Thread by @joannachiu

The photo of me on a 2009 visit to my hometown in a Hello Kitty shirt is just for comic relief.

I wrote about why I fear my future children will never get to see the Hong Kong I love. thestar.com/opinion/2020/0… #HK #NationalSecurityLaw @TorontoStar

The fear of being considered a citizen of China is hard to explain. It feels like being surrounded on a sidewalk in Tianjin by a group of men in tracksuits, getting pushed and verbally abused, until I started speaking in English. thestar.com/opinion/2020/0… @TorontoStar #HK

Losing one’s human rights under an authoritarian regime is something that has terrified generations of Hong Kongers. It has led hundreds of thousands, including my family, to leave before the 1997 handover. But I returned to work as a journalist. thestar.com/opinion/2020/0…

After I got away from the mob who accosted me for trying to report on a trial in China, I thought, thank goodness I’m Canadian.

But my passport seemed to burn a hole in my pocket. Though it bore Canada’s coat of arms, it listed my birthplace: Hong Kong. thestar.com/opinion/2020/0…

Back then, it was clear Beijing didn't respect the rights of people from Hong Kong--even those who are citizens of Western countries.

Five Hong Kong booksellers mysteriously disappeared and ended up in Chinese jail in 2015. Two were foreigners. thestar.com/opinion/2020/0… #HK

The #NationalSecurityLaw criminalizes “secession,” “subversion” and collusion with “foreign forces”. The maximum sentence is life in jail.

The law applies to anyone regardless of nationality — including an estimated 300,000 Canadians in #HK. thestar.com/opinion/2020/0… @TorontoStar

For the days since the law was hastily introduced in China’s parliament last month, I could barely handle reading the news for more than a few minutes at a time.

I wasn’t alone. @_laujessie wrote that her bouts of anxiety had left her gasping for air. theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

Canadian Jody Chan of @alliancecanhk told me she feels like a fugitive because of the law.

Canada has an extradition treaty with Hong Kong, so Chan doesn’t feel safe in Vancouver since she has been outspoken in support of the protests in Hong Kong. thestar.com/opinion/2020/0… #HK

Last week, I got married. It was a perfect day, and my Hong Kong-based friends and relatives watched over a video stream.

I did my best to pretend everything was fine in the world and there wasn't #COVID19 or anything bad happening to the city I love. thestar.com/opinion/2020/0…

For my entire life, when I imagined what my future would be like, it involved bringing my children to frequent visits to Hong Kong to learn the language and enjoy the unique culture of the place — just as my parents had with me.

Now, I don't know. thestar.com/opinion/2020/0…

Should I teach my future children Cantonese and the pleasures of devouring dim sum and late-night meals at open-air food stalls known as dai pai dongs? Or will encouraging them to love the city only lead them down the path of similar heartbreak? thestar.com/opinion/2020/0… #HK #NSL

Here's Canada's response so far. It's really weird because my neighbours are out on patios celebrating #CanadaDay already, while many people with connections to Hong Kong are trying to process something very difficult. thestar.com/politics/feder…

Today I was sitting on my couch and feeling numb, and @keixote asked if I wanted to write something. For me, it helps to write. Thanks for reading and I hope that if you're having a tough time, you find something that helps, too. thestar.com/opinion/2020/0… #HK #NationalSecurityLaw

I wasn't excited about being on video talking about #HongKong for various reasons, but wanted to because it would be with @jwassers. If you'd like to join us tomorrow 2 pm PST/5 pm EST, register here. Hope there'll be time for open discussions/questions. pacificcouncil.org/activities/23r…

Explainer about the #NationalSecurityLaw from independent outlet @HongKongFP, which you should definitely read and follow. hongkongfp.com/2020/07/01/exp… via @elson_tong @tomgrundy

Thank you! Got married in the midst of a very intense year, but my friends and family (and now husband) are amazing, and it was truly a happy day!

https://twitter.com/jaysanw/status/1278138050791391237

Thanks @LThometAFP for being the foreign editor voice on the phone that helped me get out of a tricky situation by the way. The trial was for Chinese senior official Sun Zhengcai.

Read this thread and work by @BethanyAllenEbr too

https://twitter.com/bethanyallenebr/status/1278008352501530624?s=21

https://twitter.com/BethanyAllenEbr/status/1278008352501530624