Hong Cong Umbrella Revolution of 2014 and 2019

• Introduction
• Discreditation of any genuine social protest by USA color revolution technology
• Is Hong Cong a cleft region?
• Loyalty of elite, especially comprador elite, in any neoliberal state in not automatic ;-)
• Role of students and "rector revolt" ; University administration and "grant-eating" professors as a Trojan horse of color revolutions.
• Analogies with EuroMaidan and steps of color revolution that were already replicated
• Chronology (Wikipedia)

Introduction

You can view color revolutions from two positions - idealistic and realistic.

• According to the idealists, in international politics the USA is defending ideals, often acting in altruistic way. If, for example, the Americans go to war in Iraq, they do it for the benefit of the Iraqis, because for American politicians it is extremely important that in Iraq flourished freedom and democracy ;-). In other words the USA was "sowing the seeds of democracy" in Iraq at great expense and sacrifice. So like previously the USSR was trying to bring the benefits of communism to other nations, the USA does now the same with "democracy", forcefully bringing it to other nations. Sometimes on the tips of bayonets and with the help of "democratizing bombings" or drone strikes.
• According to the realists, however, the great powers have their own interests in the sphere of economy and security, according to which they operate. The term "democracy promotion" in thicase can be deconstructed as a propaganda term used to promote the key state interests of the USA and EU but which include transnational economic integration, control over regional energy production and distribution, NATO membership and security initiatives, as well as isolation of Russia. If, for example, the USA elite was lying to the world that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, it does so in order to start an invasion. Because it has economic interests in Iraq, and wants to get better access to Iraq's oil, international laws be damned. This ‘realist’ aspect of U.S. foreign policy has led to aggressive pursuit of regime change in socialist or nationalist states but has tended to leave alone "friendly" states that routinely violate fundamental human rights. To accomplish that a jingoistic hysteria is created, so thick smoke screen of disinformation from MSM brainwash the majority of the USA population into full support of this action of "regime change" from cruel dictator Saddam Hussein. At the end one million of Iraqis were "fully democratized" and a several hundred thousand crippled US solders will burden the US social security system up to their death costing probably another trillion dollars to the US population, which was taken for a ride by small but well financed and well-connected group of US neocons such as Richard ‘Dick’ Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle, William Kristol, Robert Kagan.

  As senator Sanders noted:

  "...We are here today because of the disastrous blunder of the Bush-Cheney era, which got us into this war in Iraq in the first place, which then developed the can of worms that we're trying to deal with right now."

  "We have been at war for 12 years, we have spent trillions of dollars," he added. "We have 500,000 men and women who have come home with PTSD and [traumatic brain injuries]. What I do not want, and what I fear very much is the United States getting sucked into a quagmire, and being involved in perpetual warfare year after year after year. That is my fear."

Here is a small dialog between two Guardian commenters, which reflects those two points of view (The Guardian, Oct 10, 2016):

GeorgeSherban, 10 October 2014 11:41am

To some extent, you could say that the motives of the US government are altruistic. Of course there will also be strategic reasons for intervening.

Whether it is advisable or not is another matter.

Chanelle47 -> GeorgeSherban , 10 October 2014 12:00pm

Altruistic is the last thing they are. Why did the US launch an Iraq War 2.0 in the early 2000? At various points it was because Saddam cause 9/11, because of the Taliban, because of Al Qaida, because Saddam had weapons of mass destruction (tee hee). Then, a couple of years in, it wasn't any of those things. It became about "sowing the seeds of democracy" in Iraq.

It was all bullshit. One thing you can be sure of: if a politician's lips are moving in regard to Iraq, Isis or terror then what is coming out is never the truth. Their buddies in The Press merely amplify, obfuscate and confuse as required and to order.

We can observe similar two modes of coverage of Hong Cong color revolution. Idealists in Western MSM see the spread of freedom and democracy like was in the case of EuroMaidan, Libya and before that in Serbia, Georgia, Turkmenistan and Moldovia. While realists consider this as a geopolitical clash of powers in the struggle for influence, an attempt to show Chinese elite its place, by hitting China in its soft belly.

While to understand dynamic of Hong Cong revolution without knowledge of the language and living on the island is really difficult, so far, judging from MSM and alternative press reporting, it looks like yet another color revolution. Someone really should probably compile the "Regime Change Dictionary" and "Regime Change Blueprint" to simplify analysis of such events despite the smoke screen of Western MSM propaganda, which always promote idealists position.

In reality, color revolutions usually has nothing to do with the democracy and often bring topower brutal dictators or far right nationalists, disguised as democrats. Typically they are dirty wars of imperial expansion of neoliberal capitalism fought with dupes and fifth column hands with full support of World Bank, IMF and other controlled by neoliberals international institutions. And they far less costly then conventional wars. For example February coup in Ukraine cost a tiny fraction of the cost of Iraq war and did not resulted in any US troops casualties. But the goal of subduing the country as essentially achieved. They are also the only type of wars possible against major nuclear powers such as China or Russia.

From the point of view of the level of inequality Hong Cong is by definition is a power keg. in 2007 it has had the highest Gini coefficient in the world:

Gini score: 43.4
GDP 2007 (US$ billions): 207.2
Share of income or expenditure (%)

• Poorest 10%: 2.0
• Richest 10%: 34.9

Ratio of income or expenditure, share of top 10% to lowest 10%: 17.8

Renowned for its high concentration of Rolls-Royces, expensive real estate, and posh shops, the Chinese special administrative region has plenty of rich who enjoy showing off their wealth. However, Hong Kong also has one of the largest public housing sectors in the world, with about half the population living in government-supported or -subsidized housing estates. The city has no minimum wage — except for domestic helpers from the Philippines, Indonesia, and other countries.

There is also a deep and troubling analogy between EuroMaidan. Here is something that you need to be aware of:

1. The EU (of which GB is a part) and the US were treacherous entities which positioned themselves outside the law. Their explicit goal was the "regime change" via color revolution. They willfully and blatantly discarded the agreement between Yanukovich government and opposition dated February 21, 2014.
2. The EU and the United States immediately recognized the coup d'état leaders as a legitimate government. And this is in a country with working general election mechanism and elections schedules in less then two years.
3. Later in similar circumstances the EU and the US do not recognize the people's will in the Donbass.
4. Actually three points above is all the you need to know to put in proper context Hong Cong events and "leading Western democracies".

 Discreditation of any genuine social protest by USA color revolution technology

In any case using color revolutions for regime change by the USA discredited ingenious protests movements in countries like China and Russia, to the extent that now the first natural reaction is crying "color revolution, watch out the USA machinations!" even at movements that are chiefly based on real grievances.

Any modern "pro-democracy movement" now is embedded in a complex matrix of money, subterfuge, foreign influence, oligarchic clans war, propaganda, and manipulation by foreign actors. It can be easily hijacked and misused by color revolution strategists at NED and similar organizations (who are actually very good at their craft).

Here are a couple of pretty telling comments:

Guest77 | Oct 5, 2014 6:52:31 PM | 84

I don't see what any personal sympathies with the protestors even matters. Sure, we all want people to be able to fight for their rights and have the government they want, but right now there is a larger priority, and that is making sure that the world maintains a multipolar political structure. The importance of a multipolar world outweighs even our desire to see vocal minorities to take to the streets, I think. (And these are vocal minorites, no doubt).

I think, as "westerners" we have to support the group that will insure the independence of the state in question. We cannot support any group that looks to the US as a model or a hope, because we here know better than anyone that this is a sham. And any group that panders to the US and it's citizens via social media has to immediately be suspect.

Sloppy always comes to crow about how much b hates America. I don't think b "hates" the USA, but he is certainly right to make the USAs aggressive moves toward hegemony the key focus of all of his posts, and right to make a stand against this issue over all others because it is truly the gravest threat the world faces today.

- if the emergence of liberal freedom in every corner of the world means it's sure evaporation from all parts very soon after (which will surely occur if the USA achieves total global domination) we cannot support this. We will only see real opportunities for peace, political expression, and true democracy only after the US is prevented from perverting these good things into instruments of its domination. But until then, the independence of foreign governments is far more important for world peace, stability, and prosperity than the rights of a few minorities to threaten their governments in Russia, China, or Iran.

guest77 | Oct 5, 2014 7:23:42 PM | 86

@84 And of course for inside "the west" the exact opposite holds true. We should support any protests, any movement that attempts to degrade the aggressive capabilities of the US Empire, because this will allow real democracy and prosperity to flourish in more places around the world.

No one can claim that countries like Russia, China, Brazil, India and Iran - where standards of living are rising and the governments have the broad support of the people - are "dictatorships".

Just like no one of any honesty should call the banker dominated oligarchy like the United States, where cash determines every election down to the lowest rungs on the political ladder - a "democracy".

Demian | Oct 6, 2014 3:14:41 AM | 100

@brian #95:

Gee, you seem to follow Project pretty closely. I have no such inclination.

As I said before, all one needs to do is watch the Maidan girl video and then the Occupy central video, both of which you directed us to, to see that what is going on in Hong Kong is just another attempted color revolution.

Another link, obtained from the link guest77 gave at #89:

US State Dept Funding and Occupy Central, the Ties that Bind

This is the most through demonstration of how Occupy Central is just the US State Department being up to its usual tricks that I have seen so far. The post the Saker put up today, in which a Hong Konger explains why he does not support Occupy Central, is also worth reading.

Analogy of Hong cong event with Ukrainian EuroMaidan events run so deep that sometimes it looks like the same blueprint was used in Hong Cong as in Kiev.

Is Hong Cong a cleft region?

Cleft regions or countries are areas that contain large groups of people identifying with different civilizations, for examples India (with Hindu majority and large Muslim minority), and Ukraine (with Catholic-dominated, nationalistic and pro-Western Western section and its pro-Russian Orthodox-dominated East).

The question is: can we consider Hong Cong to be a cleft county with people identifying themselves both with Anglo-Saxon and traditional Chinese civilization? I think students are more exposed to Anglo-Saxon civilization and its values that the rest of population. It would be interesting to have statistics of cosmetic "europeization" surgeries for Hong Cong young woman, especially students and especially the percentage of Catholics who took part in the protest.

Many members of "old" Hong cong elite feel threatened by influx of mainlanders ( The Leaf Chronicle )

Joseph Cheng, 64, a political science professor at City University of Hong Kong who was arrested at Sunday's protest and held for 12 hours, said,

"We want to uphold our core values, our lifestyle and our dignity. We don't want to be reduced to an ordinary big city in mainland China."

Huntington’s contention that civilization clashes are inevitable within cleft countries, and that such countries are inherently instable and fragile. The augments he uses are somewhat similar to Amartya Sen’s discussion in ‘Identity & Violence' and they are interesting although not totally convincing.

Huntington suggests that people’s cultural (which include religious as a part) identities will be the primary source of conflict in the post-cold war world. He argues that civilizations forms highest rank of cultural identity. Due to increased contacts between each other and modern communications, people have become civilization conscious. As a result, post dissolution of the USSR politics (post Cold War politics) are dominated by these civilization oriented conflicts.

Huntington’s civilization categories are

1. Western;
2. Latin American;
3. Orthodox (Russia and parts of the xUUSR);
4. Buddhist,
5. Chinese,
6. Hindu,
7. Japonica civilization;
8. Islam;
9. African civilization except Ethiopia and Haiti (who he think are no-civilization countries);
10. Israel.

Critics have pointed to superciliousness of the civilization classification. This aspect was well catched in The wider concerns of Hong Kong's protesters ( bbc.com, Oct 3,  2014 )

"For middle class residents, many with passports to other countries, that's a choice they can make. But, as Mr Xie points out, many young Hong Kongers educated after 1997 find themselves trapped. "

For the Hong Kong students thronging the streets of the Central business district this week the issue at stake has been wider democracy.

But for the thousands more young professionals living and working in the city's nearby office blocks, the protests have re-ignited some worrying memories.

It was in the late 1980s or early 90s that many Hong Kong families took out citizenship of another country. They were prompted by fears of what might happen after the 1997 handover of Hong Kong from the UK back to China.

Quotes

"That's a sizeable number of people, even though we are still talking about less than 5% of the population.
Deep down most people are concerned about bread and butter issues” -- Andy Xie, Independent economist

"You have this sector of society who identify with Western values.

"This idea comes into play when you have a situation when people are dissatisfied with Hong Kong - they have this other cultural identity too, and that leads them to think that they can land in another country."

"People are desperate and they are looking for a quick solution - I don't see that coming - so this thing is going to go on” - Andy Xie, Independent economist

In the case of Joyce Man's family it was Canada that provided a temporary refuge; as an insurance policy in case things turned nasty in Hong Kong.

Ms Man, 30, was a teenager at the time of the handover. She moved with her parents and sister to Canada in 1989, and after obtaining Canadian citizenship, they later moved back to Hong Kong.

But now, like many of her contemporaries, Ms Man is thinking about moving again - and this time it could be for good.

"I think like a certain section of the Hong Kong population I grew up with the idea that you can leave," says Ms Man, who is now a writer of a popular blog: Criss Cross Culture.

"Hong Kongers are also outward looking. Before '97 many people left to go to England, Australia , Canada, or the USA.

... ... ...

Veteran Hong Kong and China expert, Jonathan Fenby, was editor of the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong during the handover in 1997.

He says there are many different currents flowing under the surface of the current unhappiness with life in Hong Kong. One of the key issues is the identity of the citizens - how they see themselves.

Mr Fenby points out that surveys of the population by Hong Kong's universities going back over the past 20 years have frequently found that Hong Kong people do not identify themselves as being purely Chinese - most say instead that they are "Hong Kongers" or "Hong Kong Chinese".

And that makes the leadership in Beijing uneasy, he believes.

