Hong Kong II - Ragnarök

[Novus America]

The crazy thing is no one in HK knows the content of this bill, not even the CE. Tomorrow is the anniversary of the handover, people are planning to go to Victoria park to protest, they will have 4000 riot police around the ceremony and many more on duty. And no one knows the consequences of going.

It takes 'ignorance of the law is no excuse' to ridiculous levels given they haven't even published the law they just passed.

This is probably deliberate though, to scare people from protesting. This bill has one purpose, stopping people in Hong Kong from protesting or criticizing the PRC government and its local stooges like Lam.

[Bombadil]

The crazy thing is no one in HK knows the content of this bill, not even the CE. Tomorrow is the anniversary of the handover, people are planning to go to Victoria park to protest, they will have 4000 riot police around the ceremony and many more on duty. And no one knows the consequences of going.

It takes 'ignorance of the law is no excuse' to ridiculous levels given they haven't even published the law they just passed.

The is probably deliberate though, to scare people from protesting. This bill has one purpose, stopping people in Hong Kong from protesting or criticizing the PRC government and its local stooges like Lam.

It's both deliberate and symbolic, it's essentially saying just before the anniversary of the handover that this is a new handover, a complete breach of Basic Law and international treaty. HK is no longer autonomous.

Given the rumour it can be applied retroactively any of us in HK, pretty much, especially those who've been vocal and active in supporting the protests, all of us are at risk and we don't even know how.

Just as an idea of what this can imply for the more central and active protestors..

Meanwhile, speaking to RTHK, Executive Councillor Ronny Tong responded to reports that the maximum sentence for serious national security crimes would be life imprisonment or, even, being sent to mainland China for trial: “There are very, very few countries in the world who would impose a lesser punishment [than life imprisonment].

Responding to reports that defendants may be sent for trial in the mainland, Tong said he had advised that no Hong Kong defendants be subjected to the death penalty, available under the Chinese judicial system.

“I don’t know whether that opinion would be taken on board or not. But my understanding is that in the very rare situation where the Hong Kong courts and the SAR government cannot deal with the offences involved, then the criminal court in the mainland would apply. That means that you know the matter will be tried according to the criminal law on the mainland… That would involve death sentences.”

..and..

Beijing loyalist Tam Yiu-chung – Hong Kong’s sole delegate to the committee – told reporters on Saturday that he would relay calls for the law to be retroactive but would not pass on any calls to scrap the legislation.

[Tuthina]

I'm just feeling so scared and angry and depressed right now. I was hoping something like this wouldn't ever happen, and so soon and so suddenly. How the hell am I supposed to even move back now? I've deleted and purged my social media profiles of anything even remotely political even if they have nothing to do with China or HK. Even pro-LGBT virtue-signaling is off the books now.

What will happen to me or my relatives in HK if relations between China and Malaysia ever turn sour? Will HK Immigration temporarily confiscate my electronic devices just to secretly install spyware on them? Will I or anyone I care about be disappeared for something we posted or tweeted 10-15 years ago? Will I have to uninstall certain apps deemed to be subversive? What will become of Wikipedia, Google, YT, FB, Twitter, NationStates, RTHK, BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera, Sky News, and other foreign MSM and social media outlets? Will gaming time be restricted and will a social credit system be implemented in an attempt to kill off the yellow economy and restrict freedom of movement and the freedom to work and not starve to death for failing to worship Xi (pbuh) five times a day in funny, northern-accented, textbook Mandarin? Will I be investigated just for logging into NS and typing this? Will I be required to regularly and verbally praise the Dear Leader and install Xi Jinping Thought on my phone? Will the Fire Department deliberately permit the homes of known dissidents and their occupants to burn (or be burned) to the ground without so much as pouring a single drop to douse the flames?

My entire way of life is under attack. I'm just so terrified right now.

I'm sorry to hear that, and hope that you'll be safe. Well, everyone in Hong Kong, really, since we're going full throttle into unknown and probably treacherous waters. One thing to remember, though, is that if your electronic devices are ever confiscated by police or government agents, assume it is bugged. That's why you should have older "clean" phones for that purpose, and then trade it out (preferably to the maker to prevent accidentally trapping second-hand buyers) if you did get caught and had it confiscated. In addition to that, using VPN should help protect you a bit while being online.

[New Bremerton]

I'm just feeling so scared and angry and depressed right now. I was hoping something like this wouldn't ever happen, and so soon and so suddenly. How the hell am I supposed to even move back now? I've deleted and purged my social media profiles of anything even remotely political even if they have nothing to do with China or HK. Even pro-LGBT virtue-signaling is off the books now.

What will happen to me or my relatives in HK if relations between China and Malaysia ever turn sour? Will HK Immigration temporarily confiscate my electronic devices just to secretly install spyware on them? Will I or anyone I care about be disappeared for something we posted or tweeted 10-15 years ago? Will I have to uninstall certain apps deemed to be subversive? What will become of Wikipedia, Google, YT, FB, Twitter, NationStates, RTHK, BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera, Sky News, and other foreign MSM and social media outlets? Will gaming time be restricted and will a social credit system be implemented in an attempt to kill off the yellow economy and restrict freedom of movement and the freedom to work and not starve to death for failing to worship Xi (pbuh) five times a day in funny, northern-accented, textbook Mandarin? Will I be investigated just for logging into NS and typing this? Will I be required to regularly and verbally praise the Dear Leader and install Xi Jinping Thought on my phone? Will the Fire Department deliberately permit the homes of known dissidents and their occupants to burn (or be burned) to the ground without so much as pouring a single drop to douse the flames?

