Thank you, Chair, and thank you to our witnesses for their superb testimony. It is very helpful for our work.
Just to underline what our work is, this is the last of our three meetings on the situation in Hong Kong, from which we will be making recommendations in our report to Parliament. I also want to underline that we haven't mentioned in our hearings that Canada obviously has a very important role. Our witnesses are evidence of that today, of just the connection between Canada and Hong Kong.
But also, as we look back to the 70 years celebration of the victory in Europe, we also have to understand the historic role that we played during World War II and that no small sacrifice was made. I think it's a deep connection that we have. For those who wonder why we're doing this and its relevance, I think it's important to mention that.
Mr. Lung, I want to start with you. In a report that the Hong Kong Democratic Foundation filed with the Hong Kong government in March as part of the constitutional reform consultation, the foundation wrote that “a democratic Hong Kong is good for China”. Based on the testimony we just heard and the importance of our not being seen to interfere inappropriately but rather being supportive, I wonder if you could explain a bit why you made this statement, why it is worthy of consideration. I ask because it is puzzling for some of us that there was a very clear road map laid out and that there's been a divergence from that road map as we know. That's what led to the protest and the Occupy movement. So I just want to hear from you why you think that a democratic Hong Kong is good for China. Could you make that argument, please.