"A very large proportion of the people living in Hong Kong at the moment are the children or grandchildren of refugees from mainland China," says Mr Fenby.

"This is a more fluid population, and that is not something the authorities in Beijing like very much.

"Because they like the idea of Chinese national unity, Chinese stability and the Han race sticking together - and the Hong Kongers are different."

And it's the feeling that they want to maintain the differences between Hong Kong and China that appears to be driving many Hong Kongers onto the streets. But it could also drive many away from Hong Kong altogether if events take a wrong turn.

For middle class residents, many with passports to other countries, that's a choice they can make. But, as Mr Xie points out, many young Hong Kongers educated after 1997 find themselves trapped.

"It's difficult for the people here to leave now," he says. "Hong Kong introduced mother tongue education in '98 - in Cantonese.

People are less likely to speak either English or Mandarin than before the handover. So it is very difficult for people to emigrate."

"People are desperate and they are looking for a quick solution - I don't see that coming - so this thing is going to go on. ''

Loyalty of elite, especially comprador elite,
in any neoliberal state in not automatic ;-)

The main beneficiaries of corrupt privatization is states such as Russia and Ukraine, commanded significant resources and began to place their own interests above those of the state. This pehnominen is exemplified by the “oligarchs” of Russia and Ukraine. They used their resources and political connections to defend against encroachment. Some parlayed their fortunes into political careers, most often to win a seat in parliament that came with immunity from prosecution. Among them are those who are more connected to global market and those who are less connected to global market. The former created natural based on color revolution support and financing within the country.

Putin's "purge' of Yeltsin "family" somewhat suppressed this phenomena in Russia, but in Ukraine it played in full force.

The second part of non-loyal to the state "cosmopolitan" elite are university professors and administration, especially in typical neoliberalism dominated fields, such as economic, advertizing, public relations, etc.

Hong cong is a classic neoliberal "state within state" and as such it has substantial share of this "comprador" type of elite.

Comprador class is an important concept in the neo-colonial dependence model. It reflects a specific way to force the country to fulfill the demands of capital (aka transnational corporations) of rich countries. They are dependent on the unequal relationship between the centre (the developed countries) and the periphery. Policies of the USA and EU countries are based on support of a small, but powerful elite or comprador class.

The comprador class is consisted of people with strong ties to the West such as export industry owners, financial traders, military and civil top bureaucrats, university professors and administators, professionals with better employment prospects in foreign corporations, such as programmers. Such people often keep their financial assets in Western banks, there families live in Western capitals and their children typically get an education in prestigious Western universities. There is a convergence of the interests of comprador elite with the interests of financial and industrial elite of developed nations. The comprador group serve to inhibit any genuine reform efforts that might benefit the wider population of underdeveloped countries and, due to this service, the group is highly rewarded by the international interest groups including MNC, aid agencies, World Bank and IMF, which are tied allegiance or funding to wealthy capitalist countries.

I think that comprador elite was the central element of the current Hong Cong protests.

Role of students and "rector revolt" ; University administration and "grant-eating" professors as a Trojan horse of color revolutions.

Importance of "guiding" students into protest movement was recognized by Marxists long ago. For example in 1903 Lenin wrote ( The Tasks of the Revolutionary Youth):

“revolutionary sentiment alone cannot bring about ideological unity among the students”, that “this requires a socialist ideal based upon one or another socialist world outlook” and, moreover, “a definite and integral” outlook

This revolutionary (read "regime change" ;-) sentiments are nothing new. The Petrashevsky circle was a group of "anti-regime" intellectuals formed in St. Petersburg in the mid-forties of the eighteen century around M. V. Butashevich-Petrashevsky, a follower of the French utopian socialist Fourier. Among the members were writers, teachers, students, minor government officials, army officers, and so on. While not uniform in their political views, most of them were opponents of the tsarist autocracy and the serf system. Among those connected with the Petrashevsky circle were the writers Dostoyevsky and Saltykov-Shchedrin and the poets Maikov, and Taras Shevchenko.

Like Marxists who long ago recognized the importance of importance of revolutionizing the students and pushing them into social action, neoliberals too work with students to push them to the protests during color revolutions, making them the vanguard of fighters for neoliberal globalization. That was very vividly demonstrated at the beginning stages of Maidan, when the core of protesters were students of Kiev, Lvov and Ivano-Frankovsk universities.

But the most interesting innovation introduced by color revolution technologists here was cooptation of university administration and professors via grant system and expensive foreign trips. This process can be called "rectors revolt" similar to practicing in color revolutions "revolt of diplomats". This allowed students freely attend protests without the danger to the excluded from the university for non-attendance.

Importance of financing and co-opting using money based incentives of the university bureaucracy and "grant-eating" professors, and creating within the universities self-sustained "resistance-centers" and "pro-democracy groups" with its own press outlets is such that it can be viewed as the mother’s milk of such a regime change. In a way the color of any "color revolution" is always green.

That including special training which is often outsourced to members of similar movements from countries with successful color revolution attempts (COLOR REVOLUTIONS AND GEOPOLITICS Template Revolutions Marketing U.S. Regime Change in Eastern Europe (2008))

Youth movements and NGOs were also employed as couriers for regime change. Following the Serbian ‘bulldozer revolution’, several former foreign-trained members of the local Otpor student movement became traveling consultants on non-violent political tactics. The Serbians' trips to those countries were paid, respectively, by NED grantee Freedom House and Soros's Open Society Institute (MacKinnon 2007, 60, 67, 109, 110). Sensing another ‘colour revolution’ opportunity, Otpor advisors began working with Ukraine's opposition as early as 2002 (Bransten 2004).

... ... ...

Anika Binnendijk and Ivan Marovic cite an internal memo written in April 2003 by Yushchenko's Our Ukraine in which his party discusses the importance of preparing a propaganda response to expected vote fraud:

[The elections will] be a game without rules, unprecedented competition of informational, organizational, financial and administrative resources for the regime…we need allies and at least 500,000 active supporters (Binnendijik and Marovic 2006)

... ... ...

In Ukraine, the U.S. spent in 2004 alone about $34 million on regime change initiatives (U.S. Department of State 2004), while Soros pitched in about $1.6 million in support of a local ‘Freedom of Choice’ NGO coalition and Ukraine's ‘New Choice 2004’ (Wilson 2005, 184). The German Marshall Fund of the United States, Freedom House, and the Canadian International Development Agency together provided $130,000 for activist training (Kaskiv, Chupryna and Zolotariov, 2007, 134). Foreign assistance also staked various get-out-the-vote programs, including ‘leaflet campaigns, street theatre, rock concerts, door-to-door campaigns, and karaoke shows’ (Freedom House 2005). The Center for Political and Legal Reforms, financed by various U.S. foundations, linked its website directly to Yushchenko’s home page ‘under the heading “partners”’, USAID brought the group to Washington, D.C. for three weeks of training in ‘political advocacy’ (Kelley 2004)..

...pro-Yushchenko Pora (‘yellow’ faction) student movement was one recipient of USAID and other foreign groups’ support (Kaskiv, Chupryna, Bezverkha, and Zolotariov 2005);

... ... ...

A U.S. plan of transporting activists from one nation to another to teach “revolutionary” electoral tactics may have started in 1997 when the NED arranged a Vienna meeting between Slovakia's oppositionist leader Pavol Demeš and veterans of Bulgaria's recent pro- Western elections. Demes returned home and designed “OK'98,” the Slovakian campaign which brought down Vladimir Mečiar. Demes next went on to train GONG, a Croatian NGO aimed overthrowing Franjo Tudjman (MacKinnon 2007, 31, 34).

... ... ...

Other grants on the NED website include a 2000 grant to the Student Union of Serbia to encourage "greater student involvement…for democratic reform" and a grant to the NDI to help the Alliance for Change publish a newspaper called "Changes."

Students are the social group the most susceptible to "revolution marketing" efforts. The first who realized that were actually Bolsheviks. Now this idea were appropriated by neoliberals (especially neocons, aka neo-Trotskyites) and they became the fodder of color revolutions. 

The deployment of ‘revolutionary’ symbols and slogans, selected for their agitating and mobilising effects, financial support to local media outlets to stir up antagonism, and the foreign training of dissenters and professional organization of dissent are some of the stratagems in regime change initiatives. As local organizers readily admitted, marketing tactics were key to winning over their supporters.

The use of Western-funded exit polls served as a catalyst for protest. On a broader front, the steady flow of anti-government reporting from the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the BBC World Service, and other Western broadcasting media incited activists to take to the streets.

One could add to the template the efforts of U.S. government and private foundation visitor programs for Eastern European politicians, journalists, students, academics, cultural and athletic performers, and others, which tend to animate their support for Western-oriented political, economic, and cultural institutional practices (Roelofs 2003).

Analogies with EuroMaidan and steps of color revolution that were already replicated

• In both case the pretext for the protest was/is artificial. In Ukrainian case this was an association with EU about whom most of the population did not care about (and which Yanukovich actually promised to pursue, only to delay in order to soften the blow to the Ukrainian economy), in case of China this is 2017 elections. So mobilization about this cause is possible only if huge money are injected and professors at universities and MSM are bought (or belonging to the competing clan which stands for regime change via the color revolution and contribute money and their media assets to the "cause" such as Poroshenko and Kolomoyski in Ukraine).

  @61- I think Tony Cartalucci speaks for some of us The myriad of growing lies surrounding the US-engineered chaos in Hong Kong's streets is but one part of a much larger, long-term campaign to contain, co-opt, or collapse China's political order, and replace it once again with Balkanized colonial proxies.

  http://www.">http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/2014/10/hong-kong-strikes-back-west-attempts-to.html"

  Posted by: Nana2007 | Oct 4, 2014 11:46:18 PM | 63

• Like Ukraine Hong Cong has real problems and neoliberal rule which lead to enrichments of oligarchs, impoverishing of the rest of population and shrinking of middle class is a rich source of discontent.
• Student uprising based on real grievances, but financed and supported by the the US and local "Agents of influence" including university administration, professors and some oligarchs.
• The pro-democracy movement is coordinated and financed by a group of clever, determined, and ruthless oligarchs as well as "grant-eaters" anong University administratin and professors, who are using the student demonstrations as foot solders of a sophisticated power struggle between competing clans within the Hong Kong government as was the case with EuroMaidan. See EuroMaidan "Revolt of rectors"
  • What the Ukrainian protests mean - University World News by Serhiy K
  • How Kyiv universities react to Euromaidan
  • Kyiv Mohyla Academy Leads Students in Support of EU Association and Democratic Rights – Kyiv Mohyla Foundation of America
  • Rector of Kyiv Politechnical University said on his page in Vkontakte social network that he will lead the column of his students to Maidan personally.
    • Rector of the biggest university of Ukraine talks about Euromaidan - YouTube
  • Rector of UCU ‘The peace on EuroMaidan is a manifestation of the great maturity and morality of our society’
• Completely unrealistic and fuzzy demands are put forward by protesters. Sometimes it looks like protest for the sake of protest. A continual escalation of pressure and demands against the Hong Kong government. According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

  The stated goals of the HKFS and Scholarism are:

  • Universal suffrage
  • The resignation of Chief Executive CY Leung
  • The withdrawal of the decision of the National People's Congress Standing Committee
  • The submission of a new electoral reform plan that includes civil nomination of Hong Kong's Chief Executive

• Instant and powerful media campaign in Western MSM in support of umbrella revolution. With the standard in both Ukraine and Hong Cong message like

  The mass movement has been the biggest challenge to Beijing since the former British colony was handed over in 1997, highlighting people's concerns that its freedoms and identity are being whittled away."

  And with some similar to EuroMaidan fakes like:

  Chinese american | Oct 5, 2014 3:56:08 PM | 82

  @67 Demian

  At least for a picture, look no further than the good old BBC. As of right now, their front page is leading with a story entitled Hong Kong protesters regroup at main protest sites. On the BBC front page, the story comes with this picture (which it's used inside the article itself, curiously enough.)

  The captions say "Hong Kong protesters regroup", and "Demonstrators in Hong Kong appear to be withdrawing from some protest sites and regrouping at the main site outside government buildings". But see that banner with three rows of Chinese writing in the middle of the photo? From top to bottom, they read:

  • "slaves to foreigners, cannon fodder"
  • "you don't know your own good fortune"
  • "pitiful and sad"

  In other words, these are anti-Occupy Central protesters. But the BBC, at least on its front page, is pretending that none of its readers can read Chinese.
  

• Standard and pretty predictable demand of the US State Department to avoid violence ( Kerry is not that imaginative and repeated his Ukrainian template almost word-to-word. In both cases he in strong words asked the authorities to show restraint and not disperce the protest by force:

  Kerry has called on HK police to show restraint over the “pro-democracy” movement.")

• Same propaganda templates is reused: For example a video where a pretty Chinese girl in Hong Kong speaks of freedom, one-to-one repeats a video where pretty Ukrainian Kyiv Maidan says almost the same words

  brian | Oct 2, 2014 5:44:16 PM | 193

  @188

  very interesting, as is this comment left by someone

  Do you remember the "please help us" video clip from Ukraine?

  Here it is:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgpELf-0X8E

  And here you have another "please help us" video. This time from Hong-Kong.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vvxlGUki7U

  Did you notice any similarities? :)

  also its 'open' societies that are more prone to penetration/infiltration by foreign powers

• Systematic usage of tents for marking presence and gradual "enhancement of protesters gear (2014 Hong Kong protests - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
  • 18 October
  • Clashes resumed in Mong Kok as protesters donning hard hats and protective gear made of baby mats fought off police officers armed with batons. 20 injuries were reported.
    