My entire way of life is under attack. I'm just so terrified right now.

Is it possible for you to stay outside of Hong Kong?

I'm more concerned about what might happen to any of us if we merely visit HK for a couple of weeks. I still have my HKID, but being a foreigner and living "abroad" in Malaysia really helps. I also have at least one relative who still lives and works in HK. I fear for his safety and those of countless other HKers who have been so casually outspoken all these years, including those who have spoken out prior to 1997. That means most HK people AND businesses, including ostensibly pro-Beijing businesses and politicians, could potentially be in violation of the new law.

In fact, never mind being outspoken. Just this Sunday, a father who was out shopping with his family was forcibly separated from his tear-stricken son and arrested during an anti-protest operation at Nathan Road. Casually walking in the street is now a crime, as it already is in Beijing.

[New Bremerton]

Hospital union hands out ‘resistance’ pins to back phlebotomist facing police complaint

The statutory Hospital Authority and the Red Cross apologized for the incident, and the authority promised to look into it.

In case you didn't catch it the first time, the Hospital Authority apologized TO THE POLICE, NOT THE PHLEBOTOMIST. Who's the fucking victim here?



Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow, and Nathan Law have announced that they are quitting Demosisto. Wong has vowed to remain in HK do or die.

In response to this despicable law, the United States is officially revoking HK's special status.

End of Hong Kong’s special status, US declares prior security law approval

The United States began on Monday eliminating Hong Kong’s special trade status and halting the export of sensitive military equipment and technology to the territory, hours prior to China’s enforcement of national security law on the battered international financial hub.

“The United States will today end exports of US-origin defense equipment and will take steps toward imposing the same restrictions on US defense and dual-use technologies to Hong Kong as it does for China,” Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said in the statement, citing China’s imposition of the national security law as the reason for the move.

“We can no longer distinguish between the export of controlled items to Hong Kong or to mainland China. We cannot risk these items falling into the hands of the People’s Liberation Army, whose primary purpose is to uphold the dictatorship of the CCP by any means necessary,” he wrote.

“Our actions target the regime, not the Chinese people. But given Beijing now treats Hong Kong as ‘One Country, One System,’ so must we,” Pompeo also warned of additional measures to come.

US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced in a separate statement on Monday that the States was suspending “preferential treatment to Hong Kong over China, including the availability of export license exceptions.” Further actions are being evaluated, he added.

“Xi Jinping and his Communist thugs must face severe consequences for crushing Hong Kong's freedoms. The administration should consider all options to deny Beijing the benefits of Hong Kong's special financial & economic status,” US senator Tom Cotton wrote on Twitter.

In response, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam estimated the sanctions would only cause some “inconveniences”, despite not knowing the details yet. Relevant industries could find replacements from other parts of the world and Hong Kong’s goal as an innovation hub would not be seriously affected, she stressed.

“Any action on sanctions will not scare us,” said Lam, adding that her administration would fully cooperate if Beijing enacted countermeasures.

Speaking during a radio interview, information technology lawmaker Charles Mok said research institutions and high-end equipment would be most affected by the restrictions. It would not affect the sale of computers and mobile phones, even the cost might rise, he added.

The technology sector’s biggest worry was how the restrictions would affect communication and encryption technology, said Keith Li, vice head of the Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association.

A ban on direct import of technical parts such as routers and phones would affect consumer products involving the said technology, which would then leave Hong Kong with no choice but to source replacements from China, he told Commercial Radio. The sanctions might not directly affect the Hong Kong government and local corporations, but would have a huge impact on Huawei, the Chinese tech giant that supplies equipment to them, he added.

It's as if the CCP deliberately chose Jun. 30th to promulgate the National Security Law as if to say, "We fucking dare you to go ahead and demonstrate tomorrow. See what happens to all of you then. *flashes middle finger at HK*". They purposely chose this date just to rub salt into an already gaping wound and drive us all batshit insane. We need to be constantly reminded of who's in charge, and this means passersby will be arrested FOR BEING AT THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME with ZERO accountability whatsoever.

The only consolation, at least for those of us who are able to flee, is that while China seizes complete control of HK, Xi Jinping's wanton aggression abroad will hopefully prove to be his undoing. India has already responded to China's aggression along the Himalayas by banning TikTok, WeChat, and other Chinese apps. I urge anyone who currently uses TikTok and WeChat to do likewise, both as an act of protest as well as for their own safety and security.

I'm just feeling so scared and angry and depressed right now. I was hoping something like this wouldn't ever happen, and so soon and so suddenly. How the hell am I supposed to even move back now? I've deleted and purged my social media profiles of anything even remotely political even if they have nothing to do with China or HK. Even pro-LGBT virtue-signaling is off the books now.

