Hong Kong journalist reflects on her godfather Martin Lee and his contribution to Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement

More than a year after the National Security Law came into effect in Hong Kong, 22-year-old journalist Hana Meihan Davis reflected on her godfather and longtime pro-democracy politician Martin Lee’s contribution to the city’s pro-democracy movement. She also talked about how she learned about some qualities that define Hong Kongers through her time with Lee.

Since the NSL came into effect, Martin Lee, the prominent pro-democracy figure that is also described by many as the “father of democracy” in Hong Kong, hasn’t been taking any media interviews for more than a year. He was given an 11-month sentence in April alongside eight other prominent pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong for taking part in a peaceful rally in August 2019.

Even though he was given a two-year suspension, the verdict is still viewed by many in Hong Kong as a significant “political trial.” Prior to that, Hong Kong police arrested 47 pro-democracy politicians who participated in a Legco primary held by the pro-democracy camp and most of them are still in detention.

To the Hong Kong government and the city’s pro-Beijing forces, Lee is viewed as the leader of the pro-democracy forces that have damaged Hong Kong’s peace and stability and he should be punished for that. However, in the eyes of those who have very close connections with him, Lee has always been very optimistic about bringing long-term changes to Hong Kong through peaceful protests.

The 22-year-old Hong Kong journalist and author Hana Meihan Davis is Lee’s goddaughter and she says Lee has a lot of faith in Hong Kongers, rule of law, and democracy even when things are looking bad for the city.

“Martin laughs a lot, and his laugh is contagious in the way that only genuine laughter can be,” she said. “I have so many images of Martin and my dad at dim sum, hunched over in laughter. He has a very reassuring presence, and he always listens intently when you talk.”

Davis comes from an academic family that has a very deep connection to Hong Kong. Her mother is Victoria Hui, a political scientist teaching at the University of Notre Dame in the United States and her father is Michael C. Davis, a former law professor at the University of Hong Kong.

Davis says Lee has always been a big supporter of her writing, as he always offers her “comments of pride and encouragement.” “Martin once told me, ‘when you write about Hong Kong, you really write from the heart, which is what makes it so special,’” she said.

The importance of believing in democracy

Davis says Lee always understands the importance of democracy, especially the significance of having a government that represents the people of Hong Kong in the efforts of protecting the city’s autonomy and rule of law.

“He has always been a strong voice in demanding the government’s compliance with the guarantees of Hong Kong’s handover — even when Hongkongers themselves have placed politics in the back seat,” she said. “I think this is his biggest contribution to our city.”

In her new book “For the Love of Hong Kong: A Memoir From My City Under Siege,” Davis writes about the arrest of Lee and several other pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong. According to her, many of them are her family’s long-time friends so, to her, it was a scary moment when she learned about their arrest.

“I’m humbled by how bravely and gracefully everyone faced their trials, and for those convicted, their verdicts, and I’m thankful for the suspended sentence Martin and Margaret received,” she said. “I believe the arrest itself — as countless have been since 2019 — to be an affront to the rule of law. As I said in my book: ‘If Martin was guilty, so were the 1.7 million other people who made an appearance.’”

In fact, Martin Lee, Albert Ho, and Jimmy Lai all appealed the ruling on April 21. On the day when the judge is handing down the verdict, Lee and Ho’s lawyer told the judge that the rally that they participated in was peaceful and non-violent and neither of them encouraged participants to use violence.

Additionally, the lawyer emphasized that Lee and Ho have always been against the use of violence during protests. In an interview with Deutsche Welle in June 2020, Lee said Hong Kong protesters had earned the support of the international community so they didn’t need to use violence during protests, as it would only give the Chinese government an excuse to use forces on them.

“Once they use violence, they know they can’t win. Then it gives the tyrants in Beijing an excuse to use force on the protesters,” he said. “They can also say Hong Kong people are terrorists. It’s such a handy word for them to use. We must not give them excuses and we must be prepared for a long, drawn-out fight.”

Davis says when she was back in Hong Kong during the summer of 2019, Lee asked about her plan after graduating from college. “We caught up about my coming final year of college and my plans post-grad over a table full of food — I wanted to move back to Hong Kong,” she said.

Davis says Lee’s impact on her identity as a Hong Konger is undeniable. “ I remember people approaching us at meals or while walking down the street, thanking him for all he has done for our city,” she said.

“I’ve always thought that through Martin, you sense who a Hongkonger is in our purest form — thoughtful, stubborn, hopeful, and guided by a deep faith in those around him,” she added.

This piece was first published in Mandarin on DW’s Chinese website.