Thread by @joshuawongcf

[HK is not like Tiananmen Square – China is a superpower now and that is worrying]

China’s international clout has made nations reluctant to speak out as they did after the massacre in 1989 – but we need the international community to stand with HK

independent.co.uk/voices/hong-ko…

1/ During the latest World Health Assembly, Australia demanded an independent inquiry on the origin of Covid-19. Wary of the repercussions that might come from going against China, the EU laid low, watering down any statement and refusing to stand by its traditional ally.

2/ However, Australia did face retaliation: Beijing adopted an 80% tariff on Australian barley exports & banned 4 of its largest abattoirs. Forewarned is forearmed. When acknowledging that new cold war might soon divide the world, lovers of democracy must face a gloomy outlook.

3/ Communist China has four times the US population, and 3.5 times that of the EU, and a significantly more vigorous economic growth. If data offers a predictor of the fate of the world, it might not be a good one for those believing in the universal principles of human rights.

4/ Last Monday, 7 former UK foreign secretaries called for their country to live up to its historical responsibility, and lead an international coalition to defend HK’s “1country2systems”. A similar framework was successfully drawn up during the Balkan Wars of the 1990s.

5/ The proposal goes in the right direction: can we dream of a “democratic league” to keep Chinese dragon at bay in HK, Taiwan, and throughout the world? All those who appreciate democracy & free speech might be keenly interested in working for this to become more than a dream.

6/ There is hope. Starting from Hong Kong, democracies around the world must come together to stand their ground. Standing with Hong Kong, the world can show that out of unity, strength is born, and out of strength, freedom can be preserved.