What will happen to me or my relatives in HK if relations between China and Malaysia ever turn sour? Will HK Immigration temporarily confiscate my electronic devices just to secretly install spyware on them? Will I or anyone I care about be disappeared for something we posted or tweeted 10-15 years ago? Will I have to uninstall certain apps deemed to be subversive? What will become of Wikipedia, Google, YT, FB, Twitter, NationStates, RTHK, BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera, Sky News, and other foreign MSM and social media outlets? Will gaming time be restricted and will a social credit system be implemented in an attempt to kill off the yellow economy and restrict freedom of movement and the freedom to work and not starve to death for failing to worship Xi (pbuh) five times a day in funny, northern-accented, textbook Mandarin? Will I be investigated just for logging into NS and typing this? Will I be required to regularly and verbally praise the Dear Leader and install Xi Jinping Thought on my phone? Will the Fire Department deliberately permit the homes of known dissidents and their occupants to burn (or be burned) to the ground without so much as pouring a single drop to douse the flames?

My entire way of life is under attack. I'm just so terrified right now.

I'm sorry to hear that, and hope that you'll be safe. Well, everyone in Hong Kong, really, since we're going full throttle into unknown and probably treacherous waters. One thing to remember, though, is that if your electronic devices are ever confiscated by police or government agents, assume it is bugged. That's why you should have older "clean" phones for that purpose, and then trade it out (preferably to the maker to prevent accidentally trapping second-hand buyers) if you did get caught and had it confiscated. In addition to that, using VPN should help protect you a bit while being online.

I happen to have an old, unreliable, second-hand, Chinese phone that I was hoping I would never have to use again. I should probably leave my laptop behind, although I still have a bank account in HK with some HK money in it, so I don't know if that's even possible. It would be a real pain not to be able to log in to FB, Twitter, NationStates, or any of my accounts, or access BBC, Wikipedia, or other foreign webpages for several weeks at a time. It's going to be just like visiting Shanghai now. That's how stifling and unnatural everything feels.

[Bombadil]

Hospital union hands out ‘resistance’ pins to back phlebotomist facing police complaint

The statutory Hospital Authority and the Red Cross apologized for the incident, and the authority promised to look into it.

In case you didn't catch it the first time, the Hospital Authority apologized TO THE POLICE, NOT THE PHLEBOTOMIST. Who's the fucking victim here?



Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow, and Nathan Law have announced that they are quitting Demosisto. Wong has vowed to remain in HK do or die.

In response to this despicable law, the United States is officially revoking HK's special status.

End of Hong Kong’s special status, US declares prior security law approval

The United States began on Monday eliminating Hong Kong’s special trade status and halting the export of sensitive military equipment and technology to the territory, hours prior to China’s enforcement of national security law on the battered international financial hub.

“The United States will today end exports of US-origin defense equipment and will take steps toward imposing the same restrictions on US defense and dual-use technologies to Hong Kong as it does for China,” Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said in the statement, citing China’s imposition of the national security law as the reason for the move.

“We can no longer distinguish between the export of controlled items to Hong Kong or to mainland China. We cannot risk these items falling into the hands of the People’s Liberation Army, whose primary purpose is to uphold the dictatorship of the CCP by any means necessary,” he wrote.

“Our actions target the regime, not the Chinese people. But given Beijing now treats Hong Kong as ‘One Country, One System,’ so must we,” Pompeo also warned of additional measures to come.

US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced in a separate statement on Monday that the States was suspending “preferential treatment to Hong Kong over China, including the availability of export license exceptions.” Further actions are being evaluated, he added.

“Xi Jinping and his Communist thugs must face severe consequences for crushing Hong Kong's freedoms. The administration should consider all options to deny Beijing the benefits of Hong Kong's special financial & economic status,” US senator Tom Cotton wrote on Twitter.

In response, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam estimated the sanctions would only cause some “inconveniences”, despite not knowing the details yet. Relevant industries could find replacements from other parts of the world and Hong Kong’s goal as an innovation hub would not be seriously affected, she stressed.

“Any action on sanctions will not scare us,” said Lam, adding that her administration would fully cooperate if Beijing enacted countermeasures.

Speaking during a radio interview, information technology lawmaker Charles Mok said research institutions and high-end equipment would be most affected by the restrictions. It would not affect the sale of computers and mobile phones, even the cost might rise, he added.

The technology sector’s biggest worry was how the restrictions would affect communication and encryption technology, said Keith Li, vice head of the Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association.

A ban on direct import of technical parts such as routers and phones would affect consumer products involving the said technology, which would then leave Hong Kong with no choice but to source replacements from China, he told Commercial Radio. The sanctions might not directly affect the Hong Kong government and local corporations, but would have a huge impact on Huawei, the Chinese tech giant that supplies equipment to them, he added.

It's as if the CCP deliberately chose Jun. 30th to promulgate the National Security Law as if to say, "We fucking dare you to go ahead and demonstrate tomorrow. See what happens to all of you then. *flashes middle finger at HK*". They purposely chose this date just to rub salt into an already gaping wound and drive us all batshit insane. We need to be constantly reminded of who's in charge, and this means passersby will be arrested FOR BEING AT THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME with ZERO accountability whatsoever.

The only consolation, at least for those of us who are able to flee, is that while China seizes complete control of HK, Xi Jinping's wanton aggression abroad will hopefully prove to be his undoing. India has already responded to China's aggression along the Himalayas by banning TikTok, WeChat, and other Chinese apps. I urge anyone who currently uses TikTok and WeChat to do likewise, both as an act of protest as well as for their own safety and security.

I'm sorry to hear that, and hope that you'll be safe. Well, everyone in Hong Kong, really, since we're going full throttle into unknown and probably treacherous waters. One thing to remember, though, is that if your electronic devices are ever confiscated by police or government agents, assume it is bugged. That's why you should have older "clean" phones for that purpose, and then trade it out (preferably to the maker to prevent accidentally trapping second-hand buyers) if you did get caught and had it confiscated. In addition to that, using VPN should help protect you a bit while being online.

