Chan clears air on 'girls in bars' comment

Lawmaker and Executive Council member Chan Kin-por invited controversy when, during a conversation about the merits of doing business in the SAR, he said "girls in Hong Kong bars are more beautiful."

Chan, pictured, said that at the Asia Insurance Forum this week.

But his remarks, according to 10Life co-founder Iris Lun's post on LinkedIn, were "sexist and insensitive" and should never have been said at a professional setting, much more an international forum.

Chan said those remarks were taken out of context. They weren't his. He said when he jumped into the conversation he was merely repeating what another attendee said. And he did not mean to offend women but only wanted to "sell Hong Kong's soft power," he added.