What's wrong with Hong Kong (and how to fix it)

[Double Edge]

In a first, India speaks up on Hong Kong

God damned. Name China FFS. Name and shame China.

We should be content that India decided to say something here. Anodyne as it is. It sets a precedent for the future.

It represents a shift from the past where as a rule we do not comment on internal affairs of other countries.

This practice is followed by Russia & China as well.

Except China took us to the UNSC over 370.

The reason its important to say something about HK is because its a harbinger of things to come.

That is China exporting its domestic policy to other states.

HK today, more countries along its periphery tomorrow.

Internal security law, yes in other countries.

China does not occupy these countries and force it down their throats, these countries gradually adopt Chinese laws

They will call it Pax Sinica

A milder form is BRI that does this with standards

[tbm3fan]

Well here comes the first test of their new laws. Could be ominous for those 10 charged with abetting others to commit secession including a 15 year old girl. Tried in Hong Kong? Moved to China? Life or the minimum 10 years?

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/02/asia/...hnk/index.html

[DOR]

All those articles for what? Just vague terms, open ended, and a kangaroo court that will most likely land you in a deep, dark hole, deep inside China for life.

They could have cut to the chase by simply saying that if you so much as look cross-eyed at the Party you will never see the light of day again.

There was an ancient socio-political system in China, akin to Daoism, called Legalism.
Spelling out the fine details of dos and don't is a long and storied tradition in the Middle Kingdom.

[Oracle]

In a first, India speaks up on Hong Kong

God damned. Name China FFS. Name and shame China.

Hong Kong: First arrests under 'anti-protest' law as handover marked

Simon Cheng: UK asylum for ex-consulate worker 'tortured in China'

[tbm3fan]

All those articles for what? Just vague terms, open ended, and a kangaroo court that will most likely land you in a deep, dark hole, deep inside China for life.

They could have cut to the chase by simply saying that if you so much as look cross-eyed at the Party you will never see the light of day again.

[DOR]

HK Gets China's National Security Law

Effective July 1, 2020, China has imposed a national security law on Hong Kong. Here are my first impressions.

1. If some version of the 2003 Article 23 Legislation had been passed by the Legislative Council, this 2020 law would not have even been brought up for discussion in Beijing. Therefore, the pan-Democrats share a portion of the blame.

2. This 2020 law is far, far worse than even the first draft of the 2003 Article 23 proposals.

Details:
Chapter 1, Article 3: “It is the duty of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region under the Constitution to safeguard national security and the Region shall perform the duty accordingly.”

Article 4: “Human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The rights and freedoms, including the freedoms of speech, of the press, of publication, of association, of assembly, of procession and of demonstration, which the residents of the Region enjoy under the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as applied to Hong Kong, shall be protected in accordance with the law.”

Article 6: “It is the common responsibility of all the people of China, including the people of Hong Kong, to safeguard the sovereignty, unification and territorial integrity of the People’s Republic of China.”

Then, it gets dicey.

Chapter II, Article 9: “The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall strengthen its work on safeguarding national security and prevention of terrorist activities. The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall take necessary measures to strengthen public communication, guidance, supervision and regulation over matters concerning national security, including those relating to schools, universities, social organisations, the media, and the internet.”

Note the lack of any definition of terms.

Article 12: “The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall establish the Committee for Safeguarding National Security. The Committee shall be responsible for affairs relating to and assume primary responsibility for safeguarding national security in the Region. It shall be under the supervision of and accountable to the Central People’s Government.”

In other words, this committee bypasses the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.

Article 14: “Information relating to the work of the Committee shall not be subject to disclosure. Decisions made by the Committee shall not be amenable to judicial review.”

In Article 16, the Hong Kong Police Force are required to establish an office for safeguarding national security, and the head of that office needs to be approved by the (newly established and appointed under Beijing's direct control) Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region." Personnel may be recruited from outside Hong Kong …

In Article 18, they add a similar office for the Justice Department. Article 19 ensures that the Legislative Council cannot control such offices' purse strings.

Chapter III, Part 1: Don't even think about separating Hong Kong from China.

Part 2, Article 22: Interfering with the power of the Central People's Government or “attacking or damaging the premises and facilities used by the body of power” of the Hong Kong government is considered sedition.

Part 3, Articles 24-27, deals with terrorism. For the purposes of this law, terrorism includes engaging in, funding, or advocating violence with a political agenda.

