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儲存 　　Just as there have been developments in the Manila hostage tragedy aftermath negotiations, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said that sanctions will be imposed unless "substantial progress" is made within one month. This reveals that Hong Kong is backed by Beijing to end this dispute that has dragged on for more than three years as quickly as possible.　　The Philippine department of justice investigation report criticized several government officials for dereliction of duty in the Manila hostage coach bloodbath leading to the death of eight Hong Kong tourists and injury of seven. If the Philippine government had apologized to the victims and families with readiness for the officials' mistakes and made compensation, the incident would have already been settled. The Hong Kong-Philippine relationship would not have turned into a growing deadlock.　　Unfortunately, Philippine President Benigno Aquino III stood firm. Hong Kong people said he refused to admit the mistake, giving unprincipled protection to his political allies. During the APEC summit last month he derided Leung, first "dwarfing" him with gestures in seating arrangement at their meeting, adding that he apologized only because he forgot the chief executive's name. Aquino added salt to Hong Kong's injury, which was similarly unpleasant in the eyes of Beijing.Tough action against the Philippines with central government's support　　Aquino has low regard for Hong Kong people and hopes that the matter will fade with time, but things did not develop as he wished. He had underestimated the psychological harm the incident brought to Hongkongers and miscalculated the victims' determination to fight for justice. This May when Philippine Coast Guard crew opened fire at Taiwanese fishermen, killing the captain's father, Taiwan launched 11 sanctions including putting a halt to work visas for Filipinos. The Philippine government eventually gave in and apologized, making Hong Kong people think that it rejects soft approaches and bows to force.　　Sanctions will somewhat affect diplomatic relations. What Leung formally proposed should already have been approved by the central government. The Sino-Philippine relationship has been tense in recent years because of the South China Sea. Of the ASEAN countries in territorial dispute with China over the region, the Philippines falls most in line with The US "return to Asia" policy. It also triggered incidents at the Huangyan Island taking advantage of the backing from the US.　　Before and after the APEC meeting, President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang held bilateral meetings with different ASEAN country leaders, while only the Philippines was left out. Li, using the brief "casual meeting" with Aquino, asked him to settle the hostage issue. Aquino actually denied it afterwards and was publicly refuted by the Chinese Foreign Ministry. China being tough with the Philippines leaves less resistance to Hong Kong's launching sanctions, with only the need to consider the price it has to pay.The more destructive, the higher price to pay　　Of the various sanctions worth considering, the most instinctive thought is stopping the import of Filipino maids. Export of maids is an important source of foreign exchange for the Philippines and an important means to lower its high unemployment rate. But the stoppage will greatly affect Hong Kong's middle class. So, there is much more opposition.　　Another sanction is boycotting or banning imports from the Philippines. Hong Kong is the fifth largest export market of the Philippines while Taiwan is not even in the top 10. Last year, exports from the country to Hong Kong rose by 29 percent, accounting for nine percent of the total export, with a surplus in trade of over $18 billion. This weapon has strong destructive force, but Hong Kong will also suffer a great loss.　　