Are the CCP going to oust pan-dem lawmakers or not? There are signs of a last-minute backtrack. If so, it would suggest Beijing officials are indeed worried that all of them will walk out. Spoilsports.
A commentary in The Diplomat says the international community’s reaction to the imposition of the NatSec regime in Hong Kong is mainly symbolic and thus unlikely to change Beijing’s mind. Is it supposed to? The US Treasury’s sanctions are certainly ’futile’ in that respect. But note, and relish, that contrived, whiny we-don’t-care-so-there response. Sanctions send a message to CCP collaborators who aid in the persecution, intimidation, arrests and jailing of people for their views: there will be repercussions. For what it’s worth, it also sends a message to the persecuted that they are not forgotten.
Which brings us to Demented Mouth-Froth Freak-Out of the Week Award, which goes to the official statement ‘HKSAR Government strongly opposes to the so-called US sanctions’. Do I read too much into it when I suspect the mangled grammar is a deliberate snub to evil foreign influences? The CCP does have an infantile streak when it gets vindictive. Anyway, it sets the tone for some seriously Mainland-dictated rhetoric that has extra creepiness when rendered in English…
…HKSAR Government has today strongly opposed the so-called “sanctions” by the United States (US) Government … HKSAR Government is not intimidated by such despicable behaviour, and will resolutely continue to implement the Law … “HKSAR is an inalienable part of the People’s Republic of China … enjoys a high degree of autonomy and comes directly under the CPG [huh?]. The repeated blatant and barbaric interference in the internal affairs of the HKSAR by the US Government is another vivid example of unreasonable bullying act against the CPG and the HKSAR Government officials who safeguard national security. This will undermine Hong Kong-US relations at various levels, and is resented by many people locally and around the world”…
Sounds like the futile symbolism has hit a sensitive spot.
In case you missed it – Kevin Caricco a couple of weeks ago in Apple Daily gives a brief explanation of sanctions, especially for the benefit of an SCMP columnist, plus some wise words on the use of ‘so-called’.
SCMP’s ‘so-called’ columnist
It is Yonder Latrine after all, not exactly a sharp cookie.
The bio of the author of The Diplomat may explain thye tenor of the piece.
“Jin Kai is an Associate Professor at Guangdong Academy of Social Science, China, and a Non-Resident Scholar at Sigur Center for Asian Studies, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University.”
There they go with the “resolutely” again.
If foreigners can’t interfere in the HK SAR (JAMC)…i guess they better move out their companies, orders, business interests, investments, stop using HK as s ‘hub’ relicate thir offices, staff….
“Tong said a mass resignation is not in line with the spirit of the council and a healthy legislature needs opposition voices.
He urged the pan-democrats not to go as they will not be able to continue fighting for democracy.”
If the CCP have rolled out a dodgy pedo like Ronny to beg the pro-HKers to stay in LegCo, it’s definitely Time To GTFO: “If you stay, I’ll show you my puppies and give you a sweetie.”
The use of the words ‘barbaric’ “bullying’ and ‘despicable behaviour’ are the give aways that the text came from the north. These are not terms that resonates with what is supposed to be a water off our backs response coming over as both infantile and whingey and would not be the choice of either mother-tongues or officials used to the vernacular of the local government. Where is the middle finger?
So there you go, 4 of them ousted.
Time for everyone else to quit.
A nice heartening message (“…HKSAR Government has today strongly opposed…”).
China’s Keeper-in-Chief of English-language words must have been involved with that one. My understanding is that “despicable” and “barbaric” are currently grade 5 level, whilst “bullying” is a grade 4; there are several 3s. In any official communique, all would need high-level clearance.
https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1559417-20201111.htm
You got your answer. A question: does having urged the pan-democrats to boycott LegCo for months now make you feel better when seeing this action by Beijing?
I wished the Dems had stayed in LegCo. Now our tax dollars will go to support a cohort of DAB toads. Having said that, it won’t make any difference in the real world since we are fucked anyway.
When can we expect the bye-elections for the vacant Legco seats according to the Basic Law?
The recently appointed mercenaries at Continuum must be slapping their heads at this one.
Joe – I agree. District Councils are next….
Well, here at the Vatican we have never approved of voting that wasn’t first thoroughly vetted and agreed upon, so I can quite see the CCP’s point of view in all this. As for the pro-democrats, high time they realised that a revolution is not a dinner party, it’s an an act of violence by which one class overthrows another. As that abominable Henry Tudor found out to our cost, the best way to get out from under the thumb is to break off the thumb with extreme prejudice.
> When can we expect the bye-elections for the vacant Legco seats according to the Basic Law?
When the results of that Election can be guaranteed in advance, and not have 60% spoiled votes as a result of, I don’t know, people drawing glasses, beards, horns and fangs on all of the pro-govt candidates on the ballot.