• Accusations of police brutality, claims and photos of injuries (some in Maidan were staged), plants and government hired goons are used to justify continuation and escalation of the protests (Reshaping Resistance Media, Manipulation, & the New Real - Part 1 )

  Protesters accused the mainland government of hiring goons including the Triad attackers, anti-protests plants, and provocateurs. Protesters have identified via online communication police officers masquerading as O.C. members. These faux O.C. members went as far as being photographed negotiating with police officials. Additionally, groups of pro-Beijing supporters – who berated, harassed, and even attacked (i.e. – pelting them with vegetables) O.C. members – also included people identified as police officials. These alleged pro-Beijing plants were seen as adding insult to injury, with the injury coming from the excessive use of police violence – captured on film and in pictures posted on the #OccupyCentral Twitter page.

  

  Footage from the local television channel TVB shows that during the operation, one protester, later identified as volunteer social worker and Civic Party member Ken Tsang, was carried into a secluded location with his hands tied behind his back, and then punched, kicked and stamped on repeatedly by about six police officers in rotation. The beating lasted for about four minutes.^{[104][105][106][107]} The video clips have been transmitted internationally and provoked outrage; Amnesty International called for the prosecution of the police officers involved. Hong Kong's secretary for security, Lai Tung-kwok, announced that "the officers involved will be temporarily removed from their current duties."^[104][105] Reporters at the scene said that journalists were treated no differently to protesters.^[108] One reporter alleged that he was grabbed, kicked and punched by police officers, who ignored his protestations that he was a journalist.^[109]

  TVB capture video of 6 policemen carrying protester to corner & beating him for almost 4 mins while he is on ground https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvsrEF3gp-U …

  7:30 PM - 14 Oct 2014

• Fake "official" leaders and extensive shadow network supporting and financing protests. One example here is some "superbright" 17 years old student, who looks more like a Hollywood promotion then real leader of the protest (somewhat similar to pro-European boxing champion Klitschko in case on EuroMaidan, who is unable to connect two words in political disputes).

  While real puppeteers including some oligarchs try to stay in shadow and financing channels remain unknown and well protected (in case of Maidan cash was flown in via diplomatic mail). some oligarchs alrady surfaced:

  China Matters has written on an interesting character in this story, "Next Media boss and China pariah Jimmy Lai Chee-ying."

  Including:

  • According to earlier reports, Lai and Paul Wolfowitz went on a five-day visit to Burma in June last year.
  • Wolfowitz, a former Pentagon operative (Iraq war) and World Bank president, is with American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a capitalist-promoting think tank.
  • Lai and Wolfowitz boarded a yacht in Sai Kung on May 27 and were not seen again for five hours.
  • Lai has donated more than HK$40 million to the pan-democratic camp and legislators in Hong Kong since 2012.

  Read about Lai here and here.

• Accusations of any anti-protester forces being government thugs, hired and paid for attacks on protesters criminals (Hong Kong protests The umbrella revolution faces a time-honored tactic) :

  But it looks as if Chinese authorities are in no mood for compromise or delay. Two days after an editorial in the government’s official People’s Daily threatened “unimaginable” consequences if the protests continue, the “occupy” movement’s camps came under attack from pro-government crowds, which the protesters suspect are “rent-a-mobs mobilized by pro-Beijing factions in the city.” The Mong Kok area, where some of the worst scuffles took place, is “notorious for organized gangs known as triads,” the New York Times notes.

  If these are, in fact, hired thugs, it’s just the latest iteration of a time-honored tactic. In recent years, anti-government demonstrators have been met by violent “patriots” of mysterious origin in Egypt, Ukraine, Thailand, and mainland China.

  The tactic also fits in perfectly with the government’s propaganda strategy. Beijing and the Hong Kong government have been throwing around warnings that the protests would lead to chaos and unrest. From all accounts, the protesters have been exceedingly well-behaved, but the promised chaos has now been provided. Simply having the police use force to clear away the protesters might risk turning neutral residents against the government. This way, there’s enough plausible deniability for the Hong Kong government to appear to be the reasonable party amid all the unrest. Leung has offered talks with the protesters, though given that he says he’s not resigning, and Beijing isn’t going to back down on its proposed election rules, it’s not clear what those talks will accomplish. The government also got an assist from the weather: There was a heavy rain on Friday.

  For now, it looks like the Chinese government has the upper hand over the umbrella revolution, but it’s a fast-moving situation. Hosni Mubarak and Viktor Yanukovych probably also thought un-uniformed tough guys would calm things down for them.

• Standard and pretty noticeable development in Guardian forums -- accusation skeptics by Langleybots of being Putinbots (or Chinabots in this case ;-):

  And accusations in the comments of Putinbots metamorphosing into Chinabots are now already appearing.

  Langleybots at work?

• Established connections between protest leaders and the USA "democracy promotion" organization such as NED. Strong denials of financing of protests by NED and similar "democracy promotion" organizations which only increase the suspicion.

  okie farmer | Oct 5, 2014 6:30:43 AM | 75

  denk, from your link:
  

  It may be recalled that the covert political action set-up consisting of the NED, the IRI, the NDI, the CIPE and the FTUI was set up during the Ronald Reagan Administration on the recommendation of Mr.Bob Casey, who subsequently became the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The late Casey saw this as a way of the US developing an effective political action capability against unfriendly regimes without circumventing the post-Watergate Congressional curbs on CIA covert actions against foreign political leaders.

  In other words, the NED, and the other above mentioned agencies, are part and parcel of the deep state.

• Protesters ignore the call of authorities to disperse, despite the threat of violence. That means the a social circuit of "protest movement' was established and entrenched among students as well as supported by "significant other" grant-receiving professors, so that any step back is considered by student as serious threat of his/her social reputation.
• There is significant "color revolution" supporting infrastructure in Hong Hong including legacy of GB rule of the island which make the region an example of cleft region. Like was the case of EuroMaidan, level of infiltration can bee judged high or very high; Hong Cong is still full of 'agent of influence" of GB and USA which can affect behaviour of local authorities, or are bureaucrats within the local authorities), despite all efforts of mainland government.

  denk | Oct 5, 2014 12:10:58 AM | 65

  OleImmigrant 15

  *The cultivation of subversion against PRC in HK has long been around, since at least the early 1980's.*

  hk is the launch pad of so many destabilisation plots.
  the attempt on chinese premier zhou enlai's life was executed in hk.
  *In 1955, the Bandung summit was the scene of a number of U.S. journalists who were actually CIA agents who attempted to disrupt the conference. Using Nationalist Chinese assets, the CIA also attempted to assassinate Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai at the conference. On April 11, 1965, an Air India Lockheed L-749A Constellation, the "Kashmir Princess," exploded from a bomb placed on board while flying over the South China Sea en route from Bombay and Hong Kong to Jakarta. Scheduled to be on board the aircraft was Zhou Enlai but he changed his travel plans at the last minute. Sixteen passengers and crew, including five Chinese journalists, a Polish journalist, an Austrian journalist, a Hong Kong journalist, and a member of the North Vietnamese delegation to Bandung, were killed when the plane exploded. The bomb on the plane was placed by a Nationalist Chinese agent on the CIA's payroll. The Nationalist agent, Chow Tse-ming, operated under the cover of the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company and he was ex filtrated from Hong Kong to Taiwan aboard a plane owned by the CIA proprietary company Civil Air Transport, a forerunner to Air America. The bomb was American made and used an MK-7 detonator of U.S. manufacture.
  http://abundanthope.net/pages/Political_Information_43/Jakarta-Warning-to-prospective-CIA-agents.shtml
  http://www.hkmemory.org/haeco/en/story/part-3/?story=35

• Standard ways of escalation of the protest into violence are available. It would be interesting to see at what stage snipers will enter the picture in this color revolution.

The first to realize this deep, step-by-step analogy of the blueprint of this color revolution and EuroMaidan were social sites that were active in analyzing EuroMaidan. Here are some interesting early comments from marknesop.wordpress.com

Fern, September 30, 2014 at 5:17 am

...There’s a never-ending, never-satiated appetite in the West for articles like the one by Lilia Shevtsova you deconstruct so well. It’s a real cottage industry and one that probably pays quite well. These screeds are always fact-free zones but are received as though handed down on tablets of stone from the mountain and quoted and re-quoted as unimpeachable sources. A comment on the appalling intellectual vacuousness of the West as much as anything else – it’s just supply and demand.

Today’s going to be interesting. The mandarins of the EU are meeting to ‘review’ the ceasefire in Ukraine – if they’re happy with it, they may lift some sanctions on Russia.

And, in other news, right on cue, HRW issues a statement calling on the Hong Kong authorities not to use force against the protestors there – a sure sign the latest colour revolution is up and running. Since CR@2 seem to involve far more violence than CR@1, so HK could be in for rocky times.

This has appeared on ‘Moon of Alabama’ but is worth repeating here – the National Endowment of Democracy’s 2012 funding of the very subject that’s now in the news.

National Democratic Institute for International Affairs - $460,000

To foster awareness regarding Hong Kong’s political institutions and constitutional reform process and to develop the capacity of citizens – particularly university students – to more effectively participate in the public debate on political reform, NDI will work with civil society organizations on parliamentary monitoring, a survey, and development of an Internet portal, allowing students and citizens to explore possible reforms leading to universal suffrage.

(Extract from NED’s 2102 Annual Report)

All a happy coincidence, no doubt.

marknesop , October 1, 2014 at 9:08 pm

Ummmm….who is the democratic freedomizer waiting in Hong Kong’s wings? To the best of my knowledge there is no Chinese Navalny. Who have the “peaceful protesters” got in mind if Leung resigns (which I very much doubt he will)?

China better not dick around with this, because you know what’s next if the street mobs don’t get it done. Cue the rooftop snipers.

Moscow Exile, October 1, 2014 at 10:32 pm

So it’s started!

Kerry has called on HK police to show restraint over the “pro-democracy” movement.

So I suppose they can start lobbing Molotov cocktails at them now, knowing that “the Americans are with us”, as they liked to chant in the Ukraine.

China is not pleased.

The Grauniad reports a report by a press agency, and a French one to boot:

Hong Kong protests: China warns US not to meddle in ‘internal affairs’

Moscow Exile, October 1, 2014 at 10:45 pm

And accusations in the comments of Putinbots metamorphosing into Chinabots are now already appearing.

Langleybots at work?

astabada , October 2, 2014 at 1:50 am

I think we’ll see two key differences vis-a-vis the Ukraine:

1. The difference between a country thoroughly infiltrated by Western agents and one which is not
2. The difference between a true leadership and an oligarchy of crooks.

yalensis, October 2, 2014 at 2:33 am

Expect to see mysterious “snipers” show up at some point, to stir the pot.

Moscow Exile, October 2, 2014 at 2:44 am

Nay, before that happens that old fart McCain has to fly in and say to them “America is with you!”

yalensis, October 2, 2014 at 3:29 am

A cia-bot named “jecoz” posts this inane comment:

Here we go another home-grown rebellion against a dictatorship and the leftist faithful blame America instead of supporting those who dare to defy an unelected tyrant. Message to china and her guardianista lackeys: the US has nothing to do with this. Just try to resist the temptation to bring in the tanks and run over people please.

Which is responded to by “JiminNH” (2 OCT 3:51 AM), with supporting links, regarding the ties of the Chinese dissidents with U.S. State Dept.

Are you so sure about your assertions? Did you actually inquire into the facts before making that definitive statement?

If so, you missed the following articles from April 2014 regarding two of the foremost protest leaders (Anson Chan and Marin Lee) meeting with US VP Joe Biden:

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1466666/beijing-upset-after-martin-lee-and-anson-chan-meet-joe-biden-white

http://www.worldtribune.com/2014/04/14/china-gets-vulgar-white-house-meeting-hong-kong-pro-democracy-leaders/

You also missed this about Occupy Central leader Prof. Benny Tai and his several year relationship with the US State Dept’s National Endowment for Democracy and the National Democratic Institute: http://journal-neo.org/2014/10/01/hong-kong-s-occupy-central-is-us-backed-sedition/

(…)

In other words, this is CRC (“Colour Revolution Classic”) at its best, Gene Sharp style.

With Jen Psaki mewing about the lovely winsome students seeking democracy, etc.

The 18-year-old Chinese freshmen are admittedly a tad more winsome than grizzled old Ukrainian Nazis like Tahnybok; however, in the latter case, Psaki had to improvise and just toss in whatever debris she had in her scrap heap; whereas, the storyboard arc for the Chinese revolution seems to have been better plotted out over a longer period of time.

Jen, October 2, 2014 at 5:30 am

That bespectacled geeky student leader Joshua Wong and his Scholarism group are said to be receiving money from the US Consulate in HK and secret American donors. I’ve heard also that another of those Occupy Central leaders, Jimmy Lai, has met with Paul Wolfowitz in the past.

Analogy with EuroMaidan was also early on noted by commenters to Moon of Alabama first post on the subject -- The (NED Financed) Hong Kong Riots (Sep 29. 2014):

The alleged issue in question is the election of new Hong Kong chief executive in 2017. According to Hong Kong's basic law, which was implemented when Britain gave up its dictatorship over the colony, there will be universal suffrage - everyone will be allowed to vote - but the candidates for the position will have to go through some pre-screening by a commission. This is what China had promised and this is what the students, falsely claiming that China is backtracking from its promises, want to change.

brian | Oct 2, 2014 6:51:54 AM | 170

Andrew Korybko
1 hr ·

Gene Sharp's protégé, Jamila Raqib, coauthored an op-ed in Huffington Post advertising the fact that the 'Albert Einstein Institute's' destabilization tactics are being used in Hong Kong.

I've read every one of Sharp's major works and they are designed, even in his own words, to topple governments. He has written strategic guiding manuals on how to achieve this.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-shank/why-hong-kongs-occupycent_b_5906184.html

Hong Kong is not a protest, it is a Color Revolution. Well-intentioned individuals are being duped to join a movement aimed at overthrowing the authorities through a soft coup (for now), in a move that has never happened before in modern China. Legitimate grievances are being exploited by a revolutionary core and their cohorts to bring as many peaceful civilians into the fracas for use as human shields, in the hope that this will guarantee their own security amids the crackdown that some of them are trying to provoke.

