China security law 'could be end of Hong Kong'

AFP Image Tanya Chan (C) said this was "the saddest day in Hong Kong history"

Pro-democracy activists say they fear "the end of Hong Kong", after China announced plans for a new security law.

The US said the move could be "highly destabilising" and undermine China's obligations on Hong Kong's autonomy.

China's National People's Congress will on Friday debate the law, aimed at banning sedition and subversion.

Supporters say it is needed to tackle the violence in political protests that erupted last year. Opponents fear it will be used to remove basic freedoms.

Hong Kong has observed a "one country, two systems" policy and a "high degree of autonomy" since Britain returned sovereignty to China in 1997.

But activists, and the pro-democracy movement, feel that this is being undermined by Beijing. 

What is the Basic Law and how does it work? 

Why are there protests in Hong Kong? All the context you need

Last year, millions took to the streets over seven months to protest against a bill that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China. Many of the protests turned violent. The bill was eventually paused, and then withdrawn.

The BBC's Helier Cheung on Hong Kong's 2019 protests

The security law is more controversial still. According to the Basic Law, the territory's mini-constitution, Hong Kong's government is required to pass national security legislation. However, an attempt in 2003 failed after 500,000 people took to the streets in opposition.


That is why an attempt now to force through national security legislation - which one legislator on Thursday called "the most controversial [issue] in Hong Kong since the handover" - has caused such outrage.

The BBC's China correspondent, Robin Brant, says that what makes the situation so incendiary is that Beijing can simply bypass Hong Kong's elected legislators and impose the changes.

China can place them into Annex III of the Basic Law, which covers national laws that must then be implemented in Hong Kong - either by legislation, or decree.

Pro-democracy activists fear the law will be used to muzzle protests in defiance of the freedoms enshrined in the Basic Law, as similar laws in China are used to silence opposition to the Communist Party.
What have opponents of China's move said?

A number of pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong, including Democratic Party leader Wu Chi-wai, said the announcement was the death of "one country, two systems".

Civic Party lawmaker Dennis Kwok said "if this move takes place, 'one country, two systems' will be officially erased. This is the end of Hong Kong."

His colleague Tanya Chan added that this was the "saddest day in Hong Kong history".

Student activist and politician Joshua Wong tweeted that the move was an attempt by Beijing to "silence Hong Kongers' critical voices with force and fear".

Meanwhile, the US state department said that "any effort to impose national security legislation that does not reflect the will of the people of Hong Kong would be highly destabilising, and would be met with strong condemnation".

President Donald Trump said the US would react strongly if China followed through with its proposals, without giving details.

The US is currently considering whether to extend Hong Kong's preferential trading and investment privileges. It must decide by the end of the month.


Former Hong Kong governor Chris Patten: "UK should tell China this is outrageous"

The last British governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten, called the move a "comprehensive assault on the city's autonomy".

A spokesperson for the British Foreign Office said that the UK expected China "to respect Hong Kong's rights and freedoms and high degree of autonomy".
What is China's position?

Sources at the National People's Congress (NPC) have said that Beijing can no longer wait for Hong Kong to pass its own law, nor can it continue to watch the growth of what it sees as a violent anti-government movement.

One source told the South China Morning Post: "We can no longer allow acts like desecrating national flags or defacing of the national emblem in Hong Kong."

AFP Image Zhang Yesui announces the move ahead of the opening of the NPC

Beijing may also fear September's elections to Hong Kong's legislature. If last year's success for pro-democracy parties in district elections is repeated, government bills could potentially be blocked.

Announcing the move on Thursday, spokesman Zhang Yesui gave little away, saying the measure would "improve" on one country, two systems.

Mr Zhang said: "National security is the bedrock underpinning the stability of the country. Safeguarding national security serves the fundamental interest of all Chinese, our Hong Kong compatriots included." 

Profile: Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of Hong Kong 

Hong Kong's year in seven intense emotions

After debating the issue, the NPC - generally a rubber stamp - will vote on it next week. The matter would then not advance until June, when it goes before the Standing Committee.

An editorial in the state-run China Daily said the law meant that "those who challenge national security will necessarily be held accountable for their behaviour".

In Hong Kong, the pro-Beijing DAB party said it "fully supported" the proposals, which were made "in response to Hong Kong's rapidly worsening political situation in recent years".

Pro-Beijing lawmaker Christopher Cheung told Reuters: "Legislation is necessary and the sooner the better."

What is Hong Kong's legal situation?

Hong Kong was ruled by Britain as a colony for more than 150 years up to 1997.

The British and Chinese governments signed a treaty - the Sino-British Joint Declaration - that agreed Hong Kong would have "a high degree of autonomy, except in foreign and defence affairs", for 50 years.

This was enshrined in the Basic Law, which runs out in 2047.

As a result, Hong Kong's own legal system, borders, and rights - including freedom of assembly and free speech - are protected.

But Beijing has the ability to veto any changes to the political system and has, for example, ruled out direct election of the chief executive.


Uproar on Monday in Hong Kong's legislature

Hong Kong saw widespread political protests in 2019 but these became much smaller during the coronavirus outbreak.

However, there were chaotic scenes in Hong Kong's legislative chamber on Monday, when a number of pro-democracy lawmakers were dragged out during a row about a bill that would make it illegal to disrespect the national anthem.

A group of 15 prominent pro-democracy activists also appeared in court on Monday charged with organising and taking part in unlawful assemblies related to last year's protests.

