Still a few weeks away, but I am arranging a trip overseas – my first since December 2019. Now I read this about the airport procedures when you return to Hong Kong. And this. The amazing thing is that anyone is still living in this city.
In recent years, the CCP has started promoting traditional filial piety. But one Hong Kong pro-Beijing ‘politician’ still prefers the Mao-era practice of denouncing politically wayward parents. Eunice Yung strikes a blow for Chinese women by refusing to accept the traditional role of meek and obedient daughter-in-law. Like the West’s hip and trendy student radicals of the 1960s, she shocks her elders by embracing Communism. Or – perhaps a more culturally appropriate angle – she rebels against the older generation’s outdated culture and values, and rejects democracy like her forebears fought foot-binding.
Some links from the weekend…
Interesting Fortune story on challenges facing Nicolas Aguzin, CEO of HKEX.
Harris Bricken’s China Law Blog on why Beijing’s reactions to the Ukraine invasion and the Pelosi visit suggest businesses need to reduce China exposure…
I have seen an increase in China risks (and a concomitant need for China footprint-lightening) in just the last few days, based largely on what has become clearer about China, and Russia and the world.
From China Media Project, how China’s state media relegated the Pelosi Taiwan visit to page 3, and the ‘borrowed voices’ supporting Beijing’s stance on international affairs – such big names as Eduardo Regalado of the International Policy Research Center of Cuba (CIPI) and Bambang Suryono, chairman of Indonesia’s Asia Innovation Study Center.
For enthusiasts, a long learned paper slated for China Quarterly on the ‘myth of the “One China” consensus’ 1972.
Short thread on why Mainlanders are so insistent on ‘Taiwan, China’.
…ironically, for nationalists, Taiwan is special … I passingly referred to Ang Lee as a “Taiwanese director.” [Chinese friend] corrected me: “Chinese director.”
…I knew little about Taiwan then. But I knew enough to know people wouldn’t bristle if I referred to Hong Kong or Shanghainese people or cultures. Why Taiwan? (A Chinese friend later clarified: “Because those places actually ARE part of China.”)
…The irony of all this is that, because Taiwan’s status is indeed unique, patriotic piety over-corrects. We need not say “Shanghai, China” but must always say “Taiwan, China,” which gives away that the latter is not (yet) a reality.
Unherd asks how Chinese is Taiwan? Clue: it had a whole eight years as a Qing province before the Japanese took it over…
A few months after Japan’s surrender, a nervous group of Chinese officials arrived on the island and began to set up a new administration. But there were many in Taiwan who had no wish to be incorporated into the Republic of China. Some had benefited from the Japanese occupation, some objected to the corruption of the Chinese government, while others were simply hostile towards incomers from the mainland.
Eunice’s performative selloutism and red bandwagoning is most definitely a well crafted ploy to keep herself in the Rolodex of the “Liaison” Office/Party Secretary when it eventually comes time for the next or next-next, post NSL CE selection.
She doesn’t want to be a caricature of Vag (consolation prizes but never the Belle of the Ball) and most definitely has more “star power” (and longer legs) than Starry. She’s a gal that knows when to smile!
*big bonus is watching HK “elites” and “heavyweights” go at each other in order to ingratiate further to the point of Cultural Revolution levels of turning-in /denouncing/disowning family, friends, colleagues and comrades.
“Also note how the lines are meant to be even more densely packed than here. For a city that insists you can’t eat with more than four people and that you need to quarantine in a hotel for a week, the irony is obvious.”
Lawrence Zhang’s ordeal at the HKIA reminds me of the bad old days of crossing the border at Lo Wu into China.
But even that unpleasant experience didn’t take over four hours.
RAT test indeed. The authorities treat inbound passengers like vermin.
Wow…Bill Hayton’s article on the Great, Democratic, Independent Nation of Taiwan.
Talk about an “inconvenient truth”.
Derek Yuen definitely looks like a guy who was born to the gimp suit and ball gag. But one wonders if his marriage isn’t going to go the way of Derek’s relationship with the ever-unpopular People’s Party which
he dumped/was dumped by Vag (you really couldn’t make this stuff up without someone calling bullshit).
If like the dopey family you catch covid during your trip make sure to get a PCR test to establish an infection date, and then set aside a few days to read the rules related to returning to HK after recovery from a covid infection.
The Soviet Union collapsed in a welter of lies & deception. All it took was a little push.
Good to see Hong Kong epidemiologists now say only three days are needed for hotel quarantine.
Quelle surprise. A while back the same Einsteins reckoned Hong Kong needed 21 days quarantine to keep us safe.
What a bunch of sycophantic retreads
@Dr Zhivago: In a Sycophantocracy, as HK officials have shown very clearly now, there is no longer a constituency of the People/citizenry-at-large to serve but rather a handful of the Top Dogs dropped down from Peking. It’s only going to get worse…