SONNY LEONG | CHINESE NEW YEAR SPEECH (Reception)

What is the Junior Doctor Strike about? Is it about patient safety? It is about tired doctors? Is it about pay?

The government has been attempting to frame the mass disquiet over the junior doctors contract as purely a pay and working conditions dispute between an employer and an employee. Unfortunately nothing could be further from the truth.

The Tory government is like an employer who says, "from Monday, to improve productivity, we are going to employ an automated tannoy which shouts "work harder" on the hour every hour". Although this blue sky thinking makes no practical sense to anyone at all. You all know it is a disaster but no one wants to tell the boss.

Well the jig is up. This is the business of people's lives - you don't gamble over people's lives.

This contract is complicated. It is about patient safety. It is about tired doctors. It is about pay. It is about lots of important issues that when lumped together is so mind-bogglingly dangerous most doctors are so speechless and don't even know where to start. This is why getting a clear message out has been so difficult. Poor decision-making and planning is a certain path to catastrophic failure.

This week, as a junior doctor, I stand side-by-side with thousands of my colleagues up and down the country telling the government that Jeremy's Hunt is not fit for patients and it is not good enough for our NHS.  The last few months have been rife with soul-searching for our profession. There is a grave responsibility that we always felt towards our patients coupled with the unspoken understanding that our goodwill and sacrifice would not be systematically abused.

Junior doctors already work in the early hours of the morning and in the weekend. They already provide the 7 day NHS service that the Tories advocate at the cost of our own personal lives. It is a personal choice that junior doctors have made that the government wish to exploit. 

There have been a lot of numbers bandied around in this debate. For me there are a few simple messages that this contract says about what kind of society this government intends to build:

 Jayne Lim is a executive member of Chinese for Labour and a junior doctor. 

Mr. Jeremy Corbyn,

Mr. Tom Watson,

Mr. Sonny Leong,

Ladies and Gentlemen:

It gives me great pleasure to join you at this 2016 Chinese New Year Reception. I want to thank the Labour Party and Chinese for Labour for co-hosting this celebration.

Today is the second day in the Chinese 'Year of the Monkey.' I would like to begin by wishing every one of you Happy New Year!

A new year brings a new beginning. As we gather to mark this new beginning, we can all be full of expectations for the year ahead.

My first expectation is for China's continuous growth. This is important not just for Chinese people. It means China's continuing and potentially greater contribution to the global economy.

2015 saw a steady growth of 6.9% of Chinese economy. In particular, consumption contributed 66.4% of China's growth and the service sector accounted for 50.4% of China's total GDP. This was the first time in history that more than half of China's economic output was from the service sector. This advance was driven by new industries and businesses emerging at a faster pace. The good news for the people of the UK and people of the world is that China remains a powerhouse of the world economy. Last year China contributed more than a quarter of global growth.

2016 will mark the start of China's 13th Five Year Plan. To achieve high-quality, efficient and sustainable growth, China will follow through five new development concepts. Namely:

· Innovation

· Balanced growth

· Green economy

· Opening-up

· And inclusiveness.

China's economy is resilient. Much more potential remains untapped and much more space can be opened up for further growth. China is both confident and capable of advancing structural adjustment. China is able to grow at a medium-to-high rate and inject greater momentum into world economic growth and global development.

My second expectation is for the steady progress of China-UK relations in the "Golden Era". In 2015, President Xi Jinping paid a successful visit to the UK. Our two countries announced the building of the China-UK global comprehensive strategic partnership for the 21st century. A "Golden Era" of our bilateral ties has begun.

So 2016 is the opening year of the "Golden Era".

· This year, we should build our efforts around fully implementing the outcomes of President Xi's visit.

· We should strengthen high-level exchanges.

· We should promote result-oriented cooperation.

· We should enhance cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

· And we should dovetail our respective development strategies.

We look forward to working closely with the British side in 2016 to get the "Golden Era" off to a good start.

