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Sabtu, 04 Juli 2020

'Hidden language': Hong Kongers get creative against security law - CNA

HONG KONG: Hong Kongers are finding creative ways to voice dissent after Beijing blanketed the city in a new security law and police began arresting people displaying now forbidden political slogans.

Faced with the sudden threat of prosecution for anything that might promote greater autonomy or independence for the restless city, residents are using wordplay and even subverting Chinese Communist Party dogma to express their frustration.

On a bridge in the busy shopping district of Causeway Bay, a key spot for pro-democracy protests over the past year, traffic thunders past newly daubed graffiti that declares: "Arise, ye who refuse to be slaves".

In the busy shopping district of Causeway Bay, one of the main pro-democracy protest spots last — In the busy shopping district of Causeway Bay, one of the main protest spots last year, newly daubed graffiti declares: "Arise, ye who refuse to be slaves" - the first line of China's national anthem. (Photo: AFP/ISAAC LAWRENCE)

The phrase is taken from the first line of China's national anthem.

And while the graffiti could conceivably have been written by a patriotic nationalist, it is most likely a declaration of dissent.

Social media and chat forums have filled with suggestions for how to find safer ways to protest after Beijing on Tuesday (Jun 30) imposed broad legislation banning subversion, secession, terrorism and foreign collusion.

READ: Hong Kongers scrub social media history in face of security law

READ: Five ways Hong Kong has changed under China's security law

In a city used to speaking its mind, people will find ways around the law, said Chan Kin-man, a veteran democracy activist who has previously been jailed for his activism.

"In a public space, one might either not say anything or use an 'officially-approved' language to protect themselves," he told AFP. "But hidden language is something that cannot be banned by laws."

'SEIZE BACK BANANA'

The local government on Thursday said the popular protest slogan "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times" would now be deemed illegal.

For some the phrase represents genuine aspirations to split Hong Kong from China, a red line for Beijing, but for many others it is a more general cry for democracy and an expression of rising frustration with Chinese rule.

But coded language is allowing people to keep the slogan alive.

One version "GFHG, SDGM" uses English letters from the transliterated phrase "gwong fuk heung gong, si doi gak ming".

Another more complex example mimics the tone and rhythm of the slogan using the numbers "3219 0246" in Cantonese.

Chinese characters themselves also provide ample room for linguistic subversion.

One phrase people have started adopting online is "seize back banana", a play on the similar characters in traditional Chinese for Hong Kong and banana.

Others have gone for English slogans that appear positive but are a clear dig at Beijing - for example the Trumpian phrase "Make Hong Kong Great".

The very first arrest made under the new security law involved a deliberate linguistic challenge.

READ: Hong Kong police arrest more than 300 protesting China's 'birthday gift' of security law

During protests a day after the law was enacted, police announced they had arrested a man with a flag that read "Hong Kong Independence", posting a picture.

But eagle-eyed web sleuths zoomed in on the flag and spotted that a man had written a small "No" before his much larger phrase.

The same phrase has since gone viral online.

READ: UN says it is 'alarmed' at arrests in Hong Kong, concerned at 'vague' law

READ: Hong Kong man first charged under security law for motorbike 'attack'

BLANK PAPER AND MAO QUOTES

Multiple pro-democracy restaurants and shops across the city have taken down their "Lennon Wall" displays expressing support for the pro-democracy movement after some were warned by police that they might violate the national security law.

The walls are often made up of colourful sticky notes with protest slogans on them.

One cafe replaced its wall with blank memos.

So-called Lennon Walls once plastered with protest slogans have been replaced with blank notes. (Photo: AFP/ISAAC LAWRENCE)

"What is essential is invisible to the eyes," the shop wrote on its Facebook citing popular children's book Le Petit Prince.

Another symbol of defiance that has replaced some protest art across the city is blank white pages.

The gesture represents the inability to speak out and also "white terror", a Chinese phrase used to describe political persecution.

READ: Fearful of China's new security law, Hong Kongers scramble for safe havens

"Suppression catalyses people to fight back," said Chan, who is also a sociology professor.

He likened the situation with how people in mainland China reveal dissent or anger towards the government with a wink and a nod.

"Hong Kong people will definitely respond more actively, it's just that it might happen in a grey area".