USING COVID-19 TO CRACK DOWN ON PROTESTERS
China parliament eyes Hong Kong national security law after unrest

AFP / Anthony WALLACE

Beijing has made clear it wants new security legislation passed after Hong Kong was rocked by massive and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests last year

China's parliament said Thursday it will introduce a proposal for a national security law in Hong Kong at its annual session, in a move likely to stoke unrest in the financial hub.

Beijing has made clear it wants new security legislation passed after the semi-autonomous city was rocked by seven months of massive and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests last year.

The proposal will be introduced on Friday, the first day of the National People's Congress, and would strengthen "enforcement mechanisms" in the financial hub, the parliament's spokesman Zhang Yesui said.

China's parliament considers it "necessary to improve and uphold the 'One Country, Two Systems' policy," Zhang said, referring to the arrangement that has underpinned the city's liberties and free market economy.

Article 23 of Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Basic Law, says the city must enact national security laws to prohibit "treason, secession, sedition (and) subversion" against the Chinese government.

ut the clause has never been implemented due to deeply held public fears it would curtail Hong Kong's widely cherished civil rights.

AFP / LEO RAMIREZ

Zhang Yesui said China's parliament considered the move necessary

The city enjoys freedoms unseen on the Chinese mainland which are protected by an agreement made before former Britain handed the territory back to Beijing in 1997.

An attempt to enact Article 23 in 2003 was shelved after half a million people took to the streets in protest.

The controversial bill has been put back on the table in recent years in response to the rise of the city's pro-democracy movement.

Zhang did not provide more details about the proposed law.

But if it is introduced to the NPC it is likely to be approved, as the body rubber-stamps decisions already made by Communist Party policymakers.

- 'End of Hong Kong' -

Hong Kong's largest pro-Beijing political party DAB was quick to voice its support for the proposal, describing it as a "responsible move".

AFP / Anthony WALLACE

The controversial bill has been put back on the table in recent years in response to the rise of the city's pro-democracy movement

But pro-democracy lawmakers in Hong Kong were furious.

"This is the end of Hong Kong, this is the end of One Country, Two Systems, make no mistake about it," Civic Party lawmaker Dennis Kwok told reporters.

Pro-democracy lawmaker Tanya Chan said Beijing had "shown zero respect for Hong Kong people" by attempting to enact the law without consultation.

"Many Hong Kongers must be as angry as us now, but we must remember not to give up," she added.

Chris Patten, Hong Kong's final British governor before the 1997 handover, said the proposal signalled a "comprehensive assault on the city's autonomy".

"This will be hugely damaging to Hong Kong's international reputation and to the prosperity of a great city," Patten said.

AFP / Anthony WALLACE

Pro-democracy lawmaker Tanya Chan (C) said Beijing had "shown zero respect for Hong Kong people"

Hong Kong has its own lawmaking body, but at least two Hong Kong deputies to the NPC have openly said they would propose the idea of introducing the national security law without going through city's legislature.

Article 18 of Hong Kong's basic law allows the NPC to add legislation to an annex of the mini-constitution after consultations with a Basic Law committee and the Beijing-backed Hong Kong government.

The legislation can then be applied to Hong Kong without being scrutinised by the city's lawmakers.

The NPC's move comes after Beijing appointed a hardline senior official, known for a crackdown on Christians in mainland China, as its main policymaker for Hong Kong.

Xia Baolong, previously secretary-general at the national committee of China's top political advisory body, was promoted to director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council in February.

China set to impose new Hong Kong security law, Trump warns of strong U.S. reaction

James Pomfret, Yew Lun Tian, Steve Holland
MAY 21, 2020

HONG KONG/BEIJING/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China is set to impose new national security legislation on Hong Kong after last year’s pro-democracy unrest, a Chinese official said on Thursday, drawing a warning from President Donald Trump that Washington would react “very strongly” against the attempt to gain more control over the former British colony.

The U.S. State Department also warned China, saying a high-degree of autonomy and respect for human rights were key to preserving the territory’s special status in U.S. law, which has helped it maintain its position as a world financial centre.

China’s action could spark fresh protests in Hong Kong, which enjoys many freedoms not allowed on the mainland, after often violent demonstrations of 2019 plunged the city into its deepest turmoil since it returned to Beijing’s rule in 1997.



RELATED COVERAGE

U.S. senators seek to sanction Chinese over Hong Kong

U.S. State Department warns China over new Hong Kong security law

Trump, who has ratcheted up his anti-China rhetoric as he seeks re-election in November, told reporters “nobody knows yet” the details of China’s plan. “If it happens we’ll address that issue very strongly,” he said, without elaborating.

Zhang Yesui, spokesman for the China’s National People’s Congress, said details of the legislation would be given on Friday when the parliament holds its annual session.

“In light of the new circumstances and need, the National People’s Congress (NPC) is exercising its constitutional power” to establish a new legal framework and enforcement mechanism to safeguard national security in Hong Kong, he told a briefing.

Pro-democracy demonstrators have for years opposed the idea of national security laws, arguing they could erode the city’s high degree of autonomy, guaranteed under the “one country, two systems” formula in place for two decades.

A senior Hong Kong government official said details on the move and its implementation remained unclear, but Hong Kong media have reported the legislation would ban secession, foreign interference, terrorism and all seditious activities aimed at toppling the central government.