My third expectation is for the Labour Party to play an even bigger role in advancing China-UK relations. The Labour Party has a historic proud political legacy and is an important force within British politics. The Labour Party has long adopted a proactive China policy and has always seen China as the UK's opportunity. There is no doubt that the Labour Party has made crucial and continuing contributions to the growth of the China-UK relationship.

Last October, during his state visit to the UK, President Xi had a fruitful meeting with Mr. Corbyn and the shadow cabinet. Looking into this new year, we hope to work closely with the Labour Party to build stronger China-UK ties in the "Golden Era". These could be our shared aims:

· We should have a broader vision for developing our relations.

· We should adopt down-to-earth approach to deepen our cooperation.

· And we should increase mutual understanding by closer exchanges and communications.

I also expect Chinese for Labour to continue to play its distinctive role. I warmly encourage Chinese for Labour to work for closer ties between China and the Labour Party and between China and the UK.

The year 2016 is the Chinese Year of the Monkey. In the Chinese culture, Monkey symbolizes quick wit, good fortune and ability to drive away evils and bring in blessings. It augurs great hopes for the new year ahead.

With this, I wish for a more splendid "Golden Era" of China-UK relations.

I wish for more fruitful party-to-party exchanges between China and the Labour party.

And I wish everyone a happy and prosperous Year of the Monkey!

Thank you.

It’s no secret that the Chinese community in the UK lacks political representation, gaining our first and only Chinese MP last year -- and achievement somewhat tarnished by the fact that Alan Mak MP is a Conservative. Our representation in the Lords has been similarly poor. We’ve had only three peers: two crossbenchers, and a Conservative, of which only the latter is still serving.

But we are also critically underrepresented in the media. Ask an average Brit to name a single British Chinese actor or media personality and they’ll struggle, before finally remembering Ken Hom; of course they’re crestfallen when you tell them he’s actually American.

It’s not because there’s a lack of British Chinese talent, either. It’s because there’s simply no appetite for broadcasters to showcase them. Imagine how glad I was to hear that BBC2 are launching a China Season to coincide with Chinese New Year. It is, according to controller Kim Shillinglaw, demonstrative of the BBC’s “on-going commitment to bringing the world to our viewers,” she continues “It will allow viewers to visit one of the most fascinating and powerful countries in the world and show a little known nation in a whole new light.”

Fantastic. So some much needed airtime for Chinese faces, and a great opportunity to provide a platform for aspiring Chinese media personalities, presenters and academics. At least, it would have been if the programmes currently slated to be shown weren’t exclusively written, directed and produced by caucasians, and overwhelmingly presented by whites.

Let’s take a look at the trailer for China Season.

Did you spot the talented and charismatic Chinese presenter, constructing a story of China informed by his experience growing up as part of the British Chinese diaspora? Did you notice the brilliant and knowledgeable Chinese academic sharing her expertise on Chinese history and culture? No? Me neither.

It is quite remarkably difficult to put into words just how irksome it is to have a parade of middle aged, wealthy white men telling me all about the land of my ancestors. The Chinese faces in this trailer are mutes, lacking their own voice or their own self-determining power to present their identity in their own terms. Rather, their identity is ascribed to them by whites and intermediated to the audience by caucasians. It’s almost as if nothing has changed in 700 years.

This is the classic anthropological approach to exploring Chinese culture that has been the modus operandi of Europeans since the days of Marco Polo and the silk road. It seems we’ve yet to shake off this notion that Chinese people are ‘other’, that they’re animals to be observed on safari by enlightened white men in similarly white linen suits, that the phenomenology of Chineseness is secondary to the interpretive efforts of caucasians who are apparently uniquely capable of decoding the thoughts and values of the mystifying and inscrutable Han people.

The way the BBC have gone about producing this new season of programmes has shown us that we’ve still yet to graduate from the imperialistic mindset of colonial Britannia. To the British, the Chinese are still puzzling, baffling, mandarins with taloned fingers and fu manchu moustaches. Perhaps we’d be better understood if we were actually given a chance to speak for ourselves.