I happen to have an old, unreliable, second-hand, Chinese phone that I was hoping I would never have to use again. I should probably leave my laptop behind, although I still have a bank account in HK with some HK money in it, so I don't know if that's even possible. It would be a real pain not to be able to log in to FB, Twitter, NationStates, or any of my accounts, or access BBC, Wikipedia, or other foreign webpages for several weeks at a time. It's going to be just like visiting Shanghai now. That's how stifling and unnatural everything feels.

For the moment I think you'll be ok, despite the distress it causes, they'll be going after the key players first to send a clear message and then they're already screwing with every institution and business to shut everyone up.

Having said that I guess we all have to be aware that we're subject to stop and search and I imagine they'll take a few people just to make the message clear.

Visitors should be ok, they're spending millions on pretending HK is an ok place to do business and visit so simply enter on your Malaysian passport and not your HKID.

[Novus America]

The is probably deliberate though, to scare people from protesting. This bill has one purpose, stopping people in Hong Kong from protesting or criticizing the PRC government and its local stooges like Lam.

It's both deliberate and symbolic, it's essentially saying just before the anniversary of the handover that this is a new handover, a complete breach of Basic Law and international treaty. HK is no longer autonomous.

Given the rumour it can be applied retroactively any of us in HK, pretty much, especially those who've been vocal and active in supporting the protests, all of us are at risk and we don't even know how.

Just as an idea of what this can imply for the more central and active protestors..

Meanwhile, speaking to RTHK, Executive Councillor Ronny Tong responded to reports that the maximum sentence for serious national security crimes would be life imprisonment or, even, being sent to mainland China for trial: “There are very, very few countries in the world who would impose a lesser punishment [than life imprisonment].

Responding to reports that defendants may be sent for trial in the mainland, Tong said he had advised that no Hong Kong defendants be subjected to the death penalty, available under the Chinese judicial system.

“I don’t know whether that opinion would be taken on board or not. But my understanding is that in the very rare situation where the Hong Kong courts and the SAR government cannot deal with the offences involved, then the criminal court in the mainland would apply. That means that you know the matter will be tried according to the criminal law on the mainland… That would involve death sentences.”

..and..

Beijing loyalist Tam Yiu-chung – Hong Kong’s sole delegate to the committee – told reporters on Saturday that he would relay calls for the law to be retroactive but would not pass on any calls to scrap the legislation.

I love the “any country would do the same” BS despite many countries explicitly banning retroactive laws and allowing advocating for secession, criticizing the national anthem, singing an alternative one if you want, protesting the government etc.
And not allowing people to prosecuted under a law that is not published.

This law would be blatantly illegal under many constitutions, (including the US one) even ignoring the special circumstances of the Sino-British Joint Declaration (which the PRC took a massive shit on as it does with all international treaties).

[Tuthina]

It's both deliberate and symbolic, it's essentially saying just before the anniversary of the handover that this is a new handover, a complete breach of Basic Law and international treaty. HK is no longer autonomous.

Given the rumour it can be applied retroactively any of us in HK, pretty much, especially those who've been vocal and active in supporting the protests, all of us are at risk and we don't even know how.

Just as an idea of what this can imply for the more central and active protestors..

Meanwhile, speaking to RTHK, Executive Councillor Ronny Tong responded to reports that the maximum sentence for serious national security crimes would be life imprisonment or, even, being sent to mainland China for trial: “There are very, very few countries in the world who would impose a lesser punishment [than life imprisonment].

Responding to reports that defendants may be sent for trial in the mainland, Tong said he had advised that no Hong Kong defendants be subjected to the death penalty, available under the Chinese judicial system.

“I don’t know whether that opinion would be taken on board or not. But my understanding is that in the very rare situation where the Hong Kong courts and the SAR government cannot deal with the offences involved, then the criminal court in the mainland would apply. That means that you know the matter will be tried according to the criminal law on the mainland… That would involve death sentences.”

..and..

Beijing loyalist Tam Yiu-chung – Hong Kong’s sole delegate to the committee – told reporters on Saturday that he would relay calls for the law to be retroactive but would not pass on any calls to scrap the legislation.

I love the “any country would do the same” BS despite many countries explicitly banning retroactive laws and allowing advocating for secession, criticizing the national anthem, singing an alternative one if you want, protesting the government etc.
And not allowing people to prosecuted under a law that is not published.

This law would be blatantly illegal under many constitutions, (including the US one) even ignoring the special circumstances of the Sino-British Joint Declaration (which the PRC took a massive shit on as it does with all international treaties).

Well, that and the fact that unlike most other countries, PRC has a long history of accusing human rights activists of sedition even if what they were advocating had nothing to do with sovereignty, ranging from political reforms to things like investigating crappy buildings, toxic milk and so forth.

[New Bremerton]

Hospital union hands out ‘resistance’ pins to back phlebotomist facing police complaint



In case you didn't catch it the first time, the Hospital Authority apologized TO THE POLICE, NOT THE PHLEBOTOMIST. Who's the fucking victim here?



Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow, and Nathan Law have announced that they are quitting Demosisto. Wong has vowed to remain in HK do or die.

In response to this despicable law, the United States is officially revoking HK's special status.