My full analysis on this event will be forthcoming in the next couple of days on Oriental Review
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10104993491934055&id=12462833

brian | Oct 2, 2014 5:44:16 PM | 193

@188

very interesting, as is this comment left by someone

Do you remember the "please help us" video clip from Ukraine?

Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgpELf-0X8E

And here you have another "please help us" video. This time from Hong-Kong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vvxlGUki7U

Did you notice any similarities? :)

also its 'open' societies that are more prone to penetration/infiltration by foreign powers

Demian | Oct 2, 2014 6:30:51 PM | 196

@brian #193:

Brilliant catch! The juxtaposition of those two videos tells you everything you need to know about the Hong Kong riots. That comment deserves to be front paged. (I still don't think that snipers will be used in Hong Kong, though.)

As is the case with ISIS, MoA is turning out to be my most useful source of information.

For the Euromaidan video, I used the Youtube comment translation feature for the first time: very nice. Since the vast majority of commenters are Polish, it comes as no surprise that most comments are very stupid.

... ... ...

Chronology

From 2014 Hong Kong protests - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

26 September[edit]

Having received a Notice of No Objection approving the assembly that day between 00:01 to 23:59, protesters proceeded to gather in Tim Mei Road in the forecourt at the eastern entrance of the Central Government Offices.^[29] At around 22:30 on 26 September, up to 100 protesters led by Joshua Wong, the Convenor of Scholarism, went to "reclaim" the privatised Civic Square for the public by clambering over the fence of the square; they tried to tear down the metal barriers around the central flag podium.^[30] The police force mobilised on Civic Square and started to physically carry away the protesters two hours afterwards.^[31][32]

27 September[edit]

At 00:45 on 27 September, a large police force surrounded protesters at the centre of the Civic Square. At first, the police allowed protesters to leave voluntarily if they showed their personal identification documents. For those who refused to leave, each was carried away by at least four police officers. Protesters in the Square included secondary students and their parents, as well as representatives from student organisations. At 1:20am, the police applied pepper spray to the crowd near the Legislative Council, with some secondary students injured. From the evening of September until the following midnight, 13 people were arrested including Joshua Wong, who was detained for over 40 hours.^[33] He was released after the High Court unconditionally approved his lawyers' writ of habeas corpus.^[34][35]

At 1:30 pm, the police force carried out the second round of clearance during which 48 men and 13 women, aged between 17 and 58, were taken into custody for forcible entry into government premises and unlawful assembly.^[36] A 27-year-old man was also arrested for possession of an offensive weapon. All the arrested were detained at the Police College in Wong Chuk Hang. The police spokesman declared the assembly outside the Central Government Complex at Tim Mei Avenue illegal, and advised citizens against participating in the assembly, passing by or getting close to that area. The arrested demonstrators, including Legislative Councillor Leung Kwok-hung and some HKFS members, were released around 9 pm. However, HKFS representatives Alex Chow Yong-kang and Lester Shum were detained for 30 hours.^[37] The police later cleared the assembly, arresting a total of 78 people who ranged from 16 to 58 years of age.^[38][39]

28 September[edit]

At 1:40am, Benny Tai, one of the initiators of the Occupy Central movement, announced the beginning of Occupy Central at a rally taking place the Central Government Complex at Tim Mei Avenue.^[40][41] Occupy Central had been widely expected to start on 1 October, but was accelerated to capitalise on the mass student presence.^[40] The Occupy Central movement similarly demanded the immediate withdrawal of the decision on political reform by the National People's Congress Standing Committee, and immediate public consultation on the issue.^[42] Later that day it was reported that at least 34 people had been injured in that day's protests.^[43]

Later that morning, protests escalated as police blocked roads and bridges entering Tim Mei Avenue. Protest leaders called upon citizens to come to Admiralty to encircle the police force.^[44] Tensions at the junction of Tim Mei Avenue and Harcourt Road kept rising after several jostles which ended up with the usage of pepper spray. As night fell, armed riot police advanced gradually from Wanchai toward Admiralty. As the police progressed towards Central and Sheung Wan, a police officer unfurled a black banner that stated "Warning, Tear Smoke". At that point, shots of tear gas were fired, and protesters hastily distributed masks and bottles of water amongst themselves.^[45] The first few tear gas canisters were fired by armed riot police which were surrounded at around 6 pm.^[46][47] Protesters retreated to Admiralty. The tear gas used against apparently unarmed and peaceful protesters was cited by the media as a trigger for anger and more citizens joining the protests.^[48] Tens of thousands of citizens joined in the protest in reaction to the firing of tear gas and built up new strongholds in Causeway Bay and Mong Kok, two major commercial areas of Hong Kong.^[49][50]

According to police spokesmen, officers exercised "maximum tolerance," and tear gas was used only after protesters refused to disperse and "violently charged".^[51][52] The police confirmed that they had fired tear gas 87 times.^[53] The media recalled that last time Hong Kong police had used tear gas was on Korean protesters during the 2005 World Trade Organization conference.^[47][51]

29 September[edit]

With the closure of Admiralty Station and the use of tear gas, many citizens joined in the protests and went to other parts of the city, including Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, Mong Kok, and universities.^[54] At dawn after the night of tear gas, the number of protesters that remained in the occupation area was more or less the same. Yet police had changed their strategy, easing their defence level; some police negotiation cadres were at the occupation areas to negotiate with protesters to urge them to leave. A police spokesperson announced that 89 protesters had been arrested. There were 41 casualties, including 12 police.^[55]

On 29 September, Carrie Lam announced that the second round of public consultations on political reform, originally planned to be completed by the end of the year, would be postponed. Also, the annual National Day fireworks celebration on 1 October was announced to be cancelled.^[56]

1 October[edit]

Joshua Wong and several Scholarism members attended the National Day flag raising ceremony at the Golden Bauhinia Square, having undertaken not to shout slogans or make any gestures during the flag raising. Instead, the students faced away from the flag to show their discontent. District councillor Paul Zimmerman opened a yellow umbrella in protest inside the reception after the ceremony.^[57][58][59]

2 October[edit]

Activists lay siege to the Central Government Headquarters in Tim Mei Avenue. Over the end of the first week, protesters alleged that the police made use of ambulances and trucks to bring weapons, such as tear gas canisters, into the headquarters buildings.^[60] Subsequently, protesters have demanded the right to inspect ambulances and vehicles delivering food and water passing through their barricades. This demand was conceded to by the police, with SCMP reporting there was only food and supplies on the trucks after the trucks were inspected by the protesters.^[60]

Shortly before midnight, the Hong Kong Government responded to an ultimatum, to CY Leung, demanding universal suffrage with unfiltered rights of candidate nomination. Chief Secretary Carrie Lam was to hold talks with student leaders about political reform at an unspecified date.^[61]

3 October[edit]

In the early morning, violence started to break out in Mong Kok, Kowloon and Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Island. Groups of anti-Occupy Central activists including triad members and locals punched and kicked protesters while tearing down their tents and barricades.^{[11][12][60][62]} and locals whose day-to-day activities had been affected by the Occupy movement.^[63] The group in Mong Kok also attacked reporters; and gave a student head injuries.^[11][62][64] Occupiers accused the police of giving the attackers free rein by arresting them but releasing them shortly after. Occupiers said anti-Occupy groups were linked to the triads,^[65] and one legislator accused the government of orchestrating triads to clear the protest sites.^[12] It was also reported that triads, as proprietors of many businesses in Mong Kok, could have their own motivations to disperse the protesters.^[50] Amnesty International condemned the police for "[failing] in their duty to protect protesters from attacks" and stating that women were attacked, threatened, and sexually assaulted while police watched and did nothing.^[48] Commander Paul Edmiston of the police admitted officers had been working long hours and had received heavy criticism. Responding to accusations that police chose not to protect the protesters, he said: "No matter what we do, we’re criticized for doing too little or too much. We can't win."^[51]

In the aftermath of the scuffle, police arrested 20 people. There were 18 people injured, including 6 police officers. Police confirmed that eight of the people they had arrested had triad backgrounds. All eight were released on bail.^[12][66] As a response to the clash, student leaders of Hong Kong halted plans to hold talks with the government, citing CY Leung's "insincerity and stealth tactics" as the main reason.^[67]

4 October[edit]

On 4 October 2014, counter-protesters wearing blue ribbons marched in support of the police and the tactics they employed, claiming they were not excessive.^[60] Patrick Ko of the Voice of Loving Hong Kong group accused the protesters of having double standards, and said that if the police had enforced the law, protesters would have already been evicted.^[68] Another anti-Occupy spokesperson Chan Ching-sum complained the continued occupation of roads was "destroy[ing] Hong Kong people's daily lives" and unrelated to democracy.^[69] The anti-Occupy group Caring Hong Kong Power staged their own rally, in which they announced their support for the use of fire-arms by police, as well as the deployment of the People's Liberation Army.^[70]

In the afternoon, Chief Executive CY Leung insisted that government operations and schools affected by Occupy Central must resume on Monday. Former Democratic Party lawmaker Cheung Man-Kwong claimed the occupy campaign was in a "very dangerous situation," and urged them to "sit down and talk, in order to avoid tragedy".^[71] The Federation of Students demanded the government explain the previous night's events before continuing talks and that they would continue to occupy streets in different areas, including Mong Kok and Causeway Bay.^[72] The Pan-Democratic camp held a press conference criticising the police response on the previous night, accusing it of being an orchestrated attack involving the triads. They also criticised the police presence as insufficient.^[73] Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok denied accusations against the police, and explained the reason for not using tear gas was due to the difference in geographical environment. Police claimed that protesters' barricades had prevented reinforcements from arriving on the scene.^[74]

Pan-democracy member of the Legislative Council James To said that "the government has used organised, orchestrated forces and even triad gangs in [an] attempt to disperse citizens."^[12] Violent attacks on journalists were strongly condemned by The Foreign Correspondents' Club, the Hong Kong Journalists' Association and local broadcaster RTHK.^[75] Three former US consuls general to HK, Richard Williams, Richard Boucher and Stephen M. Young, wrote a letter to the Chief Executive asking to solve the disputes peacefully.^[76]

5 October[edit]

Leading establishment figures who had been sympathetic to the liberal cause, including University heads and politicians, appeared to urge in concert for the occupy movement to leave the street for their own safety.^[77] The rumours of a planned operation by the police did not occur. Another group of 80 scholars released a statement later in the day urging the government to listen to the protesters' demands. Alex Chow Yong-kang, leader of the Federation of Students, rejected calls by the government for dialogue unless demands and the protesters' safety were met. Later in the night, he announced that the police had met this requirement, and talks continued throughout the night between the Federation and the government.

6 October[edit]

Conflict between Occupy and anti-Occupy groups continued on Sunday but was less than on previous days. Some protester groups disagreed on whether or not to un-occupy Lung Wo Road in Admiralty and the Mong Kok district.^[78][79][80] On 6 October, Patrick Ko, politician and leader of Voice of Loving Hong Kong, said that it was "forgivable" for triads to attack protesters in Mongkok, since the occupation was disrupting triad business.^[81]

7 October[edit]

Protest numbers dwindled after leaders met with government officials and agreed to meet for talks, beginning on 10 October, which would be limited in scope. Student protest leader Lester Shum said that protests would continue in the meantime until "practical measures [have] been forged between the government and the people."^[82]

9 October[edit]

The government cancelled the meeting with student leaders that had been scheduled for 10 October.^[83] The government's Chief Secretary for Administration, Carrie Lam, explained at a news conference that "We cannot accept the linking of illegal activities to whether or not to talk."^[84]

Alex Chow, head of the Federation of Students, said "I feel like the government is saying that if there are fewer people on the streets, they can cancel the meeting. Students urge people who took part in the civil disobedience to go out on the streets again to occupy."^[84] Pro-democracy legislators threatened to veto non-essential funding applications, potentially disrupting government operations, in support of the protesters.^[85]

10 October[edit]

In defiance of police warnings, thousands of protesters, many bringing tents with them, returned to the streets.^[85] Over a hundred tents were pitched across the eight-lane Harcourt Road thoroughfare in Admiralty, alongside dozens of food and first-aid marquees. The ranks of protesters continued to swell on the 11th.^[86]

11 October[edit]

The student leaders issued an open letter to President Xi Jinping saying that CY Leung's report to NPCSC disregarded public opinion and failed to account faithfully for citizens' wishes.^[87][88]

12 October[edit]

In an exclusive pre-recorded interview with the Chinese-language TVB show On the Record,^[89] CY Leung said the occupy protest is not considered a revolution and declared that his resignation "would not solve anything".^[90] Leung said the decision to use tear gas was made by the police, without any political considerations.^[91] Several press organisations including the Hong Kong Journalists Association objected to the exclusion of other media, feeling that Leung owed the public full explanations since the start of the protests. They suggested Leung was deliberately avoiding questions about the issues surrounding the electoral framework.^[92][93]

13 October[edit]

At 5.30 am, police started an operation to remove unmanned barricades in Harcourt Road (Admiralty site) to "reduce the chance of traffic accidents".^[87]

Within hours, hundreds of men, many wearing surgical masks and carrying crowbars and cutting tools, began removing barricades at various sites and attacked protesters. Police made attempts to separate the groups. Protesters reinforced some barricades using bamboo and concrete.^[94][95][96] Protesters claimed that the attacks were organised and involved triad groups.^[97]

Police made three arrests for assault and possession of weapons. Although police cautioned against reinforcing the existing obstacles or setting up new obstacles to enlarge the occupied area, occupiers reinstated the barriers overnight.^[94] In the early morning of 14 October, police conducted a dawn raid to dismantle barricades in Yee Wo Street (Causeway Bay site), opening one lane to westbound traffic.^[98] Police reclaimed Queensway, dismantled barricades and reopened it to traffic.^[99]

14 October[edit]

Also on 13 October, anti-occupy protesters began to besiege the headquarters of Next Media, publisher of Apple Daily, accusing the paper of biased reporting of OC and obstructing its distribution.^[100] Masked men among the protesters prevented the loading of copies of Apple Daily as well as The New York Times onto delivery vans. However, the delivery of Hong Kong Economic Journal, which is also printed at the works, was allowed.^[101] Apple Daily sought a court injunction and a High Court judge issued a temporary order to prevent any blocking of the entrance saying this was important to the freedom of press.^[102] Five press unions made a statement condemning the harassment of journalists by anti-occupy protesters.^[103]

15 October[edit]

Before midnight, protesters stopped traffic on Lung Wo Road, the arterial road north of the Central Government Complex at Central, and began erecting barricades. The Hong Kong Police Force was unable to hold their cordon at Lung Wo Road Tunnel and had to retreat for reinforcement and organised redemption. Around 3 am, police began to clear the road using batons and pepper spray. By dawn, traffic on the road resumed and the protesters retreated into Tamar Park, while 45 arrests were made.