The “Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act” approved by Trump last year requires the State Department to certify at least annually that Hong Kong retains enough autonomy to justify favourable U.S. trading terms.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on May 6 he was delaying this assessment to account for any NPC actions.

FILE PHOTO: Demonstrators protesting the proposed extradition bill aim their flashlights towards riot police as they are chased through the streets of Hong Kong, China, August 25, 2019. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/File Photo

If the State Department decertified the territory, it would still ultimately fall to Trump whether to decide to end some, all, or none of the privileges Hong Kong currently enjoys.

Ending Hong Kong’s special status would be a big blow for U.S. firms. According to the State Department, 85,000 U.S. citizens lived in Hong Kong in 2018 and more than 1,300 U.S. companies operate there, including nearly every major U.S. financial firm.

State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said any move to impose legislation that did not reflect the will of the people would be highly destabilising and met with strong U.S. condemnation.

A previous attempt to introduce Hong Kong national security legislation, known as Article 23, in 2003 was met with mass peaceful protests and shelved.

Online posts had urged people in Hong Kong to protest on Thursday night and dozens were seen shouting pro-democracy slogans in a shopping mall as riot police stood nearby.

Opposition democrats said the move would gravely wound Hong Kong’s reputation as a financial centre and its autonomy.

“If this move takes place, ‘one country, two systems’ will be officially erased,” said democratic lawmaker Dennis Kwok.

“This is the end of Hong Kong.”

Daniel Russel, the top U.S. diplomat for Asia until early in the Trump administration, suggested Chinese President Xi Jinping might see “muscle-flexing” on Hong Kong as a means to make up for a series of setbacks, most notably the coronavirus pandemic that began in China - and this, despite the risk of severe economic consequences for Hong Kong, China and others.

U.S.-China tensions have heightened significantly in recent weeks, as they exchanged accusations on the handling of the pandemic, souring an already worsening relationship over trade.

Additional reporting by Greg Torode, Clare Jim, Sarah Wu, Jessie Pang, Steve Holland, David Brunnstrom and Humeyra Pamuk; Writing by Marius Zaharia, Alistair Bell and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Toby Chopra, Nick Macfie and Howard Goller


SEE https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/2020/05/hong-kong-crisis-china-presents.html

HONG KONG PROTEST UPDATES

Hong Kong protests: China sacks top envoy after months of unrest

• 4 January 2020

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• Hong Kong anti-government protests

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES

Image captionWang Zhimin served a little over two years as director of the liaison office

China has sacked the official in charge of relations with Hong Kong, Chinese state media reports.

Wang Zhimin was director of Beijing's liaison office for the territory.

The Xinhua news agency said Mr Wang had been replaced by Luo Huining, the Communist Party secretary for the northern province of Shanxi.

The sacking follows six months of often violent pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong that have tested Beijing's patience with top officials there.

Carrie Lam, the chief executive of Hong Kong, remains in office with the public support of the mainland leadership, despite being the face of a proposed bill which initially sparked unrest in March 2019.

The bill would have allowed for criminal suspects to be extradited from Hong Kong to mainland China, raising fears that the new law would be abused to detain dissidents and remove them from the territory.

Image copyrightREUTERS

Image captionAnti-government protesters were detained on New Year's Day in Hong Kong

• Hong Kong's year in seven intense emotions
• The protests explained in 100 and 500 words

Hong Kong's protesters welcomed the new decade on Wednesday with a New Year's Day rally, which saw tens of thousands of people join a pro-democracy march. The gathering was largely peaceful, save for some small pockets of violence.

Police used water cannon to clear the Mong Kok market district and fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters.

Some 40 parliamentarians and dignitaries from 18 countries sent an open letter to Ms Carrie Lam on New Year's Eve, urging her to "seek genuine ways forward out of this crisis by addressing the grievances of Hong Kong people".

Hong Kong was a British colony until 1997, when it was returned to Chinese control under the principle of "one country, two systems". While it is technically part of China, the territory has its own legal system and borders, and rights including freedom of assembly and free speech are protected.

Hong Kong's Lam promises to work closely with Beijing's new envoy

City's chief executive makes no mention of prolonged protests and pledges to return Hong Kong to 'right path'.
6 Jan 2020

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said she hoped

 the territory would return to the 'right path', echoing 

comments made by China's top official in the city, 

Luo Huining, who was appointed at the weekend

 [Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters]

MORE ON HONG KONG PROTESTSWhy are people protesting in Hong Kong? | Start HereHong Kong's Lam promises to work closely with Beijing's new envoyTea and tear gas: Hong Kong's shops on the economic front lines'Return to right path': Beijing's new envoy tells Hong Kong

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Tuesday that she would work closely with Beijing's top official in the territory to get the city back on "the right path" after more than six months of pro-democracy protests.

The appointment of a new head of the Chinese government's most important office in Hong Kong, Luo Huining, was unexpectedly announced at the weekend in a sign of Beijing's frustration with the latter's handling of the crisis.
More:

'Return to the right path', China official tells Hong Kong
Tea and tear gas: Struggling for business in a city under siege
Hong Kong's first rally of 2020 ends in clashes

The Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region reports to China's State Council or cabinet, and is the main platform for Beijing to project its influence in the city.

"I would work closely with director Luo in the coming future, committing to 'one country, two systems', and the Basic Law, for Hong Kong to ... return to the right path," Lam said in her first news conference of the year, referring to the city's mini-constitution and system of governance.

Luo on Monday, in his first remarks since taking office, used the same language, saying he hoped the city would return to the right path.