It's as if the CCP deliberately chose Jun. 30th to promulgate the National Security Law as if to say, "We fucking dare you to go ahead and demonstrate tomorrow. See what happens to all of you then. *flashes middle finger at HK*". They purposely chose this date just to rub salt into an already gaping wound and drive us all batshit insane. We need to be constantly reminded of who's in charge, and this means passersby will be arrested FOR BEING AT THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME with ZERO accountability whatsoever.

The only consolation, at least for those of us who are able to flee, is that while China seizes complete control of HK, Xi Jinping's wanton aggression abroad will hopefully prove to be his undoing. India has already responded to China's aggression along the Himalayas by banning TikTok, WeChat, and other Chinese apps. I urge anyone who currently uses TikTok and WeChat to do likewise, both as an act of protest as well as for their own safety and security.



I happen to have an old, unreliable, second-hand, Chinese phone that I was hoping I would never have to use again. I should probably leave my laptop behind, although I still have a bank account in HK with some HK money in it, so I don't know if that's even possible. It would be a real pain not to be able to log in to FB, Twitter, NationStates, or any of my accounts, or access BBC, Wikipedia, or other foreign webpages for several weeks at a time. It's going to be just like visiting Shanghai now. That's how stifling and unnatural everything feels.

For the moment I think you'll be ok, despite the distress it causes, they'll be going after the key players first to send a clear message and then they're already screwing with every institution and business to shut everyone up.

Having said that I guess we all have to be aware that we're subject to stop and search and I imagine they'll take a few people just to make the message clear.

Visitors should be ok, they're spending millions on pretending HK is an ok place to do business and visit so simply enter on your Malaysian passport and not your HKID.

Gotta renew my HKID at least once every three years though. If I keep entering on my passport, I could stand to lose my permanent right of abode. I'm not sure I'm totally ready to give up HK entirely. I'm also ethnically Chinese. In the eyes of Beijing, that means I'm no different than the locals and they intend to impose their notion of Chinese identity onto me or I'm a traitor to the Han people. As a kid growing up, I always wondered why the locals would address me in Cantonese, then known as "Chinese" prior to the Handover, instead of English, just because I look exactly like them. I always thought of myself as a half-Malaysian, half-Chinese, but the dominant Chinese genes suppressed the recessive Malay alleles and gave me an outwardly Chinese phenotype, save for the gene coding for language and accent, causing me to stumble and struggle with Chinese to this very day.

I mentioned online banking earlier. The HK government is giving away HK$10,000.00 free to all eligible residents, which I've already registered for. Take the money, and then flip them the bird anyway. The problem is what's going to happen to these banks if they fail to adequately toe the line? More specifically, what's going to happen to our HK bank accounts and the capital stored therein? How am I going to move that money out of HK and convert it to a different currency, e.g. Malaysian ringgit?

[Bombadil]

For the moment I think you'll be ok, despite the distress it causes, they'll be going after the key players first to send a clear message and then they're already screwing with every institution and business to shut everyone up.

Having said that I guess we all have to be aware that we're subject to stop and search and I imagine they'll take a few people just to make the message clear.

Visitors should be ok, they're spending millions on pretending HK is an ok place to do business and visit so simply enter on your Malaysian passport and not your HKID.

Gotta renew my HKID at least once every three years though. If I keep entering on my passport, I could stand to lose my permanent right of abode. I'm not sure I'm totally ready to give up HK entirely. I'm also ethnically Chinese. In the eyes of Beijing, that means I'm no different than the locals and they intend to impose their notion of Chinese identity onto me or I'm a traitor to the Han people. As a kid growing up, I always wondered why the locals would address me in Cantonese, then known as "Chinese" prior to the Handover, instead of English, just because I look exactly like them. I always thought of myself as a half-Malaysian, half-Chinese, but the dominant Chinese genes suppressed the recessive Malay alleles and gave me an outwardly Chinese phenotype, save for the gene coding for language and accent, causing me to stumble and struggle with Chinese to this very day.

I mentioned online banking earlier. The HK government is giving away HK$10,000.00 free to all eligible residents, which I've already registered for. Take the money, and then flip them the bird anyway. The problem is what's going to happen to these banks if they fail to adequately toe the line? More specifically, what's going to happen to our HK bank accounts and the capital stored therein? How am I going to move that money out of HK and convert it to a different currency, e.g. Malaysian ringgit?

I mean.. I don't know - here: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... curity-law

Living here now it's.. I don't know.. I don't know what tomorrow will bring, there's just a sense that Beijing will stomp on everything like a kid on ants.. and.. at best we can try keep international spotlight on the issue but the real damage is done, people are censored, protest is banned.. it's a sense of helplessness in the face of a power we can't do anything against?

I flit between thinking to just run away, to stay and try to keep raising attention, to be angry, to be resigned..

It will always just be incremental, nothing so outrageous as to cross a line, just slowly turning up the temperature and boiling everything down.

Life will still seem normal, it's a bridge being rebuilt as traffic still crosses and no one realises it's an entirely new bridge.

I still feel this is a unique case of a first world, free and educated people being subjugated into a regressive authoritarian state and that the world needs to make a serious stand over this, alas they're all distracted.

Anyhoo..

[Novus America]

Is it possible for you to stay outside of Hong Kong?