Footage from the local television channel TVB shows that during the operation, one protester, later identified as volunteer social worker and Civic Party member Ken Tsang, was carried into a secluded location with his hands tied behind his back, and then punched, kicked and stamped on repeatedly by about six police officers in rotation. The beating lasted for about four minutes.^{[104][105][106][107]} The video clips have been transmitted internationally and provoked outrage; Amnesty International called for the prosecution of the police officers involved. Hong Kong's secretary for security, Lai Tung-kwok, announced that "the officers involved will be temporarily removed from their current duties."^[104][105] Reporters at the scene said that journalists were treated no differently to protesters.^[108] One reporter alleged that he was grabbed, kicked and punched by police officers, who ignored his protestations that he was a journalist.^[109]

17 October[edit]

At 5am, Police dismantled the barricades and tents at the Mong Kok site, including the main camp at the intersection of Nathan Road and Argyle Street, and opened the northbound side of Nathan Road to traffic for the first time in three weeks. The protesters were allowed to remain on the southbound side of the road. After work and school let out, at least 9000 protesters returned to Nathan Road to try to retake the northbound lanes, leading to clashes between protesters and police armed with riot gear. The police claims to have 15 police injuries and made at least 26 arrests, including veteran war photojournalist Paula Bronstein.^[110] Around midnight, the police retreated and the protesters re-erected barricades on Nathan Road.^[111][112]

18 October[edit]

Clashes resumed in Mong Kok as protesters donning hard hats and protective gear made of baby mats fought off police officers armed with batons. 20 injuries were reported.^[113]

19 October[edit]

Demonstrators packed the streets in Mong Kok where there were repeated clashes. Democrat Martin Lee at the scene said "triad elements" in Mong Kok were trying to stir up violence to undermine the pro-democracy movement.^[114] At night, two pro-democracy lawmakers, Fernando Cheung and Claudia Mo, appeared at Mong Kok to mediate between the protesters and the police, leading to a lowering of tensions as the police and protesters each stepped back and widened the buffer zone. No clashes were reported for the night.^[115]

21 October[edit]

The government and the HKFS held a first round of talks on 21 October in a televised open debate. HKFS secretary-general Alex Chow Yong-kang, Vice secretary Lester Shum, general secretary Eason Chung (鍾 耀華), and standing members Nathan Law (羅冠聰) and Yvonne Leung (梁麗幗) met with the HK government representatives Chief secretary Carrie Lam, secretary of justice Rimsky Yuen, undersecretary Raymond Tam, office director Edward Yau and undersecretary Lau Kong-wah.

The discussion was moderated by Leonard Cheng (鄭國漢), the president of Lingnan University.^{[116][117][118][119]}

Later version of Wikipedia page

2014 Hong Kong protests

This article is about the protests in Hong Kong from 26 September 2014 to 15 December 2014. For the related political movement, see Umbrella Movement.

2014 Hong Kong protests
The Admiralty protest site on the night of 10 October
Date	26 September 2014 – 15 December 2014
Location	Hong Kong: Admiralty (26 September 2014 – 11 December 2014) Causeway Bay (28 September 2014 – 15 December 2014) Mong Kok (28 September 2014 – 25 November 2014) Tsim Sha Tsui (1 October 2014 – 3 October 2014)
Causes	Standing Committee of the National People's Congress decision on electoral reform regarding future Hong Kong Chief Executive and Legislative Council elections
Goals	Genuine universal suffrage[1][2][3][4] Resignation of Chief Executive CY Leung Abolishment of functional constituencies of Legislative Council of Hong Kong
Methods	Occupations, sit-ins, civil disobedience, mobile street protests, internet activism, hunger strikes, Internet hacking
Result	No changes to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress decision on 2014 Hong Kong electoral reform Suffragists launched mobile street protests in various areas
Concessions given	The Hong Kong SAR government promises to submit a "New Occupy report" to the Chinese Central government[5]
Parties to the civil conflict
Umbrella Movement Pro-democracy activists Hong Kong Federation of Students Scholarism Occupy Central with Love and Peace (until 3 December 2014) Civic Passion Student Front Hong Kong Shield Students Awaken Pan-democracy camp Hacking groups Anonymous Authorities Hong Kong SAR government Chinese central government Anti occupy movement Alliance for Peace and Democracy Silent Majority for Hong Kong Voice of Loving Hong Kong Defend Hong Kong Campaign Justice Alliance Blue Ribbon Movement Alliance in Support of Our Police Force Triads[6] Wo Shing Wo
Injuries and arrests
Injuries	470+ (as of 29 Nov)[7]
Arrested	955[8]   75 turned themselves in
Sites of significant protests Admiralty Mong Kok Causeway Bay Tsim Sha Tsui

Protests in Hong Kong began in September 2014, after the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC) of the People's Republic of China announced its decision on proposed reforms to the Hong Kong electoral system. In its decision, the NPCSC said that civil nominations, whereby a candidate could run for election to the Hong Kong Legislative Council if he or she received signed endorsement of 1% of the registered voters, would be disallowed. The decision stated that a 1200-member nominating committee, the composition of which remains subject to a second round of consultation, would elect two to three electoral candidates with more than half of the votes before the general public could vote on them.^[9]

Demonstrations began outside the Hong Kong Government headquarters, and members of what would eventually be called the Umbrella Movement occupied several major city intersections.^[10] The Hong Kong Federation of Students and Scholarism began protesting outside the government headquarters on 22 September 2014 against the NPCSC's decision.^[11] On the evening of 26 September, several hundred demonstrators led by Joshua Wong breached a security barrier and entered the forecourt of the Central Government Complex (nicknamed "Civic Square"), which was once a public space that has been barred from public entry since July 2014. Officers cordoned off protesters within the courtyard and restricted their movement overnight, eventually removing them by force the next day.^[12][13]

On 28 September, the Occupy Central with Love and Peace movement announced that they would begin their civil disobedience campaign immediately.^[14] Protesters blocked both east–west arterial routes in northern Hong Kong Island near Admiralty. Police tactics (including the use of tear gas) and attacks on protesters by opponents that included triad members, triggered more citizens to join the protests, occupying Causeway Bay and Mong Kok.^[15][16][17] The number of protesters peaked at more than 100,000 at any given time.^[18][19] In a poll conducted in December, up to 20% of the 1,011 surveyed responded that they have taken part in the protests.^[20] The government called for an end to the protests by setting a 'deadline' of 6 October, but this was ignored by protesters, although they allowed government workers to enter offices that had previously been blocked.^[21]

The state-run Chinese media claimed repeatedly that the West had played an "instigating" role in the protests, and that "more people in Hong Kong are supporting the anti-Occupy Central movement," and warned of "deaths and injuries and other grave consequences."^[22] In an opinion poll carried out by Chinese University of Hong Kong, only 36.1% of 802 people surveyed between 8–15 October accept NPCSC's decision but 55.6% are willing to accept if HKSAR Government would democratise the nominating committee during the 2nd phase of public consultation period.^[23]

On 23 October, the United Nations Human Rights Committee emphasised "the need to ensure universal suffrage, which means both the right to be elected as well as the right to vote."^[24] China's Foreign Ministry responded that China's policy on Hong Kong's elections had "unshakable legal status and effect".^[25]

Contents

• 1 Background
  • 1.1 Political background
  • 1.2 Standing Committee decision on electoral reform
• 2 Events
  • 2.1 September 2014
  • 2.2 October 2014
  • 2.3 November 2014
  • 2.4 December 2014
• 3 Triad involvement and protester recruitment allegations
• 4 Impact
  • 4.1 Effects on business and transport
  • 4.2 Effects on Hong Kong society
• 5 Local media coverage
• 6 Chinese government and media
  • 6.1 Censorship
  • 6.2 Allegations of foreign interference
  • 6.3 Law and order
  • 6.4 Other pronouncements
• 7 Chinese dissent
• 8 Domestic reactions
  • 8.1 Political
  • 8.2 Business sector
• 9 International reactions
  • 9.1 United Nations
  • 9.2 States
  • 9.3 Foreign media
• 10 Solidarity rallies worldwide
• 11 Aftermath
  • 11.1 Protection orders for youth protesters
• 12 See also
• 13 References
  • 13.1 Sources
• 14 External links

Background

Political background

As a result of the negotiations and the 1984 agreement between China and Britain, the British colony Hong Kong was returned to the People's Republic of China and became its first Special Administrative Region on 1 July 1997, under the principle of "one country, two systems". Hong Kong has a different political system from mainland China. Hong Kong's independent judiciary functions under the common law framework.^[26][27] The Hong Kong Basic Law, the constitutional document drafted by the Chinese side before the handover based on the terms enshrined in the Joint Declaration,^[28] governs its political system, and stipulates that Hong Kong shall have a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign relations and military defence.^[29] The declaration stipulates that the region maintain its capitalist economic system and guarantees the rights and freedoms of its people for at least 50 years after the 1997 handover. The guarantees over the territory's autonomy and the individual rights and freedoms are enshrined in the Hong Kong Basic Law, which outlines the system of governance of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, but which is subject to the interpretation of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC).^[30][31]

The leader of Hong Kong, the Chief Executive, is currently elected by a 1200-member Election Committee, though Article 45 of the Basic Law states that "the ultimate aim is the selection of the Chief Executive by universal suffrage upon nomination by a broadly representative nominating committee in accordance with democratic procedures."^[32] A 2007 decision by the Standing Committee opened the possibility of selecting the Chief Executive via universal suffrage in the 2017 Chief Executive election,^[33] and the first round of consultations to implement the needed electoral reforms ran for five months in early 2014. Chief Executive CY Leung then, per procedure, submitted a report to the Standing Committee inviting them to deliberate whether it is necessary to amend the method of selection of the Chief Executive.^[34]

Standing Committee decision on electoral reform

On 31 August 2014, the tenth session of the Standing Committee in the twelfth National People's Congress set limits for the 2016 Legislative Council election and 2017 Chief Executive election. While notionally allowing for universal suffrage, the decision imposes the standard that "the Chief Executive shall be a person who loves the country and loves Hong Kong," and stipulates "the method for selecting the Chief Executive by universal suffrage must provide corresponding institutional safeguards for this purpose". The decision states that for the 2017 Chief Executive election, a nominating committee, mirroring the present 1200-member Election Committee be formed to nominate two to three candidates, each of whom must receive the support of more than half of the members of the nominating committee. After popular election of one of the nominated candidates, the Chief Executive-elect "will have to be appointed by the Central People's Government." The process of forming the 2016 Legislative Council would be unchanged, but following the new process for the election of the Chief Executive, a new system to elect the Legislative Council via universal suffrage would be developed with the approval of Beijing.^[10]

The Standing Committee decision is set to be the basis for electoral reform crafted by the Legislative Council. Hundreds of suffragists gathered on the night of the Beijing announcement near the government offices to protest the decision.^[35][36]

Events

At a gathering in Hong Kong on 1 September to explain the NPCSC decision, deputy secretary general Li Fei said that the procedure would protect the broad stability of Hong Kong now and in the future.^[35] Pro-democracy advocates viewed the decision as a betrayal of the principle of "one person, one vote," in that candidates deemed unsuitable by the Beijing authorities would have been pre-emptively screened out by the mechanism.^[35] About 100 suffragists attended the gathering, and some were ejected for heckling and protesting.^[35] Police broke up a group of demonstrators protesting outside the hotel where Li was staying, arresting 19 people for illegal assembly.^[37]

In response to the NPCSC decision, the Democratic Party legislators promised to veto the framework for both elections as being inherently undemocratic; Occupy Central with Love and Peace (OCLP) announced that it would organise civil disobedience protests.^[35] The Hong Kong Federation of Students (representing tertiary students) and Scholarism mobilised students and staged a coordinated class boycott. They organised public rallies and street assemblies.^[38][39] Tertiary students would commence a one-week boycott from 22 September. At the same time, Scholarism organised a demonstration outside of the Central Government Offices barricade on 13 September 2014 where they declared a class-boycott on 26 September.^[40]

September 2014

Policemen surround the students protesting at Civic Square (27 September)

