Some new interpretations of the ‘Last G7’ art are in yesterday’s comments. In particular, ‘the wolf seems to represent Italy, while the eagle on the left represents Germany.’ That makes sense: Italy (she-wolf of Romulus and Remus fame) tempted by the EU-Beijing FTA, and Germany despairing at the demise of the US/West while anticipating more car exports to China. (Germany as Judas Iscariot? Discuss.) Also, I see a rotting piece of fruit on the table – presumably representing democracy.
Or maybe the local film industry. Taking effect on the day they are announced, the Hong Kong government issues new orders for the city’s film classification authorities to consider ‘national security’ in their work. Variety carries a full explanation of the changes (the same writer discusses Hong Kong film censorship in the last year or so here).
The wording of the amended guidelines directs the censors to consider the need to safeguard China’s ‘sovereignty, unification and territorial integrity’, so any hint that Taiwan is a country or Tibet used to be could be grounds for a ban.
It also makes clear that recent film journalism about the protest movement has seriously pissed off Beijing officials, stating that censors should pay special attention to documentaries (or ‘purported’ documentaries). This suggests that the CCP wants to ban not just overtly critical works but any content that does not follow the official line. So, if a director includes comments from Regina Ip, that would be fine – but if he also includes some from Joshua Wong, that would bar the movie from screening. This is essentially where RTHK current affairs is heading. Indeed, the film guidelines probably reflect Beijing officials’ demands for restraints on Hong Kong’s overall media/speech freedoms. Perhaps they saw movies as a loophole.
To give an idea of how far-reaching the thought-police are: the government has reportedly warned district councillors that they might have threatened national security by uploading pictures of candles on June 4.
Reuters quotes the US consul-general in Hong Kong trying to get his head around the NatSec Regime…
“You can’t have it both ways,” he added. “You can’t purport to be this global hub and at the same time invoke this kind of propaganda language criticising foreigners.”
…Private investigators say demand is surging among law firms, hedge funds and other businesses for security sweeps of offices and communications for surveillance tools, while diplomats describe discreet meetings with opposition figures, academics and clergy.
A little reminder: the CCP sees no value in an ‘international hub’ in Hong Kong. It’s the local officials, out of habit and/or wishful thinking, who insist the city still is one.
“China’s ‘sovereignty, unification and territorial integrity’” – AKA The Earth.
I want to make sure I have these new censor rules correct, so please someone fact check me.
The CCP, which claims to be the sovereign single entity that decides China’s future, against overwhelming evidence that suggests that it is not, historically, has decided that it’s an infringement on China’s sovereignty and it’s national narrative to allow citizens to make up their own mind about events that describe China’s political situation, especially if said events are depicted in a factual way through the means of documentary? Is that right?
Hmmmmmmm… Now, I may be missing something, but to me it seems like an entity, which is in a constant state of paranoia and alarm about losing a handle on its chokehold on a national narrative is a tad bit worried that people might make up their own minds about how they feel about that.
In other words, china does not want people to think critically about events of the past.
Am I getting this right?
@donkey: You’re being rhetorical?
Some more remarks to the “Last G7” artwork:
Australia is the Judas, holding the reward for the betrayal (30 pieces of silver) in the right hand.
Germany and Italy are rather “good guys” refusing Japan´s poison.
France is reluctant to accept it.
Canada “kidnapped” CCP Princess Meng and is clearly one of the “baddies”.
UK is going to loose Scotland.
@donkey – CCP (not China) does not want people to think critically about anything the CCP dictates.
The painting of the poker-playing dogs has more artistic merit than “The Last Bowl of Dumplings”.
How tactful. Germany is not named and sort of on the side. Maybe the communists still want to learn how to build BMW and Benzies! BTW what is the marijuana pattern wearing Canadian having on his ankle? A little gadget tickling him when a communist wants to buy a house for his family to move to Vancouver?
Those folk sitting at home waiting for the authorities to ‘come and get them’ can experience the vicarious pleasure of watching our ‘elite’ forced to abandon yum cha, the golf links, horse racing, long lunches, massagi administered by nubile youth, to line up at HKCEC to listen to interminable speeches delivered with monotonous rhetoric . With strict security sneaking in a hip flask is not an option.
The frequency and duration of these sessions will increase as the election deadlines loom. Everything comes with a price.
It’s hard to tell what remains to be interpreted in the “Last G7” poster, so perhaps I am repeating . (1)Thumbs down to the rotten fruit (democracy) idea. To me it looks like two balls of cotton, one next to the American eagle’s right hand and one next to its left hand. Both of these Xinjiang cotton balls are tinged with red after the eagle has used them to wipe the blood off his own complicit hands. (2) Given all the well known Chinese fables about amphibians and reptiles, the frogs and turtle probably represent Taiwan (more precisely the DPP under “Little Ying”). One frog seems ready to wash the feet of the major participants (except apparently the irredeemable Japan “Running Dog” which is the only participant pictured without human feet) while the other frog, climbing on the back of a turtle, tries to get attention and perhaps a place at the table by offering hands-full of RMB earned in years of cross straits trade and investment. 3) Hong Kong makes an appearance in the form of one small black scarab or cockroach wandering around perhaps looking for scraps. 4) The blood transfusion bag hanging on the wall ready for any participant feeling particularly weak is Chinese monetary blood in the likelihood yet another financial crisis.
My old eyes cannot make out what is on the floor between the feet of the American Eagle nor what is attached to the ankle of the Canadian Beaver