I'm more concerned about what might happen to any of us if we merely visit HK for a couple of weeks. I still have my HKID, but being a foreigner and living "abroad" in Malaysia really helps. I also have at least one relative who still lives and works in HK. I fear for his safety and those of countless other HKers who have been so casually outspoken all these years, including those who have spoken out prior to 1997. That means most HK people AND businesses, including ostensibly pro-Beijing businesses and politicians, could potentially be in violation of the new law.

In fact, never mind being outspoken. Just this Sunday, a father who was out shopping with his family was forcibly separated from his tear-stricken son and arrested during an anti-protest operation at Nathan Road. Casually walking in the street is now a crime, as it already is in Beijing.

This is a classic authoritarian technique. Make everyone a criminal, then use selective prosecution to target anyone you want. If everyone is a criminal, you can arrest anyone you want, any time you want. Thus leaving everyone living in fear, even if you only actually arrest a few.
Although you cannot realistically arrest everyone, and will not, the fact that anyone COULD be arrested for it, regardless makes everyone afraid.

Because everyone is at risk, everyone will be afraid to speak out, which is of course the point. Fear for the sake of fear. Power for the sake of power.
"Now I will tell you the answer to my question. It is this. The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power, pure power. What pure power means you will understand presently. We are different from the oligarchies of the past in that we know what we are doing. All the others, even those who resembled ourselves, were cowards and hypocrites. The German Nazis and the Russian Communists came very close to us in their methods, but they never had the courage to recognize their own motives. They pretended, perhaps they even believed, that they had seized power unwillingly and for a limited time, and that just around the corner there lay a paradise where human beings would be free and equal. We are not like that. We know what no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now you begin to understand me."

George Orwell, 1984

[Novus America]

Gotta renew my HKID at least once every three years though. If I keep entering on my passport, I could stand to lose my permanent right of abode. I'm not sure I'm totally ready to give up HK entirely. I'm also ethnically Chinese. In the eyes of Beijing, that means I'm no different than the locals and they intend to impose their notion of Chinese identity onto me or I'm a traitor to the Han people. As a kid growing up, I always wondered why the locals would address me in Cantonese, then known as "Chinese" prior to the Handover, instead of English, just because I look exactly like them. I always thought of myself as a half-Malaysian, half-Chinese, but the dominant Chinese genes suppressed the recessive Malay alleles and gave me an outwardly Chinese phenotype, save for the gene coding for language and accent, causing me to stumble and struggle with Chinese to this very day.

I mentioned online banking earlier. The HK government is giving away HK$10,000.00 free to all eligible residents, which I've already registered for. Take the money, and then flip them the bird anyway. The problem is what's going to happen to these banks if they fail to adequately toe the line? More specifically, what's going to happen to our HK bank accounts and the capital stored therein? How am I going to move that money out of HK and convert it to a different currency, e.g. Malaysian ringgit?

I mean.. I don't know - here: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... curity-law

Living here now it's.. I don't know.. I don't know what tomorrow will bring, there's just a sense that Beijing will stomp on everything like a kid on ants.. and.. at best we can try keep international spotlight on the issue but the real damage is done, people are censored, protest is banned.. it's a sense of helplessness in the face of a power we can't do anything against?

I flit between thinking to just run away, to stay and try to keep raising attention, to be angry, to be resigned..

It will always just be incremental, nothing so outrageous as to cross a line, just slowly turning up the temperature and boiling everything down.

Life will still seem normal, it's a bridge being rebuilt as traffic still crosses and no one realises it's an entirely new bridge.

I still feel this is a unique case of a first world, free and educated people being subjugated into a regressive authoritarian state and that the world needs to make a serious stand over this, alas they're all distracted.

Anyhoo..

"Power is inflicting pain and humiliation.
Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together in new shapes of our own choosing."
George Orwell, 1984 again.

It was meant as a cautionary tale, but the PRC seems to view it as a how to guide.

[The New California Republic]

Remember that if things continue to get worse then the British passport option is still there for many people. Of course it's not a solution to the shit that the Party is dishing out on HK, but it's a means of escape if people need to get out.

[The New California Republic]

People in Hong Kong could face life in jail for breaking a controversial and sweeping new security law imposed by China.

Under the national security law, many of the acts of protest that have rocked Hong Kong over the past year could now be classed as subversion or secession… and punished with up to life in prison.

Fearing repercussions, political activists are resigning their posts and one pro-democracy protester, who asked to remain anonymous, told me that ordinary people are now deleting posts on social media.

Many people are just stopping talking about politics, and stopping talking about freedom and democracy because they want to save their own lives. They want to save their freedom and avoid being arrested.

One contact of mine, a lawyer and human rights activist, sent me a message shortly after the law was passed. Please delete everything on this chat, he wrote.

• Inciting hatred of China's central government and Hong Kong's regional government are now offences under Article 29.
  
• Beijing will establish a new security office in Hong Kong, with its own law enforcement personnel - neither of which would come under the local authority's jurisdiction.
  
• Hong Kong's chief executive can appoint judges in national security cases, and the justice secretary can decide whether or not there is a jury.
  
• Decisions made by the national security commission, set up by local authorities, cannot be challenged legally.
  
• China also says it will take over prosecution in cases which are considered "very serious", while some trials will be heard behind closed doors.
  
• Management of foreign non-governmental organisations and news agencies will be strengthened.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-53238004

Democracy, free speech, and rule of law are now dead in Hong Kong.

