Paul Tse

Template:Short description Template:EngvarB Template:Use dmy dates Template:Family name hatnote Paul Tse Wai-chun, JP (Template:Zh, born 1959) is a Hong Kong solicitor, who claims himself as the "Superman of Law". He also owns a small travel agency and was elected to the Legislative Council of Hong Kong for the tourism functional constituency in the 2008 legislative election. Tse is of Hakka ancestry.

Legal career

Tse practised law as a barrister in Australia for seven years after graduating from University of New South Wales.

Tse then finished his pupillage in Hong Kong under Justice Peter Nguyen. Tse was called to the bar in 1992 and set up his own firm in 1997.

His media stunts and quest for self-publicity have caused controversy. From 1997 to 1999, Paul posed in his underpants only for magazines to spread the message that "laws are inherent to every people". After disciplinary hearings which lasted for nearly a decade, the Law Society of Hong Kong suspended his solicitor's license for 12 months for this stunt, but his firm could continue because there were other partners.

Political career

In 2010, Tse was the sole legislator to vote against the introduction of a minimum wage in Hong Kong.

In February 2021, Tse said that Sinopharm vaccines should be administered in Hong Kong, despite the fact that the trial data had not been released.

Also in February 2021, Tse announced potential reductions of power held by Legislative Council members, claiming that the reductions would create a "balance between the effective operation of the council and the right of speech of legislators." In response, Andrew Wan said that such changes would serve only to minimize any antigovernmental opposition within the legislature. Tse also said that lawmakers could be banned for a week if they violated any of the new rules, and that the new rules could take effect as soon as 24 March 2021.

In April 2021, Tse said that people who urge others to cast blank ballots may commit the crime of "inciting subversion" under the National Security Law.

In January 2022, Tse said that he would try to introduce legislation to block the "yellow economic circle", where pro-democracy supporters boycott shopping at pro-government businesses.

In June 2023, Tse introduced legislation that would give lawmakers a summer break.

In January 2024, during question time in the Legislative Council, Tse criticised the government and said that "law enforcement forces have seemingly given the public the impression that they value the online opinions of Xiaohongshu users, who are not taxpayers, more than Hong Kong citizens, who actually pay tax." Tse said earlier that government actions to placate mainland Chinese netizens would lead to "Xiaohongshu administering Hong Kong," an allusion to "patriots administering Hong Kong." In his response, Chief Executive John Lee compared Tse's language to that used in the "black-clad violence of 2019" and said that Tse's words reminded him of "soft resistance", warning that it was "dangerous" to spread "false and negative information" about the government's efforts, accusing Tse of stirring up trouble. In late March 2024, after the passing of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance earlier that month, Tse said he had deleted his Facebook page due to his concern that comments he had made on Xiaohongshu and other matters violated the ordinance. His page was up again before the end of the month, but with all posts invisible or hidden.

Personal life

Tse was born in Shap Pat Heung, Yuen Long, New Territories, Hong Kong, into a working-class family. His family lives in New Jersey, United States.

Property

Out of all 90 legislative council members in the 2022-2025 term, Tse owned the most properties, with 15 residential units in Hong Kong and one in Beijing.

External links

• Paul Tse Solicitor Firm
• Official site of Paul Tse

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