A slogan that went viral this week was a quote by Chinese dictator Mao Zedong.

It read: "Those who suppress the student movements will not come to a good end."

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2020-07-04 08:02:27Z
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Jumat, 03 Juli 2020

Hong Kong officials disappointed at Canada's move to suspend extradition pact - CNA

HONG KONG: Senior officials in Hong Kong said on Saturday (Jul 4) they were "very disappointed" at Canada's decision to suspend its extradition treaty with the city and again slammed Washington for "interfering" in its affairs.

Beijing imposed a new national security law this week on the former British colony, despite protests from Hong Kong residents and Western nations, setting China's freest city and a major financial hub on a more authoritarian track.

READ: Five ways Hong Kong has changed under China's security law

"The Canadian government needs to explain to the rule of law, and explain to the world, why it allows fugitives not to bear their legal responsibilities," Hong Kong's security chief, John Lee, told a radio programme on Saturday.

Lee was very disappointed and strongly opposed Canada's move, he added, as it let politics override the rule of law.

The comments followed Canada's statement on Friday that it was suspending the treaty with Hong Kong in the wake of the new law and could boost immigration from the city.

Canada would also bar the export of sensitive military items to Hong Kong, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters.

On Saturday's programme, Hong Kong Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng said she was disappointed and expressed extreme regret over Canada's move, adding that she thought it could probably violate international law.

On Friday, a Hong Kong government spokesman described as "totally unacceptable" a Bill passed by the US Senate to penalise banks doing business with Chinese officials who implement the new law.

"We reiterate that any 'sanctions' imposed under the Act will not create an obligation for financial institutions under Hong Kong law," the spokesman said in a statement.

He urged the United States to immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong's internal matters, adding that Beijing, as well as the city's government, could take counter-measures when needed.

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2020-07-04 05:08:24Z
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US sends carriers to South China Sea during Chinese drills - CNA

WASHINGTON: Two United States aircraft carriers were conducting exercises in the disputed South China Sea on Saturday (Jul 4), the US navy said, as China also carried out military drills that have been criticised by the Pentagon and neighbouring states.

China and the United States have accused each other of stoking tension in the strategic waterway at a time of strained relations over everything from the new coronavirus to trade to Hong Kong.

The USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan were carrying out operations and exercises in the South China Sea "to support a free and open Indo-Pacific," the navy said in a statement.

It did not say exactly where the exercises were being conducted in the South China Sea, which extends for some 1,500km and 90 per cent of which is claimed by China despite the protests of its neighbours.

"The purpose is to show an unambiguous signal to our partners and allies that we are committed to regional security and stability," Rear Admiral George M Wikoff was quoted as saying by the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the exercises.

Wikoff, commander of the strike group led by the Ronald Reagan, said the exercises were not a response to those being conducted by China, which the Pentagon criticised this week as "counter-productive to efforts at easing tensions and maintaining stability".

China dismissed the US criticism of its drills on Friday and suggested the United States was to blame for increasing tensions.

US carriers have long carried out exercises in the Western Pacific, including in the South China Sea, according to the US navy. At one point recently, the United States had three carriers in the region.

China announced last week it had scheduled five days of drills starting on Jul 1 near the Paracel Islands, which are claimed by both Vietnam and China.

Vietnam and the Philippines have also criticised the planned Chinese drills, warning they could create tension in the region and impact Beijing's relationship with its neighbours.

The United States accuses China of trying to intimidate Asian neighbours who might want to exploit its extensive oil and gas reserves. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also lay claim to parts of the South China Sea, through which about US$3 trillion of trade passes each year.

The US statement said the naval exercises gave commanders the flexibility and capabilities "that only the US Navy can command".

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2020-07-04 04:33:03Z
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Five ways Hong Kong has changed under China's security law - CNA

HONG KONG: Beijing's new national security law for Hong Kong is the most radical shift in how the semi-autonomous city is run since it was handed back to China by Britain in 1997.

China's authoritarian leaders say the powers will restore stability after a year of protests and will not stifle freedoms.

But it has already sent fear coursing through a city used to being able to speak openly, and fundamentally altered the city's relationship to both Beijing and the outside world.

LEGAL FIREWALL TOPPLED

A key pillar of Hong Kong's success has been an independent judiciary, insulated from mainland China's party-controlled courts and their conviction rates of around 99 per cent.