Having received a "notice of no objection" to the assembly on 26 September 2014 between 00:01 to 23:59, protesters gathered in Tim Mei Avenue near the eastern entrance of the Central Government Offices.^[41] At around 22:30, up to 100 protesters led by Joshua Wong, the Convenor of Scholarism, went to "reclaim" the privatised Civic Square for the public by clambering over the fence of the square.^[42] The police mobilised on Civic Square, surrounded protesters at the centre and prepared to physically remove the protesters overnight.^[43][44] Protesters who chose to depart were allowed to do so; each of the remaining ones was carried away by four or more police officers. At 1:20am (of 27 September), the police used pepper spray on a crowd that had gathered near the Legislative Council, and some students were injured. By the following midnight, 13 people had been arrested including Joshua Wong, who was released after more than 40 hours upon being granted a writ of habeas corpus.^[45]

At 1:30 pm, the police carried out the second round of clearances, and 48 men and 13 women were arrested for forcible entry into government premises and unlawful assembly.^[46] A man was also arrested for possession of an offensive weapon. A police spokesman declared the assembly outside the Central Government Complex at Tim Mei Avenue illegal, and advised citizens to avoid the area. The arrested demonstrators, including Legislative Councillor Leung Kwok-hung and some HKFS members, were released around 9 pm. However, HKFS representatives Alex Chow and Lester Shum were detained for 30 hours.^[47] The police eventually cleared the assembly, arresting a total of 78 people.^[48][49]

Tear gas fired to disperse protesters outside government headquarters (28 September)

Occupy Central with Love and Peace had been expected to start their occupation on 1 October, but this was accelerated to capitalise on the mass student presence.^[50] At 1:40am on 28 September, Benny Tai, one of the founders of OCLP, announced its commencement at a rally near the Central Government Complex.^[50][51]

Later that morning, protests escalated as police blocked roads and bridges entering Tim Mei Avenue. Protest leaders urged citizens to come to Admiralty to encircle the police.^[52] Tensions rose at the junction of Tim Mei Avenue and Harcourt Road after the police used pepper spray. As night fell, armed riot police advanced from Wan Chai towards Admiralty and unfurled a banner that stated "Warning, Tear Smoke". Seconds later, at around 6 pm, shots of tear gas were fired.^[53][54][55] The heavy-handed policing, including the use of tear gas on peaceful protesters, inspired tens of thousands of citizens to join the protests in Admiralty that night.^{[56][57][58][17][59][60]} Containment errors by the police – the closure of Tamar Park and Admiralty Station – caused a spill-over to other parts of the city, including Wan Chai, Causeway Bay and Mong Kok.^[58][61][62] 3,000 protesters occupied a road in Mong Kok and 1,000 went to Causeway Bay.^[59] The total number of protesters on the streets swelled to 80,000,^[62] at times considerably exceeding 100,000.^[18][19]

The police confirmed that they fired tear gas 87 times.^[63] The media recalled that last time Hong Kong police had used tear gas was on Korean protesters during the 2005 World Trade Organization conference.^[55][64] At least 34 people were injured in that day's protests.^[65] According to police spokesmen, officers exercised "maximum tolerance," and tear gas was used only after protesters refused to disperse and "violently charged".^[64][66] However, the SCMP reported that police were seen to charge the suffragists.^[67]

On 29 September, police adopted a less aggressive approach, sometimes employing negotiators to urge protesters to leave. 89 protesters were arrested; there were 41 casualties, including 12 police.^[17] Chief Secretary for Administration, Carrie Lam announced that the second round of public consultations on political reform, originally planned to be completed by the end of the year, would be postponed.^[68]

October 2014

Joshua Wong and several Scholarism members attended the National Day flag raising ceremony on 1 October at the Golden Bauhinia Square, having undertaken not to shout slogans or make any gestures during the flag raising. Instead, the students faced away from the flag to show their discontent. District councillor Paul Zimmerman opened a yellow umbrella in protest inside the reception after the ceremony.^[69][70][71] Protesters set up a short-lived fourth occupation site at a section of Canton Road in Tsim Sha Tsui.^[72]

On 2 October, activists lay siege to the Central Government Headquarters.^[58][73] Shortly before midnight, the Hong Kong Government responded to an ultimatum demanding universal suffrage with unscreened nominees: Carrie Lam agreed to hold talks with student leaders about political reform at an unspecified date.^[74]

On 3 October, violence erupted in Mong Kok and Causeway Bay when groups of anti-Occupy Central activists including triad members and locals attacked suffragists while tearing down their tents and barricades.^{[15][16][75][76]} A student suffered head injuries. Journalists were also attacked.^[15][77][78] The Foreign Correspondents' Club accused the police of appearing to arrest alleged attackers but releasing them shortly after.^[79] One legislator accused the government of orchestrating triads to clear the protest sites.^[16] It was also reported that triads, as proprietors of many businesses in Mong Kok, had their own motivations to attack the protesters.^[60] There were 20 arrests, and 18 people injured, including 6 police officers. Eight of the people arrested had triad backgrounds, but were released on bail.^[16][80] Student leaders blamed the government for the attacks, and halted plans to hold talks with the government.^[81]

On 4 October, counter-protesters wearing blue ribbons marched in support of the police.^[82] Patrick Ko of the Voice of Loving Hong Kong group accused the suffragists of having double standards, and said that if the police had enforced the law, protesters would have already been evicted.^[83] The anti-Occupy group Caring Hong Kong Power staged their own rally, at which they announced their support for the use of fire-arms by police and the deployment of the People's Liberation Army.^[84]

In the afternoon, Chief Executive CY Leung insisted that government operations and schools affected by the occupation must resume on Monday. Former Democratic Party lawmaker Cheung Man-Kwong claimed the occupy campaign was in a "very dangerous situation," and urged them to "sit down and talk, in order to avoid tragedy".^[85] The Federation of Students demanded the government explain the previous night's events and said they would continue their occupation of streets.^[86] Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok denied accusations against the police, and explained that the reason for not using tear gas was due to the difference in geographical environment. Police claimed that protesters' barricades had prevented reinforcements from arriving on the scene.^[87]

Pan-democracy legislator James To said that "the government has used organised, orchestrated forces and even triad gangs in [an] attempt to disperse citizens."^[16][88] Violent attacks on journalists were strongly condemned by The Foreign Correspondents' Club, the Hong Kong Journalists' Association and local broadcaster RTHK.^[89] Three former US consuls general to HK wrote a letter to the Chief Executive asking him to solve the disputes peacefully.^[90]

On 5 October, leading establishment figures sympathetic to the liberal cause, including university heads and politicians, urged the suffragists to leave the streets for their own safety.^[91] The rumoured clearance operation by the police did not occur.^[21] At lunchtime the government offered to hold talks if the protesters cleared the roads. Later that night, the government agreed to guarantee the protesters' safety, and Alex Chow Yong-kang, leader of the Federation of Students (HKFS), announced that he had agreed to begin preparations for talks with Carrie Lam.^[21]

On 9 October, the government cancelled the meeting with student leaders that had been scheduled for 10 October.^[92] Carrie Lam, explained at a news conference that "We cannot accept the linking of illegal activities to whether or not to talk."^[93] Alex Chow said "I feel like the government is saying that if there are fewer people on the streets, they can cancel the meeting. Students urge people who took part in the civil disobedience to go out on the streets again to occupy."^[93] Pan-democrat legislators threatened to veto non-essential funding applications, potentially disrupting government operations, in support of the suffragists.^[94]

On 10 October, in defiance of police warnings, thousands of protesters, many with tents, returned to the streets.^[94] Over a hundred tents were pitched across the eight-lane Harcourt Road thoroughfare in Admiralty, alongside dozens of food and first-aid marquees. The ranks of protesters continued to swell on the 11th.^[95]

On 11 October, the student leaders issued an open letter to Xi Jinping saying that CY Leung's report to NPCSC disregarded public opinion and ignored "Hong Kong people's genuine wishes."^[96]

At 5.30 am on 12 October, police started an operation to remove unmanned barricades in Harcourt Road (Admiralty site) to "reduce the chance of traffic accidents".^[96] In a pre-recorded TV interview^[97] CY Leung declared that his resignation "would not solve anything".^[98] He said the decision to use tear gas was made by the police without any political interference.^[99] Several press organisations including the Hong Kong Journalists Association objected to the exclusion of other journalists, and said that Leung was deliberately avoiding questions about the issues surrounding the electoral framework.^[100][101]

Police dismantle roadblocks on Queensway

On 13 October, hundreds of men, many wearing surgical masks and carrying crowbars and cutting tools, began removing barricades at various sites and attacking suffragists. Police made attempts to separate the groups. Suffragists repaired and reinforced some barricades using bamboo and concrete.^{[102][103][104]} Protesters again claimed that the attacks were organised and involved triad groups.^[105] Police made three arrests for assault and possession of weapons. Although police cautioned against reinforcing the existing obstacles or setting up new obstacles to enlarge the occupied area, suffragists later reinstated the barriers overnight.^[102] Anti-occupy protesters began to besiege the headquarters of Next Media, publisher of Apple Daily. They accused the paper of biased reporting.^[106] Masked men among the protesters prevented the loading of copies of Apple Daily as well as The New York Times onto delivery vans.^[107] Apple Daily sought a court injunction and a High Court judge issued a temporary order to prevent any blocking of the entrance.^[108] Five press unions made a statement condemning the harassment of journalists by anti-occupy protesters.^[109]

In the early morning of 14 October, police conducted a dawn raid to dismantle barricades in Yee Wo Street (Causeway Bay site), opening one lane to westbound traffic.^[110] They also dismantled barricades at Queensway, Admiralty, and reopened it to traffic.^[111]

Before midnight on 15 October, protesters stopped traffic on Lung Wo Road, the arterial road north of the Central Government Complex at Admiralty, and began erecting barricades. The police was unable to hold their cordon at Lung Wo Road Tunnel and had to retreat for reinforcement and organised redemption. Around 3 am, police began to clear the road using batons and pepper spray. By dawn, traffic on the road resumed and the protesters retreated into Tamar Park, while 45 arrests were made.

Local television channel TVB broadcast footage of Civic Party member Ken Tsang being assaulted by police. He was carried off with his hands tied behind his back; then, while one officer kept watch, a group of about six officers punched, kicked and stamped on him for about four minutes.^{[112][113][114][115]} Journalists complained that they too had been assaulted.^[116][117] The video provoked outrage; Amnesty International joined others in calling for the officers to be prosecuted. In response, Secretary for security Lai Tung-kwok said that "the officers involved will be temporarily removed from their current duties."^[112][113]

Police forcing the protesters back southwards on Nathan Road in the evening

At 5am on 17 October, police cleared the barricades and tents at the Mong Kok site and opened the northbound side of Nathan Road to traffic for the first time in three weeks. In the early evening, at least 9000 protesters tried to retake the northbound lanes of the road. The police claimed that 15 officers sustained injuries. There were at least 26 arrests, including photojournalist Paula Bronstein.^[118] Around midnight, the police retreated and the suffragists re-erected barricades across the road.^[119][120]

On Sunday, 19 October, police used pepper spray and riot gear to contain the protesters in Mong Kok. Martin Lee, who was at the scene, said that "triad elements" had initiated scuffles with police "for reasons best known to themselves".^[121] The police had arrested 37 protesters that weekend; the government said that nearly 70 people had been injured. At night, two pro-democracy lawmakers, Fernando Cheung and Claudia Mo, appeared at Mong Kok to mediate between the suffragists and the police, leading to a lowering of tensions as the police and suffragists each stepped back and widened the buffer zone. No clashes were reported for the night.^[122]

On 20 October, a taxi drivers' union and the owner of CITIC Tower were granted a court injunction against the occupiers of sections of several roads.^[123] In his first interview to international journalists since the start of the protests, CY Leung said that Hong Kong had been "lucky" that Beijing had not yet intervened in the protests, and repeated Chinese claims that "foreign forces" were involved.^[124] He defended Beijing's stance on screening candidates. He said that open elections would result in pressure on candidates to create a welfare state, arguing that "If it's entirely a numbers game – numeric representation – then obviously you'd be talking to half the people in Hong Kong [that] earn less than US$1,800 a month [the median wage in HK]. You would end up with that kind of politics and policies."^[125][126] A SCMP comment by columnist Alex Lo said of this interview: "Leung has set the gold standard on how not to do a media interview for generations of politicians to come."^[127]

On 21 October, the government and the HKFS held the first round of talks in a televised open debate. HKFS secretary-general Alex Chow, vice secretary Lester Shum, general secretary Eason Chung, and standing members Nathan Law and Yvonne Leung met with HK government representatives Chief secretary Carrie Lam, secretary of justice Rimsky Yuen, undersecretary Raymond Tam, office director Edward Yau and undersecretary Lau Kong-wah. The discussion was moderated by Leonard Cheng, the president of Lingnan University.^{[128][129][130][131]} During the talks, government representatives suggested the possibility of writing a new report on the students' concerns to supplement the government's last report on political reform to Beijing, but stressed that students' proposal of civil nomination falls outside of the framework imposed by the Basic Law and the NPCSC decision, which cannot be retracted.^[132] The government described the talks as "candid and meaningful" in a press release, while the students expressed their disappointment at the lack of concrete results.^[133]

On 22 October about 200 demonstrators marched to Government House, the official residence of the Chief Executive, in protest at his statement to journalists on 20 October about the need to deny political rights to the poor in Hong Kong.^[134] At Mong Kok, members of the Taxi Drivers and Operators Association and a coalition of truck drivers attempted to enforce the court injunction granted two days earlier to remove barricades and clear the street. They were accompanied by their lawyer, who read out the court order to the demonstrators. Fist fights broke out during the afternoon and evening.^[135]

A yellow banner which read "I want true universal suffrage" was hung on Lion Rock.

