Thread by @joshuawongcf

[Germany & EU members need to take stronger actions to ward off the evil law]

1/ Thank @HeikoMaas for standing with HK & protecting the city’s liberties & business interest.

2/ Under unreasonable pressure from #China after we had met last year, @HeikoMaas never backs down from protecting the democratic values and autonomy that the world and #Hongkongers cherish.

3/ The #nationalsecuritylaw creates endless uncertainty for Europe's business strategy in HK & China. As European business groups mentioned, European business community views HK as an essential business centre due to its autonomy.

4/ But the law will be the Damocles' sword over German & European companies in HK, since it will increase #Beijing’s direct intervention. The #secretpolice agency and the proposed #CCP-led China’s court will also jeopardize the existing judiciary independence & civil liberties.

5/ The law will put a grip on free flow of information & capitals, since #China’s concept of #nationalsecurity covers not only political security but also “economic, social & cultural securities” as #Xijinping said in 2017. Probably the prime targets are media & foreign capitals.

6/ In fact, #CCP did view foreign business communities, including analysts, hedge funds and short-sellers, as national security threats and issued more restrictive measures during its 2015 stock market crash. Foreign correspondents were also barred from HK in the past.

7/ Beyond any doubt, all these new institutions are just the stepping stone for further interference, but never the end. The law will damage stability since it will further intensify the existing deep divisions in HK society.

8/ Once #secretpolice agency is imposed, & once the ill-defined law is enforced, it will only spark more public outcry. To protect HK prosperity that all European companies now enjoy, Germany as influential leaders in EU, needs to take actions instead of only expressing concerns.

9/ Only through collective actions among European, US, & Asian leaders, the world can call upon China stop imposing evil law. That's the way to urge China to honour its promise in the UN-filed Joint Declaration. As the necessary steps to ward off this evil law.