[Bombadil]

People in Hong Kong could face life in jail for breaking a controversial and sweeping new security law imposed by China.

Under the national security law, many of the acts of protest that have rocked Hong Kong over the past year could now be classed as subversion or secession… and punished with up to life in prison.

Fearing repercussions, political activists are resigning their posts and one pro-democracy protester, who asked to remain anonymous, told me that ordinary people are now deleting posts on social media.

Many people are just stopping talking about politics, and stopping talking about freedom and democracy because they want to save their own lives. They want to save their freedom and avoid being arrested.

One contact of mine, a lawyer and human rights activist, sent me a message shortly after the law was passed. Please delete everything on this chat, he wrote.

• Inciting hatred of China's central government and Hong Kong's regional government are now offences under Article 29.
  
• Beijing will establish a new security office in Hong Kong, with its own law enforcement personnel - neither of which would come under the local authority's jurisdiction.
  
• Hong Kong's chief executive can appoint judges in national security cases, and the justice secretary can decide whether or not there is a jury.
  
• Decisions made by the national security commission, set up by local authorities, cannot be challenged legally.
  
• China also says it will take over prosecution in cases which are considered "very serious", while some trials will be heard behind closed doors.
  
• Management of foreign non-governmental organisations and news agencies will be strengthened.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-53238004

Democracy, free speech, and rule of law are now dead in Hong Kong.

Not only that but..

Beijing setting up a national security agency in Hong Kong to “guide” the implementation of the law. Mainland officers will be given immunity from local law.

..and..

Hong Kong police being allowed to take “various measures” to investigate national security crimes, including intercepting communications, covert surveillance, and requesting information from service providers and from overseas political organisations and authorities.

Today's the anniversary of the handover, a dark dark day indeed.

[Nevertopia]

#HongKongisoverparty2020

its done. Democratic parties in HK are dissolving or leaving the country.

[New Rogernomics]

Xi played the US, EU, and UK and won, as he correctly calculated they would be paper tigers over this.

Despite all Trump's posturing and threats on revoking special trade status, all he has done is make a few bans on weapons they were already doing more permanent, and restrict some more sensitive trades of technology, all which amount to just a few million, out of billions of US-Hong Kong trade.

And a link to what I am talking about: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa- ... SKBN2402VY

Last year, the State Department approved approximately $2.4 million worth of controlled defense articles and services to Hong Kong government authorities, of which approximately $1.4 million worth was shipped.

And why Trump's rhetoric has no teeth:

The territory is a major destination for U.S. legal and accounting services. In 2018 the largest U.S. bilateral trade-in-goods surplus was with Hong Kong at $31.1 billion.

Essentially, Trump has sent an angry letter, as has the EU, and Boris Johnson per usual is as quiet as a pin drop.

Though, the major argument over HK is human rights and democracy, which are two issues that Trump has made clear he doesn't care about, if it might hurt his China trade deal.

[Bombadil]

It all rather reminds me of the League of Nations in 1931.

[Nevertopia]

Xi played the US, EU, and UK and won, as he correctly calculated they would be paper tigers over this.

Despite all Trump's posturing and threats on revoking special trade status, all he has done is make a few bans on weapons they were already doing more permanent, and restrict some more sensitive trades of technology, all which amount to just a few million, out of billions of US-Hong Kong trade.

And a link to what I am talking about: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa- ... SKBN2402VY

Last year, the State Department approved approximately $2.4 million worth of controlled defense articles and services to Hong Kong government authorities, of which approximately $1.4 million worth was shipped.

And why Trump's rhetoric has no teeth:

The territory is a major destination for U.S. legal and accounting services. In 2018 the largest U.S. bilateral trade-in-goods surplus was with Hong Kong at $31.1 billion.

Essentially, Trump has sent an angry letter, as has the EU, and Boris Johnson per usual is as quiet as a pin drop.

Though, the major argument over HK is human rights and democracy, which are two issues that Trump has made clear he doesn't care about, if it might hurt his China trade deal.

what do you think the best timeline wouldve been to preserve HK? Obviously US leading the charge on placing economic sanctions on China but would that really have helped by itself?

[New Rogernomics]

[...]what do you think the best timeline wouldve been to preserve HK? Obviously US leading the charge on placing economic sanctions on China but would that really have helped by itself?

Realistically, they'd have had to do a deal back in the 90s that wasn't just a sleazy way out for Thatcher to rake in China's cash, at the expense of human rights and democracy in HK. The agreement was basically a whole bunch of promises with no enforcement mechanisms, and no way for China to be held accountable if they breached the agreement. That's sort of why China signed it, as they knew at a later date they could just renege, as it wasn't like the UK could just take it back. Thatcher admin either believed China's promises, or more likely didn't care with all the prospects of China trade cash clouding their eyes.

At this point, it is kind of expecting something now that horse has bolted and a much more hostile Chinese administration to the west is in charge.

Right now, the US can do nothing,and look like a paper tiger that rages against China and demands "better deals", and doesn't really value human rights and democracy.

Certainly, Trump has all but abandoned moral authority on HK by making it an issue of trade disadvantage, and being dead silent on the west's key or sole argument on HK aka that China is tossing out the agreement, shutting down any semblance of a free society in HK, and pretending like the agreement they signed was just an advisory with no legal basis.

