Must Read China passes Hong Kong security law amid global opposition

[webfact]

China passes Hong Kong security law amid global opposition

By Clare Jim and Yew Lun Tian

 

FILE PHOTO: Chinese officials and delegates attend the opening session of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China May 22, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

 

HONG KONG/BEIJING (Reuters) - China's parliament passed national security legislation for Hong Kong on Tuesday, setting the stage for the most radical changes to the former British colony's way of life since it returned to Chinese rule almost exactly 23 years ago.

 

State media is expected to publish details of the law - which comes in response to last year's often-violent pro-democracy protests in the city and aims to tackle subversion, terrorism, separatism and collusion with foreign forces - later on Tuesday.

 

Amid fears the legislation will crush the global financial hub's rights and freedoms, and reports that the heaviest penalty would be life imprisonment, prominent pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong said he would quit his Demosisto group.

 

"It marks the end of Hong Kong that the world knew before," Wong said on Twitter.

 

The legislation pushes Beijing further along a collision course with the United States, Britain and other Western governments, which have said it erodes the high degree of autonomy the city was granted at its July 1, 1997, handover.

 

The United States began eliminating Hong Kong's special status under U.S. law on Monday, halting defence exports and restricting the territory's access to high technology products.

 

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam, speaking at her regular weekly news conference, said it was not appropriate for her to comment on the legislation as the meeting in Beijing was still going on, but she threw a jibe at the United States.

 

"No sort of sanctioning action will ever scare us," Lam said.

 

Lau Siu-kai, vice-president of a think-tank under the Beijing cabinet's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, told Reuters the internationally criticised law was passed unanimously with 162 votes.

 

The editor-in-chief of the Global Times, a tabloid published by the People's Daily, the official newspaper of China's ruling Communist Party, said on Twitter the heaviest penalty under the law was life imprisonment, without providing details.

 

Authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong have repeatedly said the legislation is aimed at a few "troublemakers" and will not affect rights and freedoms, nor investor interests.

 

It comes into force as soon as it is gazetted in Hong Kong, which is seen as imminent.

 

'REGRETTABLE'

This month, China's official Xinhua news agency unveiled some of the law's provisions, including that it would supersede existing Hong Kong legislation and that the power of interpretation belongs to China's parliament top committee.

 

Beijing is expected to set up a national security office in Hong Kong for the first time to "supervise, guide and support" the city government. Beijing could also exercise jurisdiction on certain cases.

 

Judges for security cases are expected to be appointed by the city's chief executive. Senior judges now allocate rosters up through Hong Kong's independent judicial system.

 

It is unclear which specific activities are to be made illegal, how precisely they are defined or what punishment they carry.

 

Police have banned this year's July 1 rally on the anniversary of the 1997 handover, citing coronavirus restrictions. It is unclear if attending the rally would constitute a national security crime if the law came into force by Wednesday.

 

South China Morning Post, citing "police insiders", said about 4,000 officers will be on stand-by on Wednesday to handle any unrest if people defy the ban.

 

Hong Kong is one of many developing conflicts between China and the United States, on top of trade, the South China Sea and the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Britain has said the security law would violate China's international obligations and its handover agreement.

 

A Japanese official said that if China had passed the law, it was "regrettable".

 

Democratically ruled and Chinese-claimed Taiwan said it "strongly condemns" the legislation, while the European Union has said it could take China to the International Court of Justice in The Hague over it.

 

China has hit back at the outcry, denouncing "interference" in internal affairs.

 

Hong Kong stocks were up 0.9% on Tuesday, in line with Asian markets.

 

(Additional reporting by Yanni Chow and Carol Mang in Hong Kong; Editing by Michael Perry, Robert Birsel)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-06-30

 

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[Mavideol]

that's not a surprise at all, the contrary (not passing it) would have been a BIG surprise...  CCP control freaks

[sammieuk1]

Authoritarian Tentacles of Xi grabbing everything insight ???? 

[RichardColeman]

 

16 minutes ago, webfact said:

Democratically ruled and Chinese-claimed Taiwan said it "strongly condemns" the legislation, while the European Union has said it could take China to the International Court of Justice in The Hague over it.

Ah, so we can expect some serious finger wagging and little action again

[dimitriv]

39 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

 

Ah, so we can expect some serious finger wagging and little action again

 

 

There was an interesting article about Uighurs and other minorities in China on https://apnews.com/269b3de1af34e17c1941a514f78d764c

 

 

... is leading to what some experts are calling a form of “demographic genocide.”