Lam did not mention the protests in her opening remarks, which focused on health risks related to an outbreak of a respiratory virus in the city of Wuhan on the mainland.

Democracy protests resumed over the New Year after a

 lull during December; Chief Executive Carrie Lam says 

she hopes the territory will return to the 'right path'

 [File: Tyrone Siu/Reuters]

Authorities have identified 21 cases in Hong Kong, of which seven people have been released from hospital.

Broad support

Clashes between police and protesters intensified over the year-end holiday following an early-December lull in violence after an overwhelming win of the pro-democracy camp in city district council elections yielded no government concessions.

The protests in Chinese-ruled Hong Kong, which began over a now-dropped extradition bill, have evolved into a broader campaign for democracy with demands for universal suffrage and an independent inquiry into complaints of police brutality.

The police maintain they have acted with restraint.

Many people in Hong Kong are angered by what they see as Beijing's ever-tightening grip on the city which was promised a high degree of autonomy under a "one country, two systems" framework when it was returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Beijing denies interference and blames the West for heightening the unrest.

The protest movement is supported by 59 percent of city residents polled in a survey conducted for Reuters by the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute, while 57 percent of them wanted Lam to resign.


SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES
Dozens held in Hong Kong after
violence at parallel trading march

Protests target mainlanders’ practice of bulk-buying goods to sell at profit in China

Agence France-Presse in Hong Kong
Sun 5 Jan 2020
 

Police pour water on a protester who was 

pepper-sprayed while being detained in 

Sheung Shui. 

Photograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters

Petrol bombs have been thrown at a Hong Kong police station and dozens of people arrested after a march against parallel trading near the Chinese border.

The Democratic party said about 10,000 people marched peacefully in Sheung Shui district on Sunday, but violence erupted after police ordered protesters to disperse.

Several petrol bombs were thrown at Sheung Shui police station, about 1.5km (1 mile) from where the rally took place.

A pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong has been demanding greater freedoms from Beijing for nearly seven months.

The marchers were protesting against parallel trading, by which thousands of mainlanders cross the border every day to bulk-buy goods such as infant formula to sell at a profit in China.

There is significant resentment against the practice, which frequently leaves goods in short supply in border towns, and has driven up the price of commodities as well as shop rents.

Dino Chan, a Sheung Shui district councillor and one of the rally organisers, said: “If the police could spare one of the cars they drove here to handle the march to instead deal with the trading problem, we would not have to organise this protest.”

He said 42 people were arrested following the violence.


The anti-government protests have been blamed for helping plunge Hong Kong’s economy into recession for the first time in a decade.

The protests were triggered by a proposal to allow extraditions to mainland China, but have morphed into a broader revolt for democratic freedoms.

On Sunday, the violence was not at the level seen during many previous protests, with police using pepper spray to disperse crowds but not teargas.

China and the Hong Kong administration have refused to bow to protesters’ demands, which include direct elections, an inquiry into alleged police misconduct and an amnesty for the nearly 7,000 people arrested so far.

HONG KONG

Tea and tear gas: Hong Kong's shops on the economic front line
As visitor numbers and retail sales figures plunge due to protests, some Hong Kong shop owners stand their ground.
by Caroline Malone 6 Jan 2020

Lo Bak Jun, owner of a well known tea house in Hong Kong,
 says business is the worst it has ever been for him, as
 violent pro-democracy protests show no sign of ending, 
driving tourists away [Caroline Malone/Al Jazeera]

MORE ON HONG KONG PROTESTSWhy are people protesting in Hong Kong? | Start HeretodayTea and tear gas: Hong Kong's shops on the economic front lines2 days ago'Return to right path': Beijing's new envoy tells Hong Kong2 days agoChina replaces Hong Kong liaison office head amid protests4 days ago

Hong Kong, China: Lo Bak Jun and his family have been running their successful tea house in Hong Kong for about three decades. He puts in approximately 70 hours a week, but despite the hard work, business is suffering.

"It's gotten worse since June this year. Business this year is the worst in 30 years for the shop," Lo told Al Jazeera.

Lo's parents started the Kam Yuen Tea House in the early 1990s when Hong Kong's economy was booming. But now, the city is in recession, tipped over the edge by more than six months of unrest and a protracted trade war between the United States and China.

Small businesses like his are on the financial front line, as tourists stay away and retail sales plunge.

He sells traditional and specialist Chinese teas such as Jasmine, Tieguanyin and Pu'er at the teahouse. He warmly welcomes customers, inviting them to sample different brews, and is happy to host regulars for hours who sip and chat.

"Some tourists will sit here all day and drink all the tea they are given."

In the past, at least one tour group would visit the shop a day. Now, days go past without a single foreign customer.

Government data shows Hong Kong visitor numbers were down 56 percent in November from a year earlier, after a 44 percent drop in October when tourism is usually thriving around China's national Golden Week holiday.

Lo misses his foreign customers but says he relies on locals for most of his business. For every 20 Hong Kong dollars ($2.57) spent by a tourist in his shop, a Hong Kong local would spend approximately 100 Hong Kong dollars ($12.85). "Hong Kong people love tea," says Lo.

Kam Yuen Tea House is in the bustling residential and commercial neighbourhood of Sai Ying Pun, west of Hong Kong's central business district.

Beijing's liaison office is on a parallel road nearby.