That legal firewall has now come down.

The law grants China jurisdiction in some national security cases and allows mainland security agents to set up shop openly in the city for the first time. Those personnel are not bound by local laws.

READ: UN says it is 'alarmed' at arrests in Hong Kong, concerned at 'vague' law

Local police have been granted broad surveillance powers that do not require judicial oversight while trials involving state secrets can be held behind closed doors without juries.

China also claims universal jurisdiction. That could make it risky for Beijing critics, including foreigners, to travel to Hong Kong or through its airport.

Hong Kong's Bar Association represents the city's lawyers — Hong Kong's Bar Association, which represents the city's lawyers, has said it is "gravely concerned" by Beijing imposing a sweeping security law on the financial hub. (File photo: AFP/ISAAC LAWRENCE)

CENTRAL GOVERNMENT CONTROL TIGHTENED

Hong Kong normally passes its own laws through a legislature.

But the national security law was written in Beijing and imposed on the city – its contents kept secret until it was enacted on Tuesday (Jun 30) evening.

It establishes supremacy over the Basic Law, the mini-constitution that grants the city certain freedoms as well as judicial and legislative autonomy.

The law states that if there is a discrepancy between the two systems, China's law takes precedence.

It also embeds mainland officials within Hong Kong's government.

A new national security commission is headed by the head of Beijing's Liaison Office and staffed by both mainland and local officials.

Article 22 of the Basic Law says the central government cannot interfere in the running of Hong Kong.

But Beijing has made clear national security trumps that and is the central government's purview.

File photo of Hong Kong protests — Pedestrians walk past a wall with posters that have been covered over with blank paper in Hong Kong on Jul 3, 2020, as a new national security law introduced in the city makes political views, slogans and signs advocating Hong Kong’s independence or liberation illegal. (File photo: ISAAC LAWRENCE / AFP)

SLOGANS OUTLAWED

Beijing and Hong Kong's government said the new powers would only target a "very small minority".

But it has quickly become clear certain political views, even if expressed peacefully, are now illegal – especially calls for independence or autonomy.

The first arrests under the new law came on Wednesday, almost all of them people who were in possession of flags or leaflets promoting independence.

On Thursday the government confirmed that one of the city's most popular protest chants – "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times" – was now banned.

READ: 'Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times' slogan is illegal, says government

For some the phrase represents genuine aspirations to split Hong Kong from China.

But for many others it is a more general cry for democracy and an expression of rising frustration with Beijing's rule.

PROTEST WALLS SCRUBBED

The impact of the law on people's speech has been visible both digitally and physically.

Some restaurants and businesses have removed political displays after warnings from police. Officials were filmed scraping certain words and phrases from a protest wall at a university campus.

Across town, posters and phrases are being removed from "Lennon Walls" that first sprung up during last year's protests.

Some Hong Kongers are getting creative, replacing outlawed slogans with altered versions or puns that only hint at politics in a bid to stay ahead of the new laws.

Online, people have scrubbed chat groups and made their social media accounts anonymous – or deleted them entirely.

POLITICIANS FLEE, SHUT DOWN PARTIES

For years Hong Kong was a place to which people fled when they feared persecution on the mainland.

Now it is a place people flee from.

Prominent democracy activist Nathan Law announced on Thursday evening that he had gone overseas to an undisclosed location because of the law.

He and a group of fellow young activists disbanded their party Demosisto two days earlier, fearing prosecution, even though it does not advocate Hong Kong independence.

"As I look down at the magnificence of Hong Kong from the airplane, this image has become one unforgettable scene in my mind," he wrote.

"I hope the day will come when I can return to Hong Kong again and I can still be that young guy who hasn't forgotten about his initial aspirations."

Other groups who more openly advocate autonomy for the city also announced they were shutting down.

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2020-07-04 02:49:52Z
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Fearful of China's new security law, Hong Kongers scramble for safe havens - CNA

HONG KONG: Many Hong Kong residents are scouring for new jobs and homes overseas, fearful that a new national security law imposed by Beijing will crush coveted rights not enjoyed on the mainland and herald a new authoritarian era for China's Special Administration Region (SAR).

