Hong Kong Chief Tells People To Be Like Sheep

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Hong Kong's Beijing-backed leader has called on the region's residents to be like sheep in the wake of the pro-democracy protests last year.

Leung Chun-ying (CY), the chief executive of the region's executive council, made his statement at the start of the Chinese Year of the Sheep.

It followed a year in which rallies protesting against interference by mainland China in Hong Kong affairs drew hundreds of thousands on to the streets, many carrying umbrellas.

In December, speaking after a series of clashes with police, Mr Leung said there would be "resolute action" if the demonstrators returned.

On Wednesday, the last day of the current Chinese year, a message on the chief executive's website said: "It is time to bid farewell to the Year of the Horse and welcome the Year of the Sheep.

"Sheep are widely seen to be mild and gentle animals living peacefully in groups.

"Last year was no easy ride for Hong Kong. Our society was rife with differences and conflicts.

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Gallery: Dragons And Dance: Chinese New Year Festival

Chinese folk artists perform during the opening ceremony of the Spring Festival Temple Fair at the Temple of Earth park in Beijing

A performer shows off his skills. The Chinese Lunar New Year will welcome the Year of the Sheep on 19 February. It is also known as the Year of the Goat or Ram

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The Chinese New Year date varies, but always falls between January 21 and February 20.

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Hundreds of millions of people travel home to spend New Year with their families - said to be the world's biggest annual migration. Continue through for more pictures of the spring festival

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"In the coming year, I hope that all people in Hong Kong will take inspiration from the sheep's character and pull together in an accommodating manner to work for Hong Kong's future."

The statement was accompanied by a video which showed scenes of Mr Leung and his family engaged in tasks like gardening, feeding some goats and making a collage of a sheep's face.

Mr Leung is a controversial figure in Hong Kong and has been nicknamed the 'wolf', both because his name sounds like the Chinese word for wolf - lang - and because he is said to be devious and cunning.

Democratic Party chairwoman Emily Lau Wai-hing told the South China Morning Post: "I don't think [the chief executive] is saying we should follow like sheep. I think he refers to the virtues of sheep.

"[But] then he himself is doing exactly the opposite to provoke so much confrontation and he is tearing the society apart. It's very contradictory and duplicitous."

Hong Kong's protests erupted in reaction to fears the original system of government set up after Britain's withdrawal in 1997 was being eroded.

Under the agreement, China pledged to govern Hong Kong under a principle of "one country, two systems" giving the territory "a high degree of autonomy".

It has its own legal system and the agreement protected the freedom of assembly and expression.

Many of those who took to the streets last year complained that freedom of speech and the freedom of the press were at risk and there had been an increase in the influence exerted by Beijing since Mr Leung came to power in 2012.

There were also concerns about the election of the next chief executive in 2017 with claims that Beijing was demanding a veto on candidates.

Since the protests started, some British MPs have been banned from visiting Hong Kong, which is now owned by China but is designated a "Special Administrative Region".

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