subversive activity? because number one. _ subversive activity? because number one, there's - subversive activity? because number one, there's no i subversive activity? because l number one, there's no place, there is no legal position for this in our system but why have they organised these primaries? to encourage voters to vote for legislators who are vetoing everything in order to paralyse the legislature and the government and to force at the chief executive. the object of the primaries is to overthrow the primaries is to overthrow the government. it's criminal intent, it's not as simple as you might have seen from the tv coverage. you might have seen from the tv coveraue. ~ ., you might have seen from the tv coveraue. ~ . ,, . you might have seen from the tv coveraue.~ ., ,, . ,, coverage. with all respect, you talk of these _ coverage. with all respect, you talk of these politicians - coverage. with all respect, you talk of these politicians as i talk of these politicians as though they are revolutionaries throwing molotov cocktails on the streets. we spoke recently

to a respected professor at hong kong university, founder of the civic party, a man who by no stretch of any imagination could be called eight subversive, a terrorist, criminal, a man who said this. it is now in our territory, a totalitarian drive for control that we are witnessing. well, this gentle — that we are witnessing. well, this gentle has _ that we are witnessing. well, this gentle has his _ that we are witnessing. well, this gentle has his views i that we are witnessing. well, this gentle has his views but| this gentle has his views but this gentle has his views but this is opinion, it's not shared by the great majority of our citizens. eversince shared by the great majority of our citizens. ever since the implementation of the national security law, it's a fact that law and order has returned to hong kong and a large numbers of us can't live without being fearful, being beaten up by people who disagree with their views, you know. —— we can live. if you've lived in hong kong up to early last year you

would have known how much fear, and how worried we were about personal safety whenever we go out. �* , , , ., personal safety whenever we go out. �*, , out. it's interesting you say that because _ out. it's interesting you say that because as _ out. it's interesting you say that because as far - out. it's interesting you say that because as far as i i out. it's interesting you say| that because as far as i see, the best way of gauging what hong kong has really feel is to go back to november 2019, the municipal, the local elections. the last time anything like a universal suffrage vote was able to be held in hong kong and you know better than me for the results of that work. in 17 of the 18 municipalities, there was a clear win for the pro—democracy forces. your party did so badly, i'm not sure you even won a single seat. that tells you what people in hong kong really feel. . ., , feel. those elections were held in unfair conditions. _ feel. those elections were held in unfair conditions. my - in unfair conditions. my volunteers, my candidates were threatened, ourforces volunteers, my candidates were threatened, our forces were burned down. there were all sorts of vicious propaganda against us, plastered on public

property, it was held against a background of violence and vandalism. you know. those elections should not have been held. ., ~ ., ., ., .,~ held. you know what? you make it sound like _ held. you know what? you make it sound like it _ held. you know what? you make it sound like it was _ held. you know what? you make it sound like it was an _ it sound like it was an election held in a time of great turmoil and unrest and voting was impossible. you know what the turnout was? 0ver voting was impossible. you know what the turnout was? over 70%. how many suit party zero, zero. well, we failed to win seats but we got more votes than we did in the previous election. high percentage of faults in every constituency. i wonder whether you _ every constituency. i wonder whether you are _ every constituency. i wonder whether you are prepared i every constituency. i wonder whether you are prepared to| whether you are prepared to accept when hong kongers read as they currently do, that even museums and galleries are being monitored by the authorities because they are not prepared to countenance even artists putting on display pieces that are regarded as disloyal to beijing, when academics are being removed from their university post after being

disloyal to beijing, do you understand hong kong people regard this as a fundamental threat to the freedoms and special autonomy they have enjoyed since 1997? we special autonomy they have enjoyed since 1997?- special autonomy they have enjoyed since 1997? we are a free society- _ enjoyed since 1997? we are a free society. people - enjoyed since 1997? we are a free society. people of- free society. people of different political stripes, they have every freedom to express their views on objects and professors, peddling misleading ideologies in university. abusing their positions. excuse me, but i'm just looking at a quote from carrie lam, chief executive, somebody you are very loyal to, saying that the authorities are now on "full alert for any breaches of the national security law when it comes to exhibitions in hong kong." "everybody knows," she says,

"that the red lines are now clearly recognisable. " is that the hong kong you want to live in? i think it is good that the red lines are clearly recognisable so that people will not fall foul of the law, you know, and we are still a much freer society than many democracies. what you seem to be describing, as you say that you support all of these different measures, which, let us not forget, are all inspired in beijing, you seem to be saying that you want hong kong essentially to look more and more like the rest of china, you want a one—party authoritarian style of government, just as we see in the chinese mainland, you want that to come to hong kong. it's unfair to describe china as authoritarian or closed or 0rwellian, you know — these are typical labels people like you keep on my country. actually, china has made great progress in the past decades, and people have a lot more freedom than before. we are a part of china and naturally we are... we would be open to the influence of china, but we remain an international

city, and there are lots of foreigners, expatriates, living very happily in hong kong. of course, you're part of china, but the entire conversation we've had has been premised upon the notion that there is in hong kong this adherence to the notion of one country, two systems. you were telling me that that is, in effect, dead. that's totally... you are twisting my words. i think "one country, two systems" is alive and well. we have our separate financial system, taxation system, our separate common law system. you know, we have our separate way of life. we speak cantonese, mainlanders speak putonghua. we have our own local culture, entertainment. we have our own culture and values, you know? well, we've just been discussing culture and the new red lines that you say are very important to uphold. so let's move on from culture to what this might mean. let me quote to you the words of fergus leung, a pro—democracy councillor.