Alex Chai is a member of Chinese for Labour and Director of Consensus, a non-aligned organisation fostering open and inclusive debate amongst different wings of the Labour Party. More information can be found at www.labourconsensus.org.uk

Happy Chinese New Year Message from Sadiq Khan

Chinese New Year is a time to celebrate with friends and family, reflect on the past year and look forward to the future. As we mark the start of the Year of the Monkey, let us also celebrate the many contributions of London’s Chinese community which enrich our lives in this city. 

My story is one that will be familiar to many in the Chinese community. My parents came to London in the 1960s, my dad working hard as a bus driver while my mum sewed clothes. They provided for me and my brothers and sisters as we grew up on our London council estate. I worked hard at school and university and after qualifying as a lawyer I set up my own law firm and helped build a successful business from scratch. I still live locally with my wife, bringing up our two daughters.

This year, I am running to serve you as London Mayor.  I want all Londoners to have the same opportunities that our city gave me and my family: a home they can afford, a HIGH-skilled job with decent pay, an affordable and modern transport system and a safe, clean and healthy environment. 

As your Mayor I will:

• Continue to support annual Chinese New Year celebrations to promote Chinese culture
• Work with the Chinese business community and Westminster Council to secure the future of Chinatown as a hub for Chinese business and the community, as part of a wider strategy to protect and expand space for business across London
• Work with London’s business community to promote economic links with China and East Asia
• Introduce a zero-tolerance approach to racist hate crimes, and ensure the police have the resources they need
• Work with London’s Chinese community leaders to promote understanding and build closer links
• Support the Chinese community’s call for a London Memorial for the 95,000 Chinese Labour Corps members, whose contribution to Britain during the First World War has yet to be properly commemorated

I wish you and your family good health, prosperity and happiness this Chinese New Year. London is the greatest city in the world. Together let’s make it even better.

Best wishes,

Sadiq Khan  

2016 倫敦市長候選人簡薩迪 (Sadiq Khan)

 向華人社區賀年

新春廸吉，紫氣東來；送羊迎猴，感謝華人社區為我城增添無窮貢獻和魅力。

我的成長故事和很多華人家庭相似；我的父母在1960年代移居倫敦，父親是巴士司機，母親是車衣女工。我的兄弟姊妹都在倫敦出生，住政府平民屋。倫敦讓我們這般平凡的家庭有機會力爭上游，接受大學教育，為自己理想而奮鬥。我是合格律師，白手興家創立了自己的律師樓。我的妻子也是倫敦人，我們育有兩名女兒。我誠心渴望回饋這個美麗的城市。

角逐倫敦市長重任: 我會致力創造平等機會、供應廉租樓宇、提供高技術職位、合理薪酬、現代化而便宜的公共交通系统、一個健康和清潔的環境。

上任倫敦市長我會承諾：

• 繼續支持華人新年節慶活動發揚中華文化
• 與華商及西敏市政府攜手打造唐人街地標，輻蓋倫敦
• 與倫敦商界致力提昇與東南亞及中國經濟聯繫
• 嚴正處理種族岐視罪案，保障警力足夠
• 和華人社區領袖加強溝通互動
• 支持籌建一戰倫敦紀念碑以誌九萬五千名華工事蹟

華人社會勤奮向上的精神給我極大啓蒙；際此猴年春禧，祝禱閣下闔府安康，一帆風順。倫敦是世界上最美麗的城市，我們一起努力，讓倫敦光芒萬丈。

Chinese New Year Message from Rt Hon Jeremy Corbyn MP

The Chinese in Britain are a long established community who have made a huge contribution over many years to making Britain a vibrant and successful multicultural country. I wish the many thousands of people celebrating this Chinese New Year a healthy and prosperous year of the monkey.

I look forward to meeting representatives of the UK's Chinese community to listen to their thoughts on how we can build on the strong relationship that the Labour Party has established with the Chinese community and develop together the policies to help us make Britain a stronger and fairer society for all.

With very best wishes.