The area was the scene of some of the first provocative acts last year by protesters, who vandalised the Chinese emblem and threw eggs at the building. The police response was harsh, with liberal amounts of tear gas and mass arrests. It was the start of an escalation in violence that has seen protesters fighting and throwing petrol bombs while police use rubber bullets, bean bag rounds and even occasionally live gunfire to quell the unrest.

Lo says he had to close the shop twice when protesters passed by. But he is sympathetic. "The students are polite," he continues, "the government needs to do better."

It all started earlier in 2019, when the Hong Kong government tried to rush through a new extradition bill. People protested over concerns it would give Beijing a legal avenue for political persecution, but it also stoked deeper resentment over a lack of universal suffrage in Hong Kong.
Growing frustration, shrinking economy

There is also pent-up frustration over stagnating living standards in a city with some of the world's most expensive real estate, making Hong Kong one of the least affordable places to live on the planet.

The protests against the bill evolved early on into five key demands including the release of protesters arrested during early demonstrations, an independent investigation into harsh police action against protesters and the right to fully vote for legislators and the Chief Executive, the head of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Anti-government protests in Hong Kong over the last six months have frequently turned violent [January 5: Tyrone Siu/Reuters]

After a tumultuous six months, the extradition bill is out, but Chief Executive Carrie Lam remains in.

The unrest has resulted in economic losses amounting to about two percentage points of Hong Kong's gross domestic product (GDP) - the sum of all finished goods and services produced in an economy - according to Financial Secretary Paul Chan.

The economy entered its first recession since the 2008-2009 global financial crisis. Recent official estimates showed the economy contracted by 3.2 percent in the third quarter.

As the government sees it: "Local social incidents dealt a very severe blow to an economy already weakened by a synchronised global economic slowdown and US-Mainland trade tensions."

Economists forecast the loss of tourism will have a significant impact on Hong Kong's annual GDP.

Iris Pang, Greater China economist with ING Wholesale Banking told Al Jazeera "The direct impact of loss of tourism should amount to three percent of GDP. Indirect damage is that the impact of unemployment and underemployment due to the loss of tourism activities will appear in GDP data gradually. These impacts include fall in local consumption."

ING forecasts that Hong Kong's GDP most likely contracted by 2.2 percent in 2019, and will shrink by a further 5.8 percent in 2020.

Chief Executive Lam and her embattled government have drip-fed a series of initiatives to support the economy. The latest for small and medium businesses is four billion Hong Kong dollars ($514m) in stimulus measures including subsidies on water and sewage bills, an instalment system for profits and salaries tax, and training programs.

There are about 340,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Hong Kong, which employ approximately 1.3 million people - or 45 percent of the workforce - in the private sector. In a place known for ease of setting up a business, SMEs make up more than 98 percent of all business establishments.

The Trade and Development Council says government support is vital: "The new round of measures will help ease the cash flow of SMEs, which will help restore confidence in affected industries by enabling them to continue their business."

Hong Kong-based Shanghai Commercial Bank Head of Research Ryan Lam told Al Jazeera his analysis shows the government's measures could help boost Hong Kong's GDP by 0.2 percent. "It is meaningful, because SMEs are likely to spend funds instead of stashing them under the pillow during a recession."

But for small business owners, like Lo, the government subsidies are not making any difference, especially while there is no end in sight to the unrest: "The students have made demands, but the government is not doing anything about it. So it's not going to stop."

Tourists from near and far have frequented Lo Bak Jun's tea house in Hong Kong for 30 years [Caroline Malone/Al Jazeera]

Hong Kong's entire retail sector is feeling the pinch with data showing overall sales fell 23.6 percent in November compared with the same month in 2018. It was the tenth consecutive month of falling sales, and was only marginally better than the record 24.4 percent year-on-year plunge in October.

Hardest hit were sales of jewellery, watches, clocks, and valuable gifts, which plummeted by 43.5 percent in November; medicine and cosmetics sales slumped by 33.4 percent while clothing fell by 31.9 percent. Even food, alcoholic drinks and tobacco sales dropped by 11 percent.
'Chasing an elephant with a pop gun'

Enzio von Pfeil, economist and financial adviser with St James's Place Wealth Management in Hong Kong, told Al Jazeera the lack of government action to address social ills - expensive housing, income disparity, antiquated education and a lack of competition - is the real problem.

"Government measures are akin to chasing an elephant with a pop gun."

There is also the continued uncertainty with the US-China trade negotiations to consider.

"It's all going to be pretty gloomy. The structural forces of Hong Kong's domestic problems, the cyclical forces with worsening economic times, and random forces of Trump's political antics," Pfeil said, referring to the US president's negotiating tactics.

Kam Yuen Tea House, Hong Kong [Caroline Malone/Al Jazeera]

Tommy Wu, senior economist at Oxford Economics, told Al Jazeera: "Retail sales and tourist-related sectors are experiencing their worst performance in over a decade and will remain under huge strain as a result of the plunge in inbound tourism and weak domestic sentiment,"

"This will lead to a spike in unemployment in 2020," said Wu.

Back at Kam Yuen Tea House, Lo says he understands people just do not have the same spending power they used to have.

"If I had the money, I would leave Hong Kong." He adds: "Just kidding, I'm staying."

Lo may be staying but he is having to adjust to a new normal in Hong Kong that has made business and everyday life much harder.

"Everyone is heartbroken about Hong Kong, " he says. "I'm not even going to look at the news today."