What the US should have done, alongside the UK, and EU was publicly criticize and make clear they'd impose sanctions on HK officials and companies doing business with those guilty of human rights violations, and follow through immediately. Congress did actually give the President the power to do this, but Trump has consistently refused to use any of this authority, arguing it would hurt trade negotiations.

As a result, the EU, and much of the world, doesn't view US claims on HK to be honest, but more as part of Trump's trade policy of "America First" trade dominance. So it doesn't surprise me one bit that they are doing less than the US is, in response, as Trump gave a win to Xi by cutting human rights and democracy right out of the dispute, and leaving it to his functionaries like Pompeo to spout claims that it is about democracy and human rights while Trump disputes it all the next day on Twitter.

Edit: I'd say what is worse for Trump, is that Bolton is spelling this out in his book.

[The Free Joy State]

It's both deliberate and symbolic, it's essentially saying just before the anniversary of the handover that this is a new handover, a complete breach of Basic Law and international treaty. HK is no longer autonomous.

Given the rumour it can be applied retroactively any of us in HK, pretty much, especially those who've been vocal and active in supporting the protests, all of us are at risk and we don't even know how.

Just as an idea of what this can imply for the more central and active protestors..

Meanwhile, speaking to RTHK, Executive Councillor Ronny Tong responded to reports that the maximum sentence for serious national security crimes would be life imprisonment or, even, being sent to mainland China for trial: “There are very, very few countries in the world who would impose a lesser punishment [than life imprisonment].

Responding to reports that defendants may be sent for trial in the mainland, Tong said he had advised that no Hong Kong defendants be subjected to the death penalty, available under the Chinese judicial system.

“I don’t know whether that opinion would be taken on board or not. But my understanding is that in the very rare situation where the Hong Kong courts and the SAR government cannot deal with the offences involved, then the criminal court in the mainland would apply. That means that you know the matter will be tried according to the criminal law on the mainland… That would involve death sentences.”

..and..

Beijing loyalist Tam Yiu-chung – Hong Kong’s sole delegate to the committee – told reporters on Saturday that he would relay calls for the law to be retroactive but would not pass on any calls to scrap the legislation.

I love the “any country would do the same” BS despite many countries explicitly banning retroactive laws and allowing advocating for secession, criticizing the national anthem, singing an alternative one if you want, protesting the government etc.
And not allowing people to prosecuted under a law that is not published.

This law would be blatantly illegal under many constitutions, (including the US one) even ignoring the special circumstances of the Sino-British Joint Declaration (which the PRC took a massive shit on as it does with all international treaties).

Yes, I saw that speech by Carrie Lam and her "any country would do the same" BS.

Poor Hong Kong: democracy, free speech, rule of law, privacy all died with "two country, two systems" -- and on the most significant day possible.

[Bombadil]

I love the “any country would do the same” BS despite many countries explicitly banning retroactive laws and allowing advocating for secession, criticizing the national anthem, singing an alternative one if you want, protesting the government etc.
And not allowing people to prosecuted under a law that is not published.

This law would be blatantly illegal under many constitutions, (including the US one) even ignoring the special circumstances of the Sino-British Joint Declaration (which the PRC took a massive shit on as it does with all international treaties).

Yes, I saw that speech by Carrie Lam and her "any country would do the same" BS.

Poor Hong Kong: democracy, free speech, rule of law, privacy all died with "two country, two systems" -- and on the most significant day possible.

It's quite remarkable how Carrie Lam and CY Leung have so thoroughly subjugated themselves to the CCP, I mean they shared their complete support for the law even though neither of them had seen it at all.

Despicable, I hope to see them in jail one day.

[Nevertopia]

Yes, I saw that speech by Carrie Lam and her "any country would do the same" BS.

Poor Hong Kong: democracy, free speech, rule of law, privacy all died with "two country, two systems" -- and on the most significant day possible.

It's quite remarkable how Carrie Lam and CY Leung have so thoroughly subjugated themselves to the CCP, I mean they shared their complete support for the law even though neither of them had seen it at all.

Despicable, I hope to see them in jail one day.

knowing how China historically handles political shifts of power, they either never will or will end up in a mass grave somewhere. No middle ground whatsoever.

[New Visayan Islands]

Xi played the US, EU, and UK and won, as he correctly calculated they would be paper tigers over this.

Despite all Trump's posturing and threats on revoking special trade status, all he has done is make a few bans on weapons they were already doing more permanent, and restrict some more sensitive trades of technology, all which amount to just a few million, out of billions of US-Hong Kong trade.

And a link to what I am talking about: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa- ... SKBN2402VY
And why Trump's rhetoric has no teeth:

Essentially, Trump has sent an angry letter, as has the EU, and Boris Johnson per usual is as quiet as a pin drop.

Though, the major argument over HK is human rights and democracy, which are two issues that Trump has made clear he doesn't care about, if it might hurt his China trade deal.

what do you think the best timeline wouldve been to preserve HK? Obviously US leading the charge on placing economic sanctions on China but would that really have helped by itself?

Why can't they just go balls-deep and sign the Hong Kong Be Water Act, aka "ChiComs eating a GloMag sanction or two?"

[Bombadil]

what do you think the best timeline wouldve been to preserve HK? Obviously US leading the charge on placing economic sanctions on China but would that really have helped by itself?

Why can't they just go balls-deep and sign the Hong Kong Be Water Act, aka "ChiComs eating a GloMag sanction or two?"

Going balls deep would be to recognise Taiwan as an independent nation and commit to its defence.