Thread by @WilliamYang120

Latest: Last Friday, @samuelmchu woke up to news that he had been wanted by the #HK government under the #NSL, but instead of worrying about his own fate, he is more concerned about other #HongKongers who didn't have a choice to make under the #NSL.

medium.com/@williamyang_3…

"When I picked up the phone at 6 a.m. in the morning, I was surprised to learn that they had included me on the list with those who have just left #HK over the last few years. I knew I was an outlier because I’m a US citizen who has been in the country for 30 years."

"They also immediately knew the unique nature of the Hong Kong government targeting a US citizen on US soil, essentially accusing what I’m doing as a crime. But I’m merely exercising my constitutional right."

"I think this is just the beginning because if their accusation is I’m somehow bringing on foreign intervention in Hong Kong, they are really just doing this on themselves."

"Every time they use the national security law, especially in this way, they are going to be inviting foreign intervention because they are going after foreign citizens."

"The other thing that makes my case different is that I run a US-based organization focused on #HK and it involves US citizens and residents. I think the #HK government is definitely intending to send a message to us that 'we are going to come after you and we will target you.'"

"We anticipated that this was part of their increased aggression in trying to exert control and threats over Hong Kongers, which is why we established the HKDC in the first place."

"We anticipated that there will come a time where we would be the only organized free voice for Hong Kong. I definitely think that’s what they were thinking, but this is also what we thought about when we launched the organization."

"I feel a deeper sadness for the others because they had to make a snap decision to uproot themselves and sever their ties with their family overnight essentially."

"I was in Hong Kong when my dad was on trial last year, so this is not new for him or for my family. This is something that we have chosen and made the decision to do."

"In some way, I feel much more privileged because both my father and I have had the opportunities to choose the road that we wanted to take and the risk that comes with it. That’s probably not the case for other exiled Hong Kongers’ family members in Hong Kong."

"I think it has been very clear in my dad’s work over the years that this is something that he has taken on and a role that he chose. This is the same that I have chosen, especially this past year as we form HKDC in the US."

"Just think about all the people who didn’t get to choose and who are now living under this threat in Hong Kong. I’m more concerned about all the Hong Kongers who don’t have a choice."

"I think they are intending to send threats and I think everyone has witnessed that my dad didn’t hide from his charges. He is willing to go to jail with his colleagues for what they did."

"I think this is not going to change us, but I’m much more worried for so many Hong Kongers who don’t have that choice."

"I think since last September, instead of just holding a banner outside the Capitol Hill, we are now shaping, writing and passing legislation that directly impacts the US policy to China and Hong Kong."

"At a time when there isn’t a lot of agreement in D.C., Hong Kong has been a unicorn of policy areas, where we have bipartisan support. HKDC played a central role in the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, the Protect Hong Kong Act and the Hong Kong Autonomy Act recently."

"We were the ones behind the proposed legislation on immigration and refugees protection for Hong Kongers introduced on July 1st. We also arranged a lot of the Hong Kong leaders and voices to testify in Congress publicly."

"I think we feel that our presence and the commitment of folks who are overseas have definitely shifted the international frontline for Hong Kong and created a new paradigm of what that means."

"We are going to keep doing it and we will keep pushing the US leadership on policies dealing with China and Hong Kong. Part of what we do is to open up possibilities for other countries, including the UK and the EU, to have pathways to respond to issues related to Hong Kong."

"We build HKDC specifically for a time like this. We believe Hong Kong is a global city, and its history, fate and the way that the handover was negotiated is part of a global agreement. China solicited and insisted on global ratification of the One Country Two Systems."

"This has always been an international city and I think what has been missing in the past is real political influence and power in the different capitals to hold everyone accountable."

"I think that’s what we have and I think this is even more critical. We are now the place and people who can speak freely because we are in the US."

"We are committed to making sure that the Chinese government tries to live up to their part of the bargain and the US government lives up to its commitment. The US made a promise to the people of Hong Kong and we are going to hold up to it."

Mandarin version of the interview: dw.com/zh/%E4%B8%93%E…