SOURCE: AL JAZEERA NEWS

CHINA ABANDONS CLASS WAR FOR PATRIOTIC WAR

Team China Olympic heroes inspire national pride in HK as Lam welcomes ‘favorable environment’ for unleashing patriotism

POSTMODERN STALINISM

STALIN CALLED WW2 THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR

By Chen Qingqing,
Zhang Hui and Bai Yunyi

Published: Dec 03, 2021 


The all-star Olympic delegation of 29 Team China athletes arrives in Hong Kong and takes a group photo at the welcome ceremony on December 3, 2021. Photo: VCG
When an all-star Olympic delegation of 29 Team China athletes arrived in Hong Kong on Friday for a three-day visit to the Chinese city, the victory lap of Tokyo 2020 medalists, which is also part of the tradition for Chinese Olympians to visit the city since its return to the motherland in 1997, is expected to arouse strong repercussions, echoing rising patriotism in recent months following a number of activities in Hong Kong such as local youth talking with taikonauts, an exhibition of lunar soil and the screening of The Battle at Lake Changjin. Carrie Lam, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, told the Global Times in an exclusive interview on Friday that the majority of Hong Kong people are patriotic, and now it is a favorable environment in Hong Kong for unleashing such a sentiment.

As many in Hong Kong warmly welcomed the visit of Chinese athletes - the tickets to see their activities were sold out within hours last week - public enthusiasm has become more palpable, as the COVID-19 epidemic had cut off frequent exchanges between the mainland and Hong Kong for too long, and more importantly, the overall political and social environment in the city has gradually but steadily changed in which the central government's message can be clearly conveyed to the Hong Kong public without being interfered by hostile external and radical opposition forces.

The social turmoil in Hong Kong in 2019 exposed severe loopholes in local governance and the lack of education among Hong Kong youth on national identity awareness. The latest activities, which also attracted many young people in the city, were seen as a major way of arousing public awareness for recognition of the country, while officials and policy advisors highlighted the importance of further advancing national education and civic values.


Photo:Pengpai

Highly expected tour

A welcome ceremony was held on Friday at the Shenzhen Bay Port where Secretary for Home Affairs Caspar Tsui and Timothy Fok Tsun-ting, president of the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, met the athletes including 28 Olympic gold medalists and sprinter Su Bingtian, in addition to three coaches for swimming, weightlifting and rowing.

The delegation is scheduled to present a series of performances on Saturday including badminton, fencing, gymnastics and table tennis, and some athletes such as table tennis player Ma Long and fencer Sun Yiwen will visit the Hong Kong Polytechnic University on Sunday morning.

China ranked second in the medal count behind the US with 38 gold, 32 silver and 18 bronze medals at Tokyo 2020. And the team of Hong Kong SAR collected six medals, making it "the greatest game ever," as some media reports said, and local athletes like "fencing god" Edgar Cheung Ka-long also made history by winning the city's first gold medal in 25 years.

Public enthusiasm for the Chinese Olympians was also unprecedented, as the 5,300 tickets to view the Olympic stars were sold out within three hours on November 26, and many residents expressed regret for failing to get a ticket, although they understood the concern of epidemic prevention and control.

"It's a tradition for the national Olympic delegation to visit Hong Kong after the Games, which has always been welcomed by the Hong Kong public… The majority of Hong Kong people are patriotic, but such patriotism was affected as we did not properly implement patriotic education since the city's return to the motherland," Lam told the Global Times on Friday.

With the implementation of the national security law for Hong Kong and the electoral reform, the practice of "one country, two systems" is now back to the correct path in Hong Kong. Patriotic behavior won't be affected by the instigation of the opposition groups or illegal activities, which will help people express their respect more for the country, Lam said.

In recent months, taikonauts on board China's Tianhe space station core module delivered a special virtual tour to nearly 300 youths from Hong Kong via an Earth-space video conference in early September, after a star team led by top space experts visited local universities and lunar soil brought back by the Chang'e-5 lunar probe was exhibited in the city in summer. All those activities have been highlighted by local media and welcomed by students. For some of them, it was also the first time to learn about the progress the country has made in scientific exploration.

The Chinese mainland's Korean War-themed blockbuster The Battle at Lake Changjin also drew tremendous popularity among the local communities, especially the youth in Hong Kong. For example, tickets were immediately sold out in the first weekend since it was screened in the city on November 11.

Hung Kam-in, a former member of the Kwun Tong District Council and convener of a think tank in Hong Kong, told the Global Times on Friday that some residents in his community who did not win tickets said they wish these athletes could show up in more public places so that they could get close to them and learn more about China's sports spirit.

He said more of such activities should be organized and conducted in Hong Kong, especially in elementary and middle schools, as face-to-face communication is a better way for Hong Kong's younger generation to deepen their understanding about the country and enhance their awareness of national identity.

Hong Kong people's sense of alienation to the county rose during the 2014 Occupy Central Movement which sparked a strong wave of anti-China sentiment among some youths, but the national security law for Hong Kong successfully "filled the gap" of "feeling far away" from the country, Hung said.

Some athletes also shared their feelings about the visit on Friday. Among them, Su, the 100 meter sprint Asian record holder, told a press conference after arriving in Hong Kong that he grew up watching Hong Kong's TV programs and wished that athletes' spirit of hard work and perseverance would inspire Hong Kong youth to be responsible and motivated.

Chinese Olympians visiting the city after the Olympic Games in the past reflects the central government cares for Hong Kong, Lam told a press conference on Friday. Due to the epidemic, the athletes could not visit more places this time, she said, noting that they could visit Hong Kong more frequently in the future after the resumption of cross-border exchanges between the mainland and Hong Kong.