Part 4, Article 29, makes it an offense to ask anyone outside the People's Republic of China to impose sanctions or provoke “hatred among Hong Kong residents towards the Central People's Government or the Government of the Region...”
Again, no definition of terms.

Articles 36-38: All of the foregoing also applies to any violation taking place aboard any aircraft or vessel registered in Hong Kong. And, to offenses conducted outside Hong Kong by either residents or non-residents.

This hasn't been discussed in the comments I've seen.

Chapter 4, Article 44: The CE shall chose which judges will hear national security cases. And, in Article 46, the Secretary of Justice may decide to authorize a no-jury trial.

If that's too onerous, under Article 55, the HKSARG can simply ask the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to go ahead and take jurisdiction over the case. Including investigation, prosecution and adjudication.

Naturally, any actions taken in the course of their duties by the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region are not under the jurisdiction of the HKSARG.

The CE held a press briefing at 8pm on July 1, 2020. At 8:20pm, the police issued a press release saying that some scores of people had been arrested, including 9 for National Security Law violations.

[Double Edge]

You have the peaceful and not so peaceful

[Double Edge]

I so believe these people will stop protesting the day Cary Lam says so : D

Been over two weeks since that security law passed in Beijing.

Mocking the national anthem part is applicable to HK.

Anything else ?

[Double Edge]

They're calling this one a "recommendation on US policy for HK" to the recent CCP "proposal on HK National Security Legislation"

[Double Edge]

no, they didn't.

they got precisely -nothing-, past a temporary truce.

The extradition bill was withdrawn. How is that nothing.

You can call it a reprieve but the CCP had to back off. Four months on the streets amounted to something.

I posted a link about it here.

Important milestone which for some reason nobody thought mattered.

how much of the "Five Demands and Not One Less" were fulfilled?

I am referring just to the extradition law which kicked off the protests.

Extra demands is up to the people of HK, how badly they want it and what they willing to do to get it.

see what DOR says.

although I suspect the CCP will be a bit more clever this time around; lots of pressure for people to emigrate, etc.

at the end of the day, the CCP and Xi have made a choice: they'd rather have HK as another Chinese city, even if it means they take the economic hit from the inevitable business flight.

This remains to be seen.

In the 90s HK made up 30% of China's economy today its around 4%, economy might not be to big a hit but there is more to HK isn't there. It's more than just another successful Chinese metro. That is how the world looks at HK, might not be the same way the CCP does but they will be losing more if they continue along this path.

I had a friend from there who jumped ship in the 90s. When i told her at the time there was this standstill agreement for 50 years, she just scoffed and said nobody believes it. Meaning if people wanted to emigrate there was a lot of time to do it, if they haven't as yet they intend to stay put, at least the majority.

[Double Edge]

What’s the reason “Beijing can’t do another Tiananmen”?

The last time they did the door to the western arms market got slammed shut and remains so to this day.

Very consequential decision for China's neighbours.

The short answer is there will be consequences.

Course with XJP, digging further is always possible so shooting oneself in the foot remains : )

[hboGYT]

What’s the reason “Beijing can’t do another Tiananmen”?

Something something PLA vs PAP said OOE.

[astralis]

DE,

A million people showed up on the streets over an extradition law. They got what they wanted a few months later. XJP caved in.

no, they didn't.

they got precisely -nothing-, past a temporary truce. how much of the "Five Demands and Not One Less" were fulfilled?

People of HK are not going to take this lying down and Beijing can't do another Tianamen.

see what DOR says.

although I suspect the CCP will be a bit more clever this time around; lots of pressure for people to emigrate, etc.

at the end of the day, the CCP and Xi have made a choice: they'd rather have HK as another Chinese city, even if it means they take the economic hit from the inevitable business flight.

[DOR]

A million people showed up on the streets over an extradition law. They got what they wanted a few months later. XJP caved in.

To me this looks like XJP trying to mount a come back, show the state is in charge.

People of HK are not going to take this lying down and Beijing can't do another Tianamen.

Something will have to give

What’s the reason “Beijing can’t do another Tiananmen”?

[Double Edge]

Particularly when PRC has an ongoing fight with the US. I am happy to see emperor Xi being myopic. We're not paying by our blood & sweat to save whatever is left of so called HK's autonomy. But I do feel for those people who were born into freedom, and now will be enslaved into a life of slavery.

A million people showed up on the streets over an extradition law. They got what they wanted a few months later. XJP caved in.

To me this looks like XJP trying to mount a come back, show the state is in charge.

People of HK are not going to take this lying down and Beijing can't do another Tianamen.

Something will have to give