On 23 October, a massive yellow banner which read "I want true universal suffrage" was hung on the Lion Rock, the iconic hill that overlooks the Kowloon Peninsula.^[136] The location was chosen because Lion Rock represents Hong Kong's special identity^[136][137] and is in contrast to Victoria Peak, which represents the elite.^[138] The banner was removed the following day.^[139]

On 25 October, a group of anti-Occupy supporters wearing blue ribbons gathered at Tsim Sha Tsui to show their support of the police. Four journalists from RTHK and TVB tried to interview them and were attacked.^[140] The police had to escort the journalists out.^[140] A female reporter for RTHK, a male reporter and two photographers for TVB were taken to hospital.^[141] A group of about 10 men wearing face masks attacked suffragists in Mong Kok.^[142] Six people were arrested for common assault.^[142] Alex Chow Yong-kang said that citizens deserved a chance to express their views over the constitutional reform proposal and the National People's Congress Standing Committee's decision of 31 August. He said that the protest would only end if the government offers a detailed timeline or roadmap to allow universal suffrage and withdrawal of the standing committee decision.^[143][144]

On 28 October, the HKFS issued an open letter to the Chief Secretary Carrie Lam asking for a second round of talks. HKFS set out a prerequisite for the negotiation, that the government's report to the Chinese government must include a call for the retraction of the NPCSC's decision. The HKFS demanded direct talks with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang should the Hong Kong Government feel it cannot fulfil this and other terms.^[145] The 30th day since the police fired tear gas was marked at 5.57 pm exactly, with 87 seconds of silence, one for each tear gas canister that was fired.^[146]

On 29 October, after James Tien of the pro-Beijing Liberal Party urged Leung to consider resigning in a public interview on 24 October,^[147] the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Standing Committee convened to discuss Tien's removal from the body as a move to whip the pro-establishment camp into supporting Leung and the country.^[148] Tien, a long-time critic of Leung, said that Leung's position was no longer tenable as Hong Kong people no longer trusted his administration, and that his hanging onto office would only exacerbate the divisions in society.^[149] Tien stepped down from his position as the leader of the Liberal Party after the removal.^[150] Lester Shum refused bail extension based on conditions imposed after his arrest on 26 September, and was released unconditionally by police.^[151] That day was also the day of the Umbrella Ultra Marathon event.

November 2014

A police cordon during the clearance of Mong Kok site, with yellow towers from which liquified tear gas was sprayed on protesters.

The anti-Occupy group Alliance for Peace and Democracy had run a petition throughout the end of October to the start of November, and at the end of their campaign claimed to have collected over 1.8 million signatures demanding the return of streets occupied by the protesters and restoration of law and order. The group's previous signature collection has been criticised as "lack of credibility" by its opponents.^[152][153]

The High Court extended injunctions on 10 November that had been granted to taxi, mini-bus and bus operators authorising the clearance of protest sites. On the following day, Carrie Lam told reporters that there would be no further dialogue with protesters. She warned that "the police will give full assistance, including making arrests where necessary" in the clearance of the sites, and advised the protesters to leave "voluntarily and peacefully".^[154] However, the granting of the court order and the conditions attached to the execution attracted controversy as some lawyers and a top judge questioned why the order was granted based on an ex parte hearing, the urgency of the matter, and the use of the police when the order was for a civil complaint.^[155]

On 10 November, around 1,000 pro-democracy demonstrators, many wearing yellow ribbons and carrying yellow umbrellas, marched to the PRC Liaison Office in Sai Wan to protest the arrests of people expressing support for the protest.^[156] The marchers included Alex Chow, who announced that the Federation of Students were writing to the 35 local delegates to the National People's Congress to enlist their help in setting up talks with Beijing.^[157] On 30 October Chow and other student leaders had announced that they were considering plans to take their protest to the APEC summit to be held in Beijing on 10 and 11 November.^[158] As observers had predicted, the student delegation led by Chow was prevented from travelling to China when they attempted to leave on 15 November.^[159] Airline officials informed them that mainland authorities had revoked their Home Return Permits, effectively banning them from boarding the flight to speak to government officials in Beijing.^[160]

On 12 November, media tycoon Jimmy Lai was the target of an offal attack at the Admiralty site by three men, who were detained by volunteer marshalls for the protest site.^[161][162] Both the attackers and the two site marshalls who restrained them were arrested by the police, which led to condemnation by the pan-democracy camp, who organised an unauthorised protest march the next day. The two marshalls from the protest site were later released on bail.^[163]

On the morning of 18 November, suffragists pre-emptively moved their tents and other affairs that were blocking access to Citic Tower, which was subject to a court injunction, avoiding confrontation with bailiffs and the police over the removal of barricades.^[164]

In the early hours of 19 November, protesters broke into a side-entrance to the Legislative Council Complex, breaking glass panels with concrete tiles and metal barricades.^[165] Legislator Fernando Cheung and other suffragists tried to stop the radical activists, but were pushed aside.^[165][166] The break-in, which according to The Standard was instigated by Civic Passion,^[167] was criticised by the three main activist groups of the protests, and legislators from both the pan-democracy and pro-Beijing camps.^[165][166] Three police were injured and six men were arrested for criminal damage and assault.^[166]

On 21 November, up to 100 people gathered outside the British consulate accusing the former colonial power of failing to pressure China to grant free elections in the city and protect freedoms guaranteed in the Sino-British Joint Declaration.^[168]

Amidst declining support for the occupation, bailiffs and police cleared the tents and barriers in the most volatile of the three Occupy sites, Mong Kok, on 25 and early 26 November. Suffragists poured into Mong Kok after the first day's clearance, and there was a stand-off between protesters and police the next day. Scuffles were reported, and pepper spray was used. Police detained 116 people during the clearance, including student leaders Joshua Wong and Lester Shum.^[169] Joshua Wong, Lester Shum and some 30 of those arrested were bailed but subject to an exclusion zone centred around Mong Kok Station.^[170][171] Mong Kok remained the centre of focus for several days after the clearance of the occupied area when members of the public angry about heavy-handed policing.^[172][173] Fearing re-occupation, in excess of 4,000 police were deployed to the area.^[172][173] Large crowds, ostensibly heeding a call from C. Y. Leung to return to the shops affected by the occupation, have appeared nightly in and around Sai Yeung Choi Street South (close to the former occupied site); hundreds of armed riot police charged demonstrators with shields, pepper spraying and wrestling a string of them to the ground. Protesters intent on "shopping" remained until dawn.^[172][173]

December 2014

On the morning of 1 December, there were the most vigorous clashes between police and protesters in Admiralty after the Federation of Students and Scholarism called upon the crowd to surround the Central Government Offices. The police used a hose to splash protesters for the first time. The entrance to the Admiralty Centre has also been blocked. Most of the violence occurred near Admiralty MTR station.^[174] Also, Joshua Wong and two other Scholarism members started an indefinite hunger strike.^[175]

On 3 December, the OCLP trio, along with 62 others including lawmaker Wu Chi-wai and Cardinal Joseph Zen, turned themselves in to the police, bearing the legal consequences of civil disobedience. However, they were set free without being arrested or charged.^[176] They also urged occupiers to leave and transform the movement into a community campaign, citing concerns for their satety amidst the police's escalation of force in recent crackdowns.^[177] Nonetheless, HKFS and Scholarism both continued the occupation. Nightly shopping tours continued in Mong Kok for over a week after the clearance of the occupation site, tying up some 2500 police officers;^[178] the minibus company that took out the Mong Kok injunction was in turn accused of having illegally occupying Tung Choi Street for years.^[179]

On the morning of 11 December, many protesters had left the Admiralty site before crews of the bus company that had applied for the Admiralty injunction dismantled roadblocks without resistance. Afterwards, the police set a deadline for protesters to leave the occupied areas and cordoned off the zone.^[180] 209 protesters declined to leave and were arrested,^{[181][182][183]} including several pan-democratic legislators and members of HKFS and Scholarism.^[184] Meanwhile, the police set the bridge access to Citic Tower and Central Government Office only allowing media to access. The Independent Police Complaints Council was present to monitor the area for any "excessive use of force" along with fifty professors^[185]

On 15 December, police cleared protesters and their camps at Causeway Bay with essentially no resistance, bringing the protests to an end.^[186][187]

Triad involvement and protester recruitment allegations

Anti-Occupy protesters in Causeway Bay, 12 October

The BBC showed video footage from a Hong Kong TV network which appeared to show 'anti-Occupy protesters' being hired and transported to an Occupy protest site. The 'protesters', many of whom were initially unaware of what they were being paid to do, were secretly filmed on the bus being handed money by the organiser. Anonymous police sources informed the BBC Newsnight investigation that "back-up was strangely unforthcoming" to scenes of violence. The South China Morning Post also reported claims that people from poor districts were being offered up to HK$800 per day, via WhatsApp messaging, to participate in anti-Occupy riots.^[57][188]

The HK police has stated that up to 200 gangsters from two major triads may have infiltrated the camps of Occupy Central supporters, although their exact motives are as yet unknown. A police officer explained the police could not arrest the triad gangsters there "if they do nothing more than singing songs for democracy".^[189] A 2013 editorial in the Taipei Times of Taiwan described the pro-Beijing "grass-roots" organisations in Hong Kong: "Since Leung has been in office, three organizations – Voice of Loving Hong Kong, Caring Hong Kong Power and the Hong Kong Youth Care Association – have appeared on the scene and have been playing the role of Leung's hired "thugs", using Cultural Revolution-style language and methods to oppose Hong Kong's pan-democratic parties and groups."^[190] Both Apple Daily and the Taiwan Central News Agency, as well as some pan-democrat legislators in Hong Kong, have named the Ministry of State Security and Ministry of Public Security as being responsible for the attacks.^{[191][192][193]}

Legislative Council member James To alleged that "The police is happy to let the triad elements to threaten the students, at least for several hours, to see whether they would disperse or not." He added, "Someone, with political motive, is utilising the triad to clear the crowd, so as to help the government to advance their cause."^[194] Amnesty International condemned the police for "[failing] in their duty to protect protesters from attacks" and stating that women were attacked, threatened, and sexually assaulted while police watched and did nothing.^[57] Commander Paul Edmiston of the police admitted officers had been working long hours and had received heavy criticism. Responding to accusations that police chose not to protect the protesters, he said: "No matter what we do, we're criticized for doing too little or too much. We can't win."^[64] An analysis in Harbour Times suggested that businesses that pay protection money to Triads in the neighbourhood stood to be affected by an occupation.^[58] The journal criticised police response as being at first disorganised and slow onto the scene, but observed that its handling was within operating norms in triad-heavy neighbourhoods although it was affected by low levels of mutual trust, suspicion.^[58]

Impact

Effects on business and transport

Traffic being diverted off Connaught Road in Central on 30 September

Surface traffic between Central and Admiralty, Causeway Bay, as well as in Mong Kok, was seriously affected by the blockades, with traffic jams stretching for miles on Hong Kong Island and across Victoria Harbour.^[195][196] Major tailbacks were reported on Queensway, Gloucester Road and Connaught Road, which are feeder roads to the blockaded route in Admiralty.^[50] Whilst in excess of 100 bus or tram routes have been suspended or re-routed,^[197] queues for underground trains in the Admiralty district stretched out onto the street at times.^[195] The MTR, the city's underground transport operator, has been a beneficiary.^[198] The number of passenger trips recorded on two of its lines has increased by 20 percent.^[199] Others have opted to walk instead of driving.^[200] Taxi drivers have reported a fall in income as they have had to advise passengers to use the MTR when faced with jams, diversions or bloackaded roads.^[201] Hong Kong Taxi Owners' Association claimed its members' incomes had declined by 30 percent since the protests started.^[202] Levels of PM2.5 particulate matter at the three sites descended to within the recommended safety levels of the World Health Organization.^[203][204] An editorial in the South China Morning Post noted that, on 29 September, the air quality in all three of the occupied areas had markedly improved. The health risk posed by airborne pollutants was "low" – it is usually "high" – and there was a steep fall in the concentration of NO₂. It said: "without a policy shift, after the demonstrations have ended, we will have to rely on our memories of the protest days for what clean vehicles on our roads mean for air quality".^[205]

Nursery, primary and secondary schools within the Central and Western catchment areas were suspended from 29 September onwards. Classes for 25,000 primary students and 30,000 secondary students resumed on 7 October.^{[206][207][208]} Kindergartens and nursery schools resumed operations on 9 October, adding to the traffic burden.^[198] The Hong Kong Retail Management Association reported that chain stores takings declined between 30 and 45 percent during the period 1–5 October in Admiralty, Central and Causeway Bay.^[209] The media reported that some shops and banks in the protest areas were shuttered.^[197]

According to the World Bank, the protests were damaging Hong Kong's economy while China remained largely unaffected.^[195] Although the Hang Seng Index fell by 2.59% during the "Golden Week", it recovered and trading volume rose considerably.^[210] Shanghai Daily published on 4 October estimated that the protests had cost Hong Kong HK$40 billion ($5.2 billion), with tourism and retail reportedly being hardest hit. However, tourist numbers for the "Golden Week" (beginning 1 October) were 4.83% higher than the previous year, according to the Hong Kong Tourism Board. While substantial losses by retailer were predicted, some stores reported a marked increase in sales.^[210] Triad gangs, which had reportedly suffered a 40% decline in revenues, were implicated in the attacks in Mong Kok, where some of the worst violence had occurred.^{[80][94][211][212][213]} Economic effects seemed either to be extremely localised or transient, and in any event much less than the dire predictions of business lobbies. One of the hardest hit may have been the Hong Kong Tramways Company, which reported a decline in revenues of US$1 million.^[214][215] An economist said that the future stability will depend on political governance, namely if political issues such as income gaps and political reforms will be addressed.^[212]