As for the visa-free visit arrangement for Filipinos, it is much more moderate than the above two measures but is more efficient. It takes only seven days to get approved and implemented, while Hongkongers have a lower price to pay.　　In imposing sanctions on the Philippines, it is not easy to find measures that create great impact on the country and Hong Kong has a small price to pay. Hong Kong must be psychologically prepared to pay the price. Hong Kong and the Philippines should also strive for more time and negotiate on a result that victims will find acceptable.Published in the Sing Tao Daily on November 6藉制裁施壓 人質談判加油　　馬尼拉人質慘劇善後談判有所進展之際，行政長官梁振英提出，一個月內得不到階段性結果，就要採取制裁措施。這顯示本港得到北京支持，盡快為這宗拖了三年多的糾紛來一個了斷。　　血洗旅巴導致港客八死七傷的馬尼拉人質事件，菲律賓司法部的調查報告，批評多名官員失職。如果菲律賓政府爽快為官員的過失，向受害人及家屬道歉，作出賠償，事件早就可以解決，港菲關係不致愈鬧愈僵。　　可惜，菲律賓總統阿奎諾三世立場強硬，港人覺得他死不認錯，袒護自己的政治盟友。到上月在亞太經濟合作組織領導人會議期間，阿奎諾奚落梁振英，先在會談座位編排上作出「矮化」對方的小動作，繼而說自己道歉只為忘記了特首的名字。阿奎諾在港人傷口灑鹽，北京看在眼�同感不悅。得中央支持對菲出硬招　　阿奎諾不把港人放在眼內，期待事件隨時日而淡化，形勢卻不隨其主觀意願發展。他低估了事件對港人造成的心理創傷，誤判了受害人討回公道的決心。到今年五月菲律賓海巡署船員以機槍掃射台灣漁民，殺死船長之父，台灣推出停批菲律賓外勞簽證等十一項制裁措施，菲政府終於屈服認錯，更令港人覺得菲政府吃硬不吃軟。　　制裁措施或多或少都會影響外交關係，梁振英正式提出，應該已獲中央認可。中菲近年為南海而關係緊張，在與中國有南海主權爭議的東盟國家中，以菲律賓最積極配合美國的「重返亞洲」政策，並且仗�美國撐腰，在黃岩島挑起事端。　　國家主席習近平和總理李克強在亞太經合會議前後，與東盟多國領袖進行雙邊會晤，偏偏沒有菲律賓，李克強利用「偶遇」阿奎諾的短暫時間，要求阿奎諾解決人質問題，阿奎諾事後竟然否認，遭中國外交部公開駁斥。中國對菲律賓不客氣，本港推出制裁措施少了阻力，主要衡量本身要付出的代價。殺傷力愈大付代價愈高　　在種種可供考慮的制裁措施中，社會最直覺聯想到的是停止輸入菲傭。輸出傭工是菲律賓的重要外匯收入來源，以及降低目前偏高失業率的重要途徑。不過，停止輸入菲傭對本港中產家庭影響甚大，反對聲音較多。　　另一種制裁措施是杯葛或禁止菲律賓貨品入口。香港是菲律賓第五大出口市場，台灣則十大不入。去年菲律賓出口到香港的貨值升了百分之二十九，佔其總出口貨值的百分之九，對港雙邊貿易享受到一百八十多億元的順差。這件武器殺傷力強，不過本港蒙受的損失也不少。　至於取消菲人來港免簽證的安排，比上兩個措施溫和，但是效率高，只要七天通知即可成事，而且港人要承受的代價較輕。　　制裁菲律賓，找出對菲影響大，對港代價小的措施，並不容易，港人要有付出代價的心理準備。港菲雙方更應爭取時間，盡快談判出得到受害者接受的結果。刊於十一月六日《星島日報》Vocabularysubstantial (adj) —— 重要的dereliction (n) —— 失職bloodbath (n) —— 流血事件deadlock (n) —— 僵局dwarf (v) —— 矮化gesture (n) —— 姿勢miscalculate (v) —— 誤判refute (v) —— 駁斥instinctive (adj) —— 直覺的psychologically (adv) —— 心理上Useful Termsunprincipled protection —— 袒護political ally —— 政治盟友diplomatic relation —— 外交關係bilateral meeting —— 雙邊會晤visa-free visit —— 免簽證到訪Did you know?　　In a surprise intervention, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying announced he is prepared to slap on sanctions if there is no progress on how to satisfy the demands of victims' families and survivors of the Manila hostage bloodbath three years ago. The strong words came with the Legislative Council set to debate a motion on Wednesday calling for sanctions. Legislators have called for the cancellation of visa-free waivers for Filipino tourists as well as various forms of economic, cultural and trade sanctions. Another possibility could be a freeze on Filipino domestic helpers. Leung did not say what sort of sanctions the government is considering. The families' demands include adequate compensation and an apology. Leung said the government will carry on with the talks and urged the Philippine government and/or the city of Manila "to make a concrete and timely response".1. The word _____ in the first paragraph is the opposite of "lifted".2. Sanctions on the Philippines will somewhat affect _____ relations.3. In the passage, the word __________ means "destroying".4. It is not easy to find sanctions on the Philippines that will create agreat impact on the country while Hong Kong _____________________________.5. According to the last paragraph, Hong Kong and the Philippines should work hard on a result that _____ will find acceptable.Answers1. imposed2. diplomatic / Hong Kong-Philippine / Sino-Philippine3. destructive4. has a small price to pay5. victims翻譯︰George迷你倉