Photo taken on July 1, 2020, shows Golden Bauhinia Square in Hong Kong, China. Photo: Xinhua

Changed soil

Since the return of Hong Kong to the motherland, Olympic athletes' visits to Hong Kong have been a task of great significance and solidarity, and have been deeply welcomed by Hong Kong people. The visits reflected the central government's unswerving support for Hong Kong's economic and social development, said So Ching-tung, chairman of the Federation of Jinjiang Hong Kong Associations Limited, where the Olympians are scheduled to visit on Sunday.

Compared with the months-long anti-government movement that turned into black-clad riots in 2019, today's Hong Kong society is stable and peaceful. Although it's not the first time for Olympians to visit the city, it is unprecedented that the city has embraced a new environment favorable for advancing national identity and patriotic education.

"Those taikonauts and athletes are national heroes, and their visits have nothing to do with politics, which could more easily arouse cordial feelings between local residents in Hong Kong and those in the mainland," Lau Siu-kai, vice president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, told the Global Times on Friday.

When national team athletes visited the city before, some anti-government media outlets tried to play down their visits, a way of interfering or misinterpreting the message conveyed by the central government to the locals, Lau noted. While major radical opposition forces remained low profile in this new environment, it's important to grab the opportunity to highlight those activities to enhance national awareness among the Hong Kong public, he said.

Besides various activities in Hong Kong like space exploration and sports communication, Hong Kong schools are also required to infuse civic values to bolster students' national identity, an extremely important work in the eyes of Lam. But she said local authorities failed to do it well in the past.

"Without proper patriotic education, some Hong Kong young people were opposed to the central government and had an anti-mainland sentiment," Lam told the Global Times. Lam also stressed that she is willing to take more time to communicate with the education sector in the future as it's extremely important for the youth to learn "one country, two systems," the Constitution, and the national security law.

Further efforts are needed to address media reform, although Hong Kong's media have shown positive changes after the shutdown of Apple Daily, Hung said, noting that journalists' professional ethics and credibility as well as rules to regulate journalists have to be further strengthened. The first thing is to reform the Hong Kong Journalists Association which is not a professional organization on journalism.

Hong Kong protesters defy ban to mark Tiananmen massacre

Despite a ban on the annual vigil to mark the Tiananmen Square Massacre, thousands have marked the event in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Protesters used the commemoration to show their ongoing resistance to Beijing.

    NY DAILY NEWS 5/6/2020

The ban on the annual vigil to mark the Tiananmen Square Massacre, the first in 30 years, didn't stop thousands of Hong Kongers from attending Thursday's mass commemoration ceremony in Victoria Park. The occasion normally attracts tens of thousands of people every year — but police banned the annual tradition this year, citing the increased risk of coronavirus infection.

Citizens removed police barricades in order to make their way to the mass vigil, with people at the scene telling media they did not think police could arrest everyone. Candlelight vigils also took place in other parts of Hong Kong, with thousands gathering to pay tribute to the victims of the Tiananmen Square Massacre in 1989.

Earlier in the week, in reaction to the ban, organizers had called on people to hold their own vigils in different parts of the city. Lee Cheuk-yan, one of the event organizers and the chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic and Democratic Movements of China, told DW he hopes this year's vigil will reflect Hong Kongers' defiance of the Chinese government.

Read more:Opinion: Tiananmen has always served as a moral to learn from

Protesters gather at Victoria Park in Hong Kong for a candlelight vigil to mark the anniversary of the crackdown of pro-democracy protests at Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989  MASKED AND SOCIAL DISTANCING 

"We want the candlelight to spread across Hong Kong and use it to show the world that Hong Kong people are still continuing the tradition of remembering June 4," Lee told DW. "The world should know that we are facing the most powerful authoritarian regime in the world, but we still stand firm and be defiant."

For Lee, the call for solidarity is not confined to Hong Kong. "We are collaborating with other organizations all over the world to push for the hashtag, #6431, as the unifying hashtag that everyone can use to post pictures and share articles or writings about June 4, 2020," he said.

"We hope people all over the world who share our values can stand with us. We want more concerted action on the part of the international community to stand with Hong Kong," he said.


Protesters gathered in Taiwan to mark the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre

Candles, support in Taiwan

As Hong Kongers were gathering for their vigils, more than 3,000 people attended a similar event at the iconic Liberty Square in Taipei, Taiwan. When the clock hit 8:09 p.m., everyone held up candles and paid a silent tribute to the victims of the massacre for 64 seconds, echoing the date of the tragic event.

Edith Chung, a former Hong Kong resident who owns a restaurant in southern Taiwan, had been planning the Tiananmen vigil for the last few weeks. "Gathering in Taipei with my friends from Hong Kong on June 4 is just like attending the Tiananmen vigil in Hong Kong," Chung told DW, adding that it was important to extend the tradition and remember the democratic spirit that was crushed in 1989.

"The candlelight vigil was never about how many people attended the ceremony. Rather, it's about lighting up candles and singing together with other Hong Kong people in public places."

Amy, who moved to Taiwan in 2015 after Beijing began to tighten its control over Hong Kong, was grateful for the opportunity to attend the Tiananmen vigil in Taiwan, where it is both legal and encouraged by the island democracy. "The situation in Hong Kong will only deteriorate, because Beijing is trying to extend its authoritarian rule to Hong Kong," she said.