Beijing bypassed the city's legislature to approve the law directly this week, heightening anxiety over its impact on the former British colony of 7.4 million people that is a global financial hub and gateway for capital flows in-and-out of China.

READ: UN says it is 'alarmed' at arrests in Hong Kong, concerned at 'vague' law

Immigration lawyers and consultants, property agents and recruitment groups from Australia to Canada all told Reuters they were inundated with enquiries from Hong Kong residents.

"Hong Kong demand for international real estate and residency programmes has rocketed over the past few weeks," said Georg Chmiel, executive chairman of international property portal Juwai IQI, in a statement to Reuters.

"We see it in Malaysia, Australia, the UK, Thailand, Canada, Vietnam and the Philippines."

Juwai does not disclose numbers of enquiries, but did say Australia was the top foreign real estate investment location for Hong Kong buyers in the first half of 2020.

While leaving Hong Kong has traditionally been an alternative for the wealthy and foreign passport-holders, more middle- and working-class people are now also seeking options, especially where visas come cheaper.

READ: China crackdown sparks Western offers of asylum for Hong Kongers

Lily Chong, a real estate agent in Western Australia who markets developments to investors in Asia, said enquiries from Hong Kong shot up more than 40 per cent since mid-June and more than 140 potential buyers took part in an online forum last weekend.

"After just a few days we have already closed one sale sight-unseen," added Chong, managing director of IQI Western Australia.

After weathering often violent, mass anti-Beijing protests since last year, China says the new law is aimed at a small minority of troublemakers and will not erode the legal rights making Hong Kong such a popular financial centre.

ECHOES OF 1997 EXODUS

But critics believe it is aimed at quashing dissent and will inevitably erode freedoms under the "one country, two systems" formula agreed when Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997, an event that also sparked an exodus.

READ: Hong Kong national security law: 5 key facts you need to know

The law punishes crimes of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison, and already within hours of its implementation, 10 people were arrested on Wednesday during disturbances.

After a first rush of enquiries about overseas possibilities when China proposed the law on May 21, the volume has surged again over the past 10 days as its implementation happened.

As well as Australia and former colonial ruler Britain, residents are seeking a new life in cheaper countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines. Hong Kong's financial rival Singapore is generating high interest too.

Andrew McNeilis, managing director for Asia at recruitment firm Phaidon International, said his firm had seen strong demand from Hong Kongers for Singapore, while it was becoming harder to convince people to go to the Chinese city.

"The new security law may result in an exodus of local talent," agreed Victor Filamor, partner at executive search firm Stones International in Hong Kong, though he stressed it was too early to know the law's effects.

READ: Australia considering 'safe haven' offer to Hong Kongers

Fuelling the scramble, Britain, Australia, the United States and Taiwan have all proposed measures to help accommodate Hong Kongers looking to resettle.

The day the law came into force, Taiwan opened an office to help Hong Kongers who may wish to go there.

Those looking to relocate to Canada are finding that Ottawa's strict coronavirus controls are making it particularly hard to get in, immigration lawyers told Reuters.

Refugee claims from Hong Kong in the first three months of 2020 did, however, nearly triple to 25 compared to all of 2019, Canadian government data shows.

Stung by the offers of help for Hong Kong's people, China has warned foreign governments against meddling.

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2020-07-03 21:27:59Z
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What happens with UK path to citizenship if China won’t recognise it? - South China Morning Post

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What happens with UK path to citizenship if China won’t recognise it? South China Morning Post
World should stand up to China over Hong Kong: Activist Nathan Law CNA
HSBC pledges more investments in China even as tension escalates over Hong Kong The Straits Times
China’s national security law in Hong Kong doubles down on imperialism The Washington Post
Britain can't protect Hong Kong from China – but it can do right by its people The Guardian
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2020-07-03 15:30:18Z
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What happens with UK path to citizenship if China won’t recognise it? - South China Morning Post

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

What happens with UK path to citizenship if China won’t recognise it? South China Morning Post
World should stand up to China over Hong Kong: Activist Nathan Law CNA
Hong Kong Bar Association 'gravely concerned' by security law Yahoo Singapore News
Britain can't protect Hong Kong from China – but it can do right by its people The Guardian
Mary Dejevsky: Hong Kong is a powder keg ready to explode – but it's events happening off the island that make it so volatile The Independent
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