Rt Hon Jeremy Corbyn MP

Leader of the Labour Party

They say the secret to great comedy is timing, but few within our Party will find reason for amusement at North Korea’s latest demonstration of their burgeoning nuclear capability. Kim Jong Un has chosen to perform another test detonation of a new, more powerful nuclear device at a time when our Party is at loggerheads over whether or not to renew our country’s own ageing nuclear capability. There are implications for both our Party, the Pacific region and the global community at large.

Jeremy Corbyn's case for British nuclear disarmament will not be helped by the emergence of a new nuclear power in the world, especially when the regime in question is governed by a maverick like Kim Jong Un who does not appear to be amenable to reason. For example, Xi Jinping is said to be furious over Kim’s decision to test a nuclear device without notifying him in advance, despite China being the DPRK's most significant benefactor. Kim gains nothing by angering China or alienating its leadership, though this has not stopped him from pursuing his nuclear programme in a manner that has antagonised his neighbour and ally.

But what does this actually mean for international defence and strategy? Well… Probably not a lot. Beyond the diplomatic implications, a nation state with Westphalian sovereignty -- albeit one that is frequently and variously described as ‘rogue’ or ‘isolated’ -- can be depended upon to behave in a predictable manner in the arena of nuclear standoff.

This is because there are good reasons to believe that even a totalitarian nation state with an eccentric and unstable figure like Kim Jung Un at the helm won’t deploy a nuclear weapon where there is likelihood of retaliation, even if it looked as though Kim was inclined to do so. Behind every despot is a suite of people who benefit from their patronage and in return shore up their leadership. When all a leader has to offer is the mutually assured destruction of their own society and the society of their most hated enemy, those that have the most to lose and the least to gain i.e. the political elites upon whom the leader is dependent, will see that as quite a hard sell indeed. We can reasonably assume that in such a situation, the apparatus that sustains their regime will turn against them.

In fact, these demonstrations of strength by Kim are designed specifically to appease those upon whom his leadership is dependent. International provocation of this manner places an emphasis on defence and militarisation, shoring up Kim’s support with his Generals. There is, however, a delicate balance to be struck between provocative displays of military might and destabilising acts of brinkmanship that could undermine his own leadership by making him appear imprudent to his own cohort.

It seems that, despite harsh international sanctions, North Korea remains determined to develop a nuclear capability, as well as a delivery system capable of striking the United States. The chances of this ever being used for the purpose it was designed are remote, making the likelihood of nuclear war not significantly greater than prior to Kim's latest test: but this is of course only kept in check by the prospect of his adversary's ability to retaliate.

Proponents of the government's plans to renew the UK's Trident programme  will point to Kim's regime as an example of why maintaining a nuclear deterrent is essential in a world where the scientific knowledge required to build a nuclear device is widespread,  and the resources necessary to construct one are obtainable even by a country incapable of feeding its own people. But those against the renewal of trident will claim the existence of the USA's own triad of nuclear weapons and our membership of NATO is sufficient to keep the lid on thermonuclear war.

It seems, in light of this, we might never be able to have a completely nuclear-free world so long as the potential for a rogue state to develop a weapon exists. And Kim's actions make it clear that this won't change any time soon.

Alex Chai is a member of Chinese for Labour and Director of Consensus, a non-aligned organisation fostering open and inclusive debate amongst different wings of the Labour Party. More information can be found at www.labourconsensus.org.uk

Chinese for Labour and the Labour Party's General Secretary, Iain McNicol, are delighted to invite you to celebrate Chinese New Year at a special reception on Tuesday, 9 February from 6.00 - 8.00 pm.

Labour must be alive to older voters or it will be dead in the water

Labour’s path back to power is hard. And winning a majority in England is still harder.

The last time we won a majority of English constituencies was 2005. It’s been downhill ever since.

To win back a majority in England, to win the power we need to deliver a fairer, kinder country, we need to win 106 more English seats. That means a swing of 11.5%, winning back seats like Milton Keynes North where today the Tory majority stands at 9,753. Nationally our vote share needs to move from 30.4% to 42%.1 It’s a mountain to climb.