"Our advice to Hong Kong's younger generation is that if they have young children in the family, they should try to emigrate to other places," said George, a man in his 50s. "One thing that they should definitely not do is to trust the Chinese government's promise, because they are all about making empty promises that will never be properly fulfilled."

Read more: Hong Kong parliament votes for national anthem bill despite protests


'A moment of awakening'

Chung described the Tiananmen Square Massacre as a "moment of awakening" for her and many Hong Kongers. "Even though many of us don't view ourselves as Chinese people, we were still inspired by the Chinese students' courage and determination," she said. "We witnessed how the Chinese government harmed its people with such violence, and the scenes from Beijing saddened many of us."

Chung decided to move to Taiwan after Beijing tightened its control following the mass protests in 2014 known as the Umbrella Revolution. Less than a year after she left Hong Kong in October 2018, the city descended into chaos as residents launched a monthslong protest against a controversial extradition bill. At least 8,000 people have been arrested in clashes with police since June 2019, and more than 1,500 have been prosecuted for participating in the protest.

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the Hong Kong government has imposed strict rules restricting public gatherings across the city, banning all forms of large-scale public events. However, after Beijing revealed its plan to enact a controversial national security law for Hong Kong late last month, the city descended into another round of violent clashes between protesters and police. Hundreds of people were arrested within a few days.

"The most important things to Hong Kong is the freedom and rule of law that we enjoy, but now the Chinese government is trying to dismantle our whole system with this controversial law," said Melody, who attended the Taipei vigil with a group of Hong Kong friends.

"They have completely breached the promise of 'one country, two systems' and turned the governing principles to 'one country, one system.' They impose the law onto Hong Kong by circumventing all the governing institutions in the city. This is an illegal act and they have taken away all the remaining freedom that we are entitled to as Hong Kong residents."


Jung Hui-Chin, a Hong Konger living in Taiwan, hosts an event in Taipei to remember the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre

Continuing the tradition

After learning about the ban on the Tiananmen vigil, Chung realized she had the responsibility to continue the tradition, even from abroad. "I hope to remind Hong Kong people, especially the younger generation, that we choose to commemorate the Tiananmen Square Massacre because we need to support family members of the June 4 victims as well as those who have been fighting for democracy and freedom in China over the last three decades," she said.

"We can't forget that Hong Kong is still part of China, so if they don't change, it will be very hard for Hong Kong people to demand any real change as well."

In Taipei, the crowd began chanting popular slogans from last year's anti-government protests. As organizers played the theme song from Hong Kong's annual Tiananmen vigil, they stood in solidarity with their peers in Hong Kong, with the hope that more people around the world would join them in defending Hong Kong's way of life.

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AUDIOS AND VIDEOS ON THE TOPIC
Hong Kong remembers Tiananmen Square massacre

Date 04.06.2020
Author William Yang
Homepage DW News -
Related Subjects People's Republic of China, Hong Kong
Keywords Hong Kong, Tiananmen, protests, Taiwan, China

Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/3dGzf



Hong Kong to mark Tiananmen anniversary from home amid coronavirus fears

People in Hong Kong will hold an annual vigil in memory of the bloody crackdown by Chinese troops from home this year amid coronavirus restrictions. Critics fear China is trying to curtail the city-state’s independence.





People in Hong Kong on Thursday made preparations to hold an annual candlelight vigil commemorating the 1989 crackdown by the Chinese military in Tiananmen Square from home, a workaround in face of a ban on the usual public gathering amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The police presence around Beijing's Tiananmen Square, a popular tourist attraction in the center of the city, appeared to have been higher than normal on Thursday. Barricades had also been erected around the Hong Kong park where the vigil is normally held.

For three decades, people have gathered in the Hong Kong's Victoria Park to mark the June 4 anniversary. The event usually draws tens of thousands of people.

But police have said the event poses a public health risk. Hong Kong recently reported its first locally transmitted cases of coronavirus in weeks. Gatherings of more than eight people are currently banned due to the outbreak.


Read more: Hong Kong bans Tiananmen massacre vigil citing coronavirus crisis

Candles burn throughout the city

Organizers instead called on residents to light candles across the city at 8:00 P.M. local time (12:00 GMT) and to then observe a minute of silence.

People were also encouraged to use the hashtag #6431truth, in reference to the 31st anniversary and the date.

Despite the ban, some said they were still planning to gather in Victoria Park. Volunteers handed out white candles to people during their morning commute.

This year’s anniversary comes amid tensions in the semi-autonomous city after China made moves last month to impose national security legislation that critics fear will curtail the policy of "one country-two systems" that allows Hong Kong to self-govern.

The city’s legislative council also voted on Thursday on a controversial bill that would make it a crime to disrespect China’s national anthem.

EU calls for right to gather

The Tiananmen Square crackdown is not officially recognized in mainland China, where the topic is considered taboo and discussion around it is heavily censored.

On Wednesday, the EU called on China to allow people in Hong Kong and Macau, another semi-autonomous city, to observe the crackdown, calling it "a signal that key freedoms continue to be protected."

China has never provided a complete death toll for the 1989 crackdown on the student-led demonstration. Officials have said it was around 300, mostly soldiers. But rights groups and people present have said fatalities could have been in the thousands.

kp/aw (AFP, Reuters)


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Keywords Hong Kong, China, Tiananmen Square, protests, coronavirus

Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/3dE7M