he said this. he said, "the chinese communist pa rty�*s latest moves in hong kong mean that burnism is inevitable." now, burnism is a word he created. it basically means, as far as he's concerned, that hardcore pro—democracy people who see no future for peaceful activism in hong kong may be persuaded to take more direct form of action in the concept of, "if we burn, you burn with us." are you worried that, because of this crackdown — you don't like the word, but let's call it a crackdown — that there may be some in hong kong who will take desperate measures to oppose it? it is not a crackdown, and i'm glad you pick up this quote. it is precisely extremists like the councillor you quoted who chose to embrace this sort of extremism, mutual destruction, you know,

all or nothing, that has got us into this position. they should have embraced beijing's offer of universal suffrage for electing a chief executive back in 2014. they should have accepted the liaison office's invitation to have a meal with them. they will not even go into the office of beijing's representation in hong kong. what sort of attitude is that? you know, the art of politics is compromise. right. these people who refuse to compromise, they brought all the troubles, the legal troubles they are in, on themselves. i think the outsiders may be struggling to see where beijing is compromising right now. but the fact is the united states and other powers have imposed targeted sanctions on hong kong as a result of what china is doing to your politics in hong kong, individuals have been targeted, special trade status has been suspended. it is affecting international business in hong kong.

we are seeing some corporates scaling back their investments in hong kong. are you worried about what it's going to do to the long—term prospects for your territory? hong kong has an amazing ability to bounce back from any threats or crises, we have weathered many storms, and i'm sure we'll be around and we will bounce back. and those sanctions are most unfair — they have no right to impose sanctions on us. you know, there's a lot of hypocrisy and fake moral superiority in all their accusations of suppression of human rights. you know, these sanctions are totally unjustifiable. do you not see a pattern here? i mean, again, i put this point to you as a lawmaker, as somebody who is involved in politics. you see what the chinese government is doing in xinjiang, you see the suppression of the uighur muslim majority in that region of china, you see what china does in tibet.

do you not fear... cos you're a hong konger. do you not fear that hong kong's repressive strategy and tactics are being imposed now on your territory and, farfrom opposing it and making a noise about it, you are simply aiding and abetting it? what you just described, did you see it yourself? have you been to xinjiang? i haven't been, but i have close friends who have been to xinjiang for ten years and told me nothing of what you describe is actually true. there is no repression of minorities, definitely no genocide, no forced sterilisation. many individuals, artists, businessmen of uighur descent or other ethnic minorities — they do well. in fact, they are better treated than han people in some ways. you know, i think all that you describe is just

drumming up stories. regina ip, we are out of time, but i do thank you very much indeed forjoining me on hardtalk. thank you. thank you for having me. hello. the weather is looking decidedly mixed through what's left of this week. there will be some spells of sunshine, but there will also be some showers, some of which will be heavy and, briefly, wintry, as some cold air digs in at the tail end of the week. but in the shorter term, we have this frontal system to greet us on wednesday morning, a band of cloud and very light and patchy rain, really dragging its heels, moving slowly southeastwards, taking a good part of the day

to get into the far southeast of england. all the while, wales, the midlands and northern england will brighten up with lots of sunshine. for northern ireland and scotland, sunshine and showers will be replaced by some more widespread heavy rain pushing in from the west later, accompanied by a strengthening south—westerly wind. temperatures ranging from seven or 8 degrees in northern scotland to 13 or maybe 14 across parts of eastern england. now, through wednesday evening, our first frontal system will finally clear away. this next band of showery rain will push southeastwards and a new packet of showers will push in across northern ireland and western scotland by the end of the night. some clear skies in between. temperatures in most places will stay above freezing. a few prone locations could just see a touch of frost. and then thursday is a classic sunshine and showers day. some of the showers will be heavy, possibly thundery, most widespread across western and northern parts of the uk, and it will be fairly breezy out there as well. temperatures at this stage

quite respectable, ten to maybe 14 degrees in places. but those temperatures are set to drop, as this cold front swings through during thursday night into friday. it'll take rain with it. some of that rain will linger on friday morning, but behind it, we pick up this feed of cold air from the west. and that means that some of the showers, you can see the splotches on the map, will start to turn wintry over high ground, some sleet and some snow mixing in. some hail and some thunder possible as well. fairly windy out there, particularly gusty around the coasts and over the hills. and given the strength of the wind, it'll feel much colder — 7—9 degrees, maybe briefly getting up into double digits across parts of eastern england. but it is a short—lived cold spell. it'll turn warmer again through the weekend. some rain in the north and the west, drier further south and east.

this is bbc news — i'm sally bundock with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. a packaging defect casues hong kong and macau to temporarily suspend the use of the pfizer—biontech coronavirus vaccine run aground, while turning around — egypt's suez canal is blocked by a giant container ship. four elections in two years and still no clear winner — israel's prime minister, benjamin netanyahu may have the leverge to build a coalition. president biden urges the senate to take swift action on gun control — after the latest mass shooting in colorado. and — coaching and counselling — prince harry starts a newjob for a us mentoring firm — he says he wants to highlight