Monthly Archives: October 2020

Few 19-year-olds can be as accomplished as Tony Chung, if the allegations against him are at all true. The former leader of pro-independence group Studentlocalism is charged with secession (under the NatSec Law), money laundering (under easy-to-abuse laws) and ‘conspiracy … Continue reading →

At around the halfway point on Hong Kong’s journey from an open society to a banana-republic dictatorship, even the government has a hard time adjusting. As a puppet administration, it must impose oppressive policies; but the people are still free … Continue reading →

Is HKU about to be the first university in town to have a CCP member in a top position? HKFP report on two appointments. Ying Chan looks into the background of one – Prof Zuo-jun ‘Max’ Shen. Max says his … Continue reading →

Some Hong Kong pro-democrats still like to imagine that, even under the Leninist principles of the NatSec Regime, the Legislative Council can be a representative body with at least a little political power. Maybe they will get real after reading … Continue reading →

Westerners who are outspoken blue-ribbons are especially unpopular in some pro-protest movement circles, and the classic example last year was retired businessman Peter Bentley, who has died. (It says so here, so it must be true. Typo in the column … Continue reading →

Following the Emperor-for-Life’s recent visit to Shenzhen, lots of scary-sounding stuff about how Xi Jinping is favouring the Special Hub-Zone over Hong Kong, Shenzhen is ahead, blah blah.  After SARS in the mid-2000s, Hong Kong officials tried to divert attention … Continue reading →

With Covid largely under control, the Hong Kong government is to further relax restrictions on social gatherings – this time by allowing bigger tour groups and wedding ceremonies. If this trend continues, the list of unrestricted activities will become huge … Continue reading →

…while we’re waiting for the next eruption of horror. Professor Michael Davis in HKFP on Beijing’s plan to bring the courts into line, and some grim thoughts for the future. “Hong Kong people have been demanding democracy, because they want … Continue reading →

People lined up over the weekend to see the Hong Kong Story exhibition one last time before the Museum of History gives it an ‘extensive revamp’. They especially came to photograph the colonial-era displays, on the assumption that items like … Continue reading →

Citing non-existent public demand, Hong Kong’s puppet administration wants to give votes to citizens living in the Mainland. Pan-dems complain that this leaves out voters in foreign countries, will make it easier for the pro-Beijing camp to control the legislature. … Continue reading →