[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.
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[MSG IN CUSTODY] 1. Comparing to remanded, #save12hkyouths in China deserves more of our attention. Today marks the 93rd day of their detention. Their families finally received letters from the dozen, signifying that they are still alive. #SAVE12 campaign managed pressure China.
2. But from the content of the letters, they might have been tortured until they agreed to make forced confessions, saying they had appointed lawyers assigned by the authorities, saying they regretted taking part in activism.
3. I wish to pay tributes to our fellow activists who are about to face trials and prison, or to whom in distress for not being able to return home: We're not fearless, but you are the braver ones.
1/ On June 17 last year, it was the day after 2m of freedom-seeking HKers took to the street and called for the withdrawal of the evil law. I was released for the third time in my life on that day. More than one year, I now once again face 3 cases.
2/ Never have I underestimated the chance of imprisonment at the upcoming hearing on Mon, especially at the time when lawmakers were expelled, journalists were sued for mentioning police brutality, and universities were probed in the pretext of national security claims.
3/ After consulting with lawyers, @chowtingagnes, @ivanlamviiv and I will plead guilty, which implies that Mon’s hearing will skip trials and go straight into sentencing. Compare to with 2k HKers are prosecuted and 12 HKers detained in China, the charges that I face are minimal.
1/ No doubt there is a terrible price to pay in standing up to the Beijing and HK government. But after serving a few brief jail sentences and facing the continuing threat of harassment...
2/ I learnt to cherish the freedom I have for now, and I shall devote every bit what I have to strive for the freedom of those who have been ruthlessly denied. Courtroom, visiting prisoners and battle of university remind me of the fact that the fight has not ended yet.
3/ In the coming months, I will be facing a maximum of 5 years in jail for unauthorized assembly and up to one ridiculous year for wearing a mask in protest. But prison bars would never stop me from activism and thinking critically.
1/ Behind the notion of Milk Tea Alliance, we can see gradually there’s a calling for pan-Asian solidarity “to fend off all forms of authoritarianism from China’’.
2/ While the military government in Thailand has fostered a quite good economic partnership with China, under the Belt and Road Initiatives. In return, the military government has been extremely helpful to assist Beijing to oppress dissidents outside China such as Gui Minhai.
3/ The innovative ‘Milk Tea Alliance’ is more about how netizens and key opinion leaders on social media can take a leadership role and generate pressure against the momentum of Beijing’s propaganda machine. It will enhance more students to push forward global solidarity.
1/ ‘’If we are in the new Cold War, HK is the new Berlin.’’ -- for we are now standing between the free world and the dictatorship of China. I’m not an expert in academic but perhaps the historical context would help us shed light on many similarities.
2/ First of all, during the Cold War, Berlin was the forefront of the two competing ideologies - Capitalism & Communism; ironically, at present, Hong Kong has become the wrestling ground for two ideologies-- Democratic values, liberties versus absolute dictatorship.
3/ The communist party is very eager in expanding its influence in the world and setting up satellite states through economic means. The free world is realizing its intention and preparing itself to resist its threat.
[My comment on the mass resignation of pro-democratic camp lawmakers]
1/ After Beijing stepped in and appointed the “provisional legislature” in August, it simply explains that they can't ensure a majority had the election taken place on time. All lawmakers are lack of mandate.
2/ While the authorities decided to unseat four more lawmakers, it's time for all democratic camp lawmakers to resign from this appointed legislature. Act as decorative flower vases inside the institution may just let Beijing take advantage to calm down global discontent.
3/ We wish to warn the world that now the existence of legislature never implying the existence of check and balance. Also, it's time to rise to the fact that win seats in the election and street clash are not the two only scenes in a democratic movement.