
Cathay CEO lists self instead of giving names to CCP - GordonS
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3765103
======
FabHK
I'd want to see independent confirmation of this. It's a beautiful story, but
here's another media report (by the SCMP, owned by Alibaba, but still regarded
somewhat trustworthy by and large):

"Cathay Pacific Airways’ handover of crew details ‘satisfies mainland Chinese
regulator’"

"CEO Rupert Hogg threatened to sack any employee who actively supported the
protest movement, including taking part in the illegal airport
demonstrations."

[https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-
kong/transport/article/302288...](https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-
kong/transport/article/3022887/cathay-pacific-airways-handover-crew-details-
satisfies)

~~~
waveymaus
UK sources are not reporting anything in line with what the politician in the
referenced social media post is claiming.

Instead we have comments like this from the Independent:

> [Cathay Pacific] said it would comply with a directive from the Civil
> Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), which ban any employees who took
> part in the protests from working on mainland China-bound flights.

[https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-
advice/cathay-...](https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-
advice/cathay-pacific-ceo-rupert-hogg-resigns-hong-kong-protest-china-
latest-a9061991.html)

and from the BBC:

> Last week, Cathay Pacific had told its staff it would not stop them joining
> the pro-democracy demonstrations currently sweeping Hong Kong.

> But on Monday, Mr Hogg warned staff they could be fired if they "support or
> participate in illegal protests".

[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49367949](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49367949)

It is certainly possible this is true, but I find it troubling this story is
at the top of HN without other reliable sources backing it up.

~~~
dnautics
> Last week, Cathay Pacific had told its staff it would not stop them joining
> the pro-democracy demonstrations currently sweeping Hong Kong.

> But on Monday, Mr Hogg warned staff they could be fired if they "support or
> participate in illegal protests".

Not sure that's contradictory. You're allowed to go to the legal protests, but
you'll get fired if you do something illegal.

------
AFascistWorld
Weibo users are insulting their stewardesses who support HK.

[https://m.weibo.cn/search?containerid=100103type%3D1%26q%3D%...](https://m.weibo.cn/search?containerid=100103type%3D1%26q%3D%E5%9B%BD%E6%B3%B0%20%E7%A9%BA%E5%A7%90)

Comments like "She's so ugly, you can find hundreds of millions of Chinese
prettier then her" "Cathay is a hive of cockroaches".

_

China‘s ICBC rated it as "strong sell".
[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-13/china-
s-b...](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-13/china-s-biggest-
bank-cuts-cathay-to-strong-sell-over-protests)

_

This whole thing most likely will come to an end in September, in one way or
another, before the 70th anniversary of China takes place, couples with this
period of heated party in-fighting, no inharmony will be tolerated, something
could happen.

~~~
tyingq
Fwiw, they tend to prefer "flight attendant" to "stewardess".

Edit: Not kidding, they are sensitive about it.

------
kerng
In many ways this was absolutely the best the CEO could have done. It seemed
inevitable that he would resign, but its great to see that he didn't sell out
his employees - which a few weeks ago seemed like.

A good way to be remembered positively during this situation.

------
jddj
If this is true (and from his resignation, it would seem that way), this is
very refreshing news.

There are horrible examples throughout history (Argentina in the '70s, where
German automakers volunteered their left-leaning employees) of what amounted
to business leaders giving up employees' lives to opaque regimes to ensure
further profit for themselves and their companies.

This may or may not have resulted in anything as extreme as that, but credit
where credit is due.

------
Phenix88be
Now, ask yourself : would your boss do the same for you ?

~~~
whenchamenia
Would you do the same for your peers? I would. If you doubt yourself, you may
want to look for a better job for your soul.

~~~
mav3rick
Easy to write it on HN until you're in the situation.

------
duxup
I always wondered with the social credit score system, how long until
something like that is extended to the rest of the world, HK seems like a
natural place to start, as would the developing world.

------
tropicalia
With chilling, but not entirely unexpected consequences:

 _Indicating the intimate involvement of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in
the investigation of the airline, Hogg 's resignation was first made public by
Chinese state-run media outlet CCTV at 4:50 p.m. on Aug. 16. It was not until
5:14 p.m. that Cathay Pacific itself officially announced that Hogg was
stepping down as CEO, leading to speculation that his resignation was the
result of pressure from Beijing authorities._

------
daveoc64
I don't really get it - why would the company know which of their employees
was or was not part of this or any other protest?

~~~
noselasd
If you threaten executives with fines, jail, shutdown etc. , they can feel
very motivated to find out.

------
not_a_cop75
This is a typical CEO move. If you have to do something that seems honest and
good, at least make sure you get credit for it.

------
5trokerac3
Make no mistake, this is the equivalent action of the type of Oskar
Schindler's. CCP wanted those names so they could eventually disappear them.

~~~
duxup
Better yet to pressure companies to not hire / fire anyone who is on a list...
that way folks can see "what happens" to people who don't do "the right
thing".

The general population will find that quite upsetting.

~~~
5trokerac3
You mean like James Demore and Bret Weinstein?

------
ratel
Mr. Rupert Hogg I salute you!

------
rdlecler1
Make no mistake. If China has a GDP 2x the US and the US business are heavily
reliant on China we’ll also be licking Xi’s boot. You already see it with how
Hollywood kowtows to China with the hopes that it can get a movie into the
country. Trump’s tariffs are not popular with many but it is breaking
dependence on China’s supply chain and manufacturing.

~~~
wavefunction
Trump just continued for a second time a special allowance for Huawei to
purchase components from US companies so the notion that there is any sort of
coherent trade policy directed at China by the current administration seems
suspect. I opposed the TPP on numerous grounds but I do wish a less cumbersome
trade agreement in a similar vein with the same partners had been enacted.

~~~
whatshisface
The lack of a unified trade policy is easier to understand if you bear in mind
that it's actually a huge team of people negotiating on the US side, almost
all of which none of us have heard of before. It's definitely not Trump
hashing a deal out on the top floor of his office: he's probably providing
some executive direction, but even then he has other things demanding his
time.

------
gapo
He was asked to step down