 

The state regularly subjects minority women to pregnancy checks, and forces intrauterine devices, sterilization and even abortion on hundreds of thousands, the interviews and data show...

 

But the world is silent.   Concentration camps, genocide, sterilization. Where did we see that before ?  What happened with "never again" ?

 

 

 

 

 

[brain150]

47 minutes ago, dimitriv said:

But the world is silent.   Concentration camps, genocide, sterilization. Where did we see that before ? 

 

 

 

Are you talking about the US ? ... they had all this and are still doing most of it.

 

China is just a pawn of the big players - like all other "nations".

Watch out for the World Economic Forum ... they are calling the shots [still they are not on the highest level in the game]

[dimitriv]

51 minutes ago, brain150 said:

Are you talking about the US ?

 

No, I am talking about Nazi Germany. And I think you know that very well.

 

 

[Eric Loh]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

e legislation pushes Beijing further along a collision course with the United States, Britain and other Western governments, which have said it erodes the high degree of autonomy the city was granted at its July 1, 1997, handover.

Israel annexation of West Bank will fall nicely in the category of eroding the high degree of autonomy. US seem agreeable on that kind of abolishment of autonomy. 

[rasmus5150]

If only there was a movement for ....

 

Uighurs lives matters

or

Hong Kong lives matters

or

Tibetan lives matters

 

and the list goes on and on and on

 

[Isaan sailor]

You can plainly see the CCP cheerleaders on this thread.  They change the subject or create false equivalents.

[TKDfella]

As if China is going to be worried about any international court or any judgements that come from it. Once Hong Kong is secured my guess would be Taiwan is next. Years ago I heard in China that Japan was a 'thorn' and would be dealt with in the future. I think that time is fast approaching. If the Chinese government isn't stopped not only will Japan be under Chinese rule but 'a unified' Korea' will be too. An open Pacific then awaits them.

[rvaviator]

Its simply a one party capitalistic system ..... Make money .. Create wealth .. keep 90% + of your people happy (i.e. belly full, car in the car park .. kids at school, everyone happy with a Iphone  etc.... ) ....

 

[pacovl46]

Well, it’s about time someone puts China back in its place because they think they can do whatever they want! 

[sscc]

1 hour ago, rvaviator said:

Its simply a one party capitalistic system ..... Make money .. Create wealth .. keep 90% + of your people happy (i.e. belly full, car in the car park .. kids at school, everyone happy with a Iphone  etc.... ) ....

 

Quite True.  Just say smart phone rather than Iphone. 

[Orton Rd]

'Security' is really total control, loss of freedom and opression. Pity they were not so secure where ever the CCP virus started from

[tifino]

4 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

'Security' is really total control, loss of freedom and opression. Pity they were not so secure where ever the CCP virus started from

they let the Virus get away, so they're hedging their Bets

- hoping to still be able to get to 2 (HK and Taiwan) out of 3 

[OZinPattaya]

America obviously has internal issues now, so I'm waiting with bated breath for the UK and Europe to rise to the China threat. Which is tantamount to waiting for Hell to freeze over.

 

I can't even recall the UK or Europe indulging in strong language against China. They cannot even summons the initiative to make verbal threats. Shockingly, China is not terribly concerned what the UK or Europe has to say about the matter.

Edited June 30, 2020 by OZinPattaya

[OZinPattaya]

If you are a member of the CCP in China this is what "global opposition" means. Lots and lots of talk, zero action. I mean, seriously, is the UK going to face the China threat alone? Of course not. Is the EU? What exactly is the EU? Does the EU even know? Let's put the EU and the UK together and see what we get. Not sure what that is, but if I am a member of the CCP I don't think I'm going to lose any sleep over it. Would you?

 

Got ten times more confidence in the East Indians, who actually know how to pull a trigger, than in all of the UK and Europe combined.

Edited June 30, 2020 by OZinPattaya

[BritManToo]

10 minutes ago, OZinPattaya said:

If you are a member of the CCP in China this is what "global opposition" means. Lots and lots of talk, zero action. I mean, seriously, is the UK going to face the China threat alone? Of course not. Is the EU? What exactly is the EU? Does the EU even know? Let's put the EU and the UK together and see what we get. Not sure what that is, but if I am a member of the CCP I don't think I'm going to lose any sleep over it. Would you?

In times of economic disaster war has traditionally been the answer.

[rvaviator]

7 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

In times of economic disaster war has traditionally been the answer.

