"Hong Kong attacked columnist for 'racist' article | AboutHK.Com - more information about HK"

A columnist for Hong Kong on Monday under attack from angry politicians and Filipino migrant workers described having their land as "a nation of servants" and condemned Manila's claims to the Spratly Islands. Chip Tsao said in his column in the current issue of HK Magazine that the Philippines' recent threat to send boats cannon to defend the disputed islands in the South China Sea against Beijing, which also claims sovereignty, was "beyond reproach. " The reason, he wrote, was that more than 130,000 Filipinas work for less than 3580 Hong Kong dollars (459 U.S.) per month as domestic helpers in Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China. "As a nation of servants, you do not flex your muscles in your master, from which you earn most of your bread and butter." Tsao also wrote that he had on its own maid a tough talk, warning her to her to tell people that the entire island chain belonged to China if they wanted a pay increase next year. The column has an angry reaction from the Filipino groups and politicians, the brand Tsao racist and demanded an apology from him and the magazine. "Instead of contributing to intelligent discussions about ways to resolve the Spratlys" Streit, Tsao only succeeded in eliciting more hatred and sowing confusion not only among Filipinos, but perhaps even to his Chinese counterparts who are not on the complexity of the problem, "Pia Cayetano , chairman of the Philippine Senate's Committee on Social Justice, said in a statement. Gina Esguerra, Secretary General of the International Migrant Workers, the largest alliance of workers abroad, says the article smacks of full vilifies racial prejudices, that the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos in Hong Kong and places them in danger of prosecution and damages. " The group also called for to explain Tsao Manila a "persona non grata" in the Philippines. Tsao, which is also a television and radio host, told the newspaper that he Mingpao was a little shocked at the reaction to his column. He said it was just his way of the letter and asked its readers to make it easy. The dispute over the Spratlys, that they are on top of huge mineral and oil deposits, has been renewed after a near collision between the Chinese ships and a U.S. Navy surveillance vessel earlier this month. The chain of atolls and reefs is also claimed in whole or in part by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. Comments Please login to post comments or replies.