Thread by @joshuawongcf

[Sanction red capital, dual-used tech and white glove
companies as the way to send a warning signal to China]

1/ @Reuters and @business Bloomberg just confirmed that the US is likely to sanction China if it approves the hugely controversial bill that damages HK's autonomy.

2/ When #Beijing insists on ignoring international responses and breaching international norms and rules, it is time for China to face the grave consequences and international backlashes for its irresponsible act of scraping an UN-filed Joint Declaration.

3/ In fact, the world has already expressed concern over the evil & ill-defined #nationasecuritylaw that will kill democratisation in #HK and harm global business interest in HK. But China keeps dismissing all doubts from world leaders, business sectors and even bar associations.

4/ This law is even eviler than the extradition bill in 2019. China’s poor human rights records have already proved that it will undeniably use the law to crush HK’s civil society and dissents.

5/ For a long time, HK has been treated by Beijing as a white glove port for importing sensitive strategic commodities. Once the law is implemented, a #secretpolice agency and a #CCP-led China’s court will be imposed upon this global business centre.

6/ In worse scenario, HK will fall into Beijing’s direct rule, and de facto becomes another city of China. Hence, all special treatments granted to HK need to be subject to reconsideration. In fact, countries start to realize the changing role of HK in China’s global strategy.

7/ For example, Israel’s security officials just rejected a bid from CK Hutchison Holdings for the potential security risks of Chinese involvement in plant construction in the disguise of "Hong Kong companies”. ft.com/content/31a900…

8/ To safeguard the city’s freedoms and urge China to stop further misconduct, world leaders, not only the US, should consider sanctions on China as the only effective strategic option to send a warning signal to Beijing.

9/ The sanctions should not only be restricted to personal sanctions like travel bans and asset freezes (since China won’t really realize the severity), but also partial sanctions on pro-#CCP companies and dual-use technology.

10/ Democratic values and the virtue to respect treaties are the foundation of democracies. If China’s flagrant breach of Joint Declaration, a legally binding international treaty at the @UN, is tolerated, it will set a bad precedent to all other treaties and agreements alike.