At least for the 'few' who may survive they will have something to do .. Trying to rebuild it all ..... And we say that humans are the intelligent spices ???? 

[OZinPattaya]

5 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

In times of economic disaster war has traditionally been the answer.

I'd say more than "traditionally." There is also the Thucydides Trap. Very hard to work your way around that one. But there is this perception that the war will be between the US and China. Nothing could be further from the truth. This will not be a war that will countenance neutral countries.

[pineapple01]

Be great to see them handle them BLM Looters the west dont smash down.

[tonbridgebrit]

2 hours ago, OZinPattaya said:

America obviously has internal issues now, so I'm waiting with bated breath for the UK and Europe to rise to the China threat. Which is tantamount to waiting for Hell to freeze over.

 

I can't even recall the UK or Europe indulging in strong language against China. They cannot even summons the initiative to make verbal threats. Shockingly, China is not terribly concerned what the UK or Europe has to say about the matter.

You call yourself OZinPattaya, are you actually from Australia ?  Stop having a pop at Britain and Europe. Since when has Australia been in the anti-China brigade ?
Australia exports massive amounts of coal and iron ore to China. Supposedly, you're more likely to see Chinese people in Melbourne and Sydney than in London. How many Chinese students are there in Australia ?

You should look at yourself BEFORE you start critising other people.

[tonbridgebrit]

22 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

In times of economic disaster war has traditionally been the answer.

There's that massive trade deficit that America has got with China. So, fight a war against China, the US government thinks that America is certain to win, that way, clear the deficit.

As in, China has a vast amount of US government bonds. It's a problem for America, and winning a war against China will solve the problem.

[tonbridgebrit]

42 minutes ago, OZinPattaya said:

 

Got ten times more confidence in the East Indians, who actually know how to pull a trigger, than in all of the UK and Europe combined.

Them East Indians ?  You've got confidence in them ?  Look , they're not going to fight a war against China.
What about the West Indians ? Them people. They're not going to fight a war against China. Why on earth would they do such a thing ? Why on earth would anybody want to fight a war against China ? There's no reason for it.

[OZinPattaya]

28 minutes ago, tonbridgebrit said:

You call yourself OZinPattaya, are you actually from Australia ?  Stop having a pop at Britain and Europe. Since when has Australia been in the anti-China brigade ?
Australia exports massive amounts of coal and iron ore to China. Supposedly, you're more likely to see Chinese people in Melbourne and Sydney than in London. How many Chinese students are there in Australia ?

You should look at yourself BEFORE you start critising other people.

That's why you've sold your soul to China. You're more concerned with the money you make in your exports to China than you are in your own sovereignty. Australia has already decided its fate where China is concerned. That doesn't mean the rest of Western Civilization should follow suit.

 

I think there are a lot of Australians right now who are questioning the ultimate wisdom of their relationship with China, especially the ones who find themselves priced out of starter homes thanks to predatory Chinese real estate speculation.

Edited June 30, 2020 by OZinPattaya

[OZinPattaya]

1 minute ago, tonbridgebrit said:

Them East Indians ?  You've got confidence in them ?  Look , they're not going to fight a war against China.
What about the West Indians ? Them people. They're not going to fight a war against China. Why on earth would they do such a thing ? Why on earth would anybody want to fight a war against China ? There's no reason for it.

Tell China that.

[OZinPattaya]

1 hour ago, tonbridgebrit said:

Them East Indians ?  You've got confidence in them ?  Look , they're not going to fight a war against China.
What about the West Indians ? Them people. They're not going to fight a war against China. Why on earth would they do such a thing ? Why on earth would anybody want to fight a war against China ? There's no reason for it.

Yeah, I got a lot of confidence in the East Indians. China threw everything it had at them and it wasn't much. I reckon it would take the US about 3 weeks to utterly decimate the Chinese military, and that's without the help from the UK and the EU. So long as we don't try to occupy China--the great folly America has fallen into time and time again--I don't see a problem here. It's that or a cold economic war, which I actually prefer.

[Tug]

South china sea and Taiwan next trump won’t do anything but squeak a little bit and they know it 

[ExpatOilWorker]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

In times of economic disaster war has traditionally been the answer.

Especially if you have 34 million males you need to dispose of:

 

Out of China’s population of 1.4 billion, there are nearly 34 million more males than females — the equivalent of almost the entire population of California, or Poland, who will never find wives and only rarely have sex.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/world/too-many-men/