Effects on Hong Kong society

The protests are causing strong differences of opinion in Hong Kong society, with a "yellow (pro-occupy) vs. blue (anti-occupy)" war being fought, and unfriending on social media, such as Facebook.^[216] The media have reported conflict within peer groups over values or what positions may be orthodox, and rifts have formed between mentor–mentees over the extent to which the movement should go. Parents have rowed with their children over their attending protests.^[217] Hong Kong people who oppose the Occupy protests do so for a number of different reasons. A significant part of the population, refugees from Communist China in the 1950s and 1960s, lived through the turmoil of the Hong Kong 1967 Leftist riots. Others feel that the protesters are too idealistic, and fear upsetting the PRC leadership and the possibility of another repeat of the crackdown that ended the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.^[218] However, the overwhelming reason is that disruption to the lives of ordinary citizens caused by roads blocked, traffic jams, school closures, and financial loss to businesses (including in particular those run by the Triads in Mong Kok).^[218] According to some reports, the police actions on the protesters has resulted in a breakdown of citizens' trust in the previously respected police force. The police deny accusations that they failed to act diligently.^[57] The media have reported on individuals who have quit their jobs, or students abroad who have rushed home to become a part of history, and one protester saw this as "the best and last opportunity for Hong Kong people's voices to be heard, as Beijing's influence grows increasingly stronger".^[60] Police officers have been working 18-hour shifts to the detriment of their family lives.^[219] Front line police officers, in addition to working long hours, being attacked and abused on the streets, are under unprecedented stress at home. Psychologists working with police officers in the field report that some feel humiliated as they may have been unfriended on Facebook, and family may blame them for their perceived roles in suppressing the protests.^{[220][221][222]}

In an opinion poll of Hong Kong citizens carried out since 4 October by Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 59% of the 850 people surveyed supported the protesters in their refusal to accept the government plan for the 2017 election. 29% of those questioned, the largest proportion, blamed the violence that had occurred during the demonstrations on the chief executive CY Leung.^[219]

Local media coverage

The media stage at the Admiralty occupy site

Many of Hong Kong's media outlets are owned by local tycoons who have significant business ties in the mainland, so they all adopt self-censorship at some level and have mostly maintained a conservative editorial line in their coverage of the protests.^[223] Next Media, being Hong Kong's only openly pro-democracy media conglomerate, has been the target of blockades by anti-Occupy protesters, cyberattacks, and hijacks of their delivery trucks. The uneven spread of viewpoints on traditional media has turned young people to social media for news, which The Guardian has described as making the protests "the best-documented social movement in history, with even its quieter moments generating a maelstrom of status updates, shares and likes."^[224] People at protest sites now rely on alternative media whose launches were propelled by the protests, also called "umbrella revolution", or actively covered news from a perspective not found in traditional journals. Even the recently defunct House News resurrected itself, reformatted as The House News Bloggers. Radical viewpoints are catered for at Hong Kong Peanut, and Passion Times – run by Civic Passion.^[223]

The prominent local station, TVB, originally broadcast footage of police officers beating a protester on 15 October, but the station experienced internal conflict during the broadcast.^[225] The pre-dawn broadcasts soundtrack mentioning "punching and kicking" was re-recorded to say that the officers were "suspected of using excessive force".^[226] Secret audio recordings from an internal meeting were uploaded onto YouTube that included the voice of TVB director Keith Yuen Chi-wai asking "On what grounds can we say officers dragged him to a dark corner, and punched and kicked him?"^[226] The protester was later named as Civic Party member Ken Tsang, who was also a member of the Election Committee that returned CY Leung as the city's Chief Executive.^[225] About 57 journalists expressed their dissatisfaction with the handling of the broadcast. A petition by TVB staff to management protesting the handling of the event was signed by news staff.^[225] The list grew to 80+ people including employees from sports, economics and other departments.^[227]

Internet security firm CloudFlare said that, like for the attacks on PopVote sponsored by OCLP earlier in the year, the volume of junk traffic aimed at paralysing Apple Daily servers was an unprecedented 500Gbit/s and involved at least five botnets. Servers were bombarded with in excess of 250 million DNS requests per second, equivalent to the average volume of DNS requests for the entire Internet. And where the attacks do not succeed directly, they have caused some internet service providers to pre-emptively block such sites under attack to protect their own servers and lines.^[228]

Chinese government and media

Beijing is generally reported as being concerned about similar popular demands for political reform on the mainland that would erode the Communist Party's hold on power.^[35] Reuters sources revealed that the decision to offer no concessions was made at a meeting of the National Security Commission of the Communist Party of China chaired by General secretary Xi Jinping in the first week of October. "[We] move back one step and the dam will burst," a source was reported as saying, referring to mainland provinces such as Xinjiang and Tibet making similar demands for democratic elections.^[229][230] The New York Times China correspondents say that the strategy for dealing with the crisis in Hong Kong was being planned under supervision from the top-tier national leadership, which was being briefed on a daily basis. According to the report, Hong Kong officials are in meetings behind the scenes with mainland officials in neighbouring Shenzhen, at a resort owned by the central government liaison office.^[231] The HKFS, which had been hoping to send a delegation to meet with the leadership in Beijing, was rebuffed by Tung Chee-hwa, vice-chairman of the NPC, whom they asked to help set up the meetings.^[232][233]

Xi Jinping stated his support for CY Leung on the 44th day of the occupation, saying the occupation was a "direct challenge not just to the SAR and its governance but also to Beijing". Xi also said that Leung's administration must govern to safeguard the rule of law and maintain social order.^[234]

Censorship

On 28 September it emerged that Chinese government authorities had issued the following censorship directive: "All websites must immediately clear away information about Hong Kong students violently assaulting the government and about 'Occupy Central.' Promptly report any issues. Strictly manage interactive channels, and resolutely delete harmful information. This [directive] must be followed precisely."^{[235][236][237]} Censors rapidly deleted messages internet posts with words such as "Hong Kong," "barricades", "Occupy Central" and "umbrella".^[238][239] Sections of the CNN reporting from Hong Kong was also disrupted.^[238] Most Chinese newspapers have not covered the protests except for editorials critical of the protests and devoid of any context,^[238][240] or articles mentioning the negative impact of the occupation.^[241] The Chinese website of the BBC was completely blocked after a video showing the violent assault on a protester by police on 15 October hosted on the site went viral.^[242] Amnesty International reported that dozens of Chinese people have been arrested for showing support for the protests.^[243] Facebook and Twitter are already blocked on the mainland, and now as a result of the sharing of images of the protests, PRC censors have now blocked Instagram.^[239][244] However, Reuters noted that searches for "Umbrella Revolution" up to 30 September escaped censors on Sina Weibo but not on Tencent Weibo.^[245]

Allegations of foreign interference

Mainland Chinese officials and media have repeatedly alleged that outside forces formented the protests. Li Fei, the first Chinese official to address Hong Kong about the NPCSC decision, accused democracy advocates of being tools for subversion by Western forces who were set at undermining the authority of the Communist Party. Li alleged that they were "sowing confusion" and "misleading society".^[35] The People's Daily claimed that organisers of the Hong Kong protests learned their tactics from supporters of the Sunflower Student Movement in Taiwan, having first sought support from the United Kingdom and the United States.^[246][247] Scholarism has been labelled as extremists and a pro-Beijing journal in Hong Kong alleged that Joshua Wong had been cultivated by "US forces".^[248] In one of numerous editorials condemning the occupation, the People's Daily said "The US may enjoy the sweet taste of interfering in other countries' internal affairs, but on the issue of Hong Kong it stands little chance of overcoming the determination of the Chinese government to maintain stability and prosperity".^[249] It alleged that the US National Endowment for Democracy was behind the protests, and that, "according to media reports," a director of the organisation had met with protest leaders.^[250] On 15 October, an unnamed Chinese government official stated that "interference certainly exists", citing "the statements and the rhetoric and the behaviour of the outside forces of political figures, of some parliamentarians and individual media".^[251] In a televised interview on 19 October, Chief Executive CY Leung repeated Chinese claims about foreign responsibility for the protests, but declined to give details.^[249][252]

The US State Department has categorically rejected accusations of interference, calling the charges "an attempt to distract from...the people expressing their desire for universal suffrage."^[253] The South China Morning Post characterised claims of foreign interference as "vastly exaggerated",^[254] and longtime Hong Kong democracy advocate Martin Lee said such claims were a "'convenient excuse' for Beijing to cover its shame for not granting the territory true democracy as it once promised."^[255]

The China Media Project of the University of Hong Kong noted that the phrase "hostile forces" (敌对 势力) – a hardline Stalinist term – has been frequently used in a conspiracy theory alleging foreign sources of instigation.^[256] Apart from being used as a straightforward means to avoid blame, analysts said that Chinese claims of foreign involvement, which may be rooted in Marxist ideology, or simply in an authoritarian belief that "spontaneity is impossible", are "a pre-emptive strike making it very difficult for the American and British governments" to support the protests.^[22][257]

Law and order

On 1 October, China News Service criticised the protesters for "bringing shame to the rule of law in Hong Kong";^[258] the People's Daily said that the Beijing stance on Hong Kong's elections is "unshakeable" and legally valid. Stating that the illegal occupation was hurting Hong Kong, it warned of "unimaginable consequences"^[259] Some observers remarked that the editorial was similar to the April 26 Editorial that foreshadowed the suppression of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.^[260][261] A state television editorial urged authorities to "deploy police enforcement decisively" and "restore the social order in Hong Kong as soon as possible," and again warned of "unimaginable consequences",^[262] and a front page commentary in People's Daily on 3 October repeated that the protests "could lead to deaths and injuries and other grave consequences."^[15][263]

By 6 October, official Chinese media outlets called for "all the people to create an anti-Occupy Central atmosphere in the society". The protesters were described as "going against the principle of democracy". A commentary in the China Review News claimed that "the US is now hesitant in its support for the Occupy Central. If those campaign organisers suddenly soften their approach, it will show that their American masters are giving out a different order."^[264][265]

Chinese government officials have routinely affirmed the Chinese government's firm support for the chief executive and for the continued "necessary, reasonable and lawful" actions by the police against the illegal protests.^{[124][251][258]}

Other pronouncements

While the Western press noticed the apparent silence of Hong Kong's richest businessmen since the occupation began,^{[266][267][268]} Xinhua News Agency posted an English-language article in the morning of 25 October criticising the absence of condemnation of the occupation from the city's tycoons in response to the protest, but the article was deleted several hours later.^[269][270] A replacement article that appeared that evening, in Chinese, stated how tycoons strongly condemned the protest, and quoted a number of them with pre-occupation soundbites reiterating how the occupation would damage Hong Kong's international reputation, disrupt social disorder and cause other harmful problems to society.^[269]

Deputy director of China's National People's Congress Internal and Judicial Affairs Committee, Li Shenming, stated: "In today's China, engaging in an election system of one-man-one-vote is bound to quickly lead to turmoil, unrest and even a situation of civil war."^[271] The mainland media also contested the protesters demands for democracy by blaming the colonial rulers, saying Britain "gave our Hong Kong compatriots not one single day of it", notwithstanding the fact that de-classified British diplomatic documents indicate that the lack of democracy since at least late 1950s was largely attributable to the refusal of the PRC to allow it.^[272]

The Chinese authorities are rumoured to have blacklisted 47 entertainers from Hong Kong who had openly supported the suffragists, and the list made the rounds on social media.^[273] Denise Ho, Chapman To and actor Anthony Wong, who are among the highest profile supporters of the movement, were strongly criticised by the official Xinhua News Agency.^[274] In response to the possible ban from the Chinese market, Chow Yun-fat, was quoted as saying "I'll just make less, then". Reporting of Chow's riposte was subject to Mainland Chinese internet censors.^[275]

Beijing refused to grant a visa to Richard Graham, British member of parliament who had said in a parliamentary debate on Hong Kong that Britain had a duty to uphold the principles of the Sino-British joint declaration. This resulted in the cancellation of a visit by a cross-party parliament group due to visit China, led by Peter Mandelson. Graham had also asserted that "Stability for nations is not, in our eyes, about maintaining the status quo regardless, but about reaching out for greater involvement with the people – in this case, of Hong Kong – allowing them a greater say in choosing their leaders and, above all, trusting in the people".^[276]

Chinese dissent

In urging students to set aside their protest, Bao Tong, the former political secretary of CPC general secretary Zhao Ziyang, said he could not predict what the leadership would do.^[277] He believed Zhao meant universal suffrage where everyone had the right to vote freely, and not this "special election with Chinese characteristics".^[277][278] Bao said today's PRC leaders should respect the principle that HK citizens rule themselves, or Deng Xiaoping's promises to Hong Kong would have been fake.^[277][278] Hu Jia co-authored an opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal, in which he wrote "China has the potential to become an even more relentless, aggressive dictatorship than Russia... Only a strong, unambiguous warning from the US will cause either of those countries to carefully consider the costs of new violent acts of repression. Hong Kong and Ukraine are calling for the rebirth of American global leadership for freedom and democracy.^[279]

Amnesty International said that at least 37 mainland Chinese have been detained for supporting Hong Kong protesters in different ways: some posted pictures and messages online, others had been planning to travel to Hong Kong to join protesters. A poetry reading planned for 2 October in Beijing's Songzhuang art colony to support Hong Kong protesters was disrupted, and a total of eight people were detained. A further 60 people have been taken in for questioning by police.^[280][281]

Domestic reactions

A double-decker bus in Mong Kok is used as a message board

Political

Former Chief Secretary Anson Chan expressed disappointment at Britain's silence on the matter and urged Britain to assert its legal and moral responsibility towards Hong Kong and not just think about trade opportunities. Chan dismissed China's accusation of foreign interference, saying: "Nobody from outside could possibly stir up this sort of depth of anger and frustration."^[282] Former Legco president Rita Fan said "to support the movement, some protesters background have resources that are supported by foreign forces using young people for a cause. To pursue democracy that effects other people's livelihood is a form of democratic dictatorship."^[283]

Director of Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor, Law Yuk-kai, was dissatisfied with the unnecessary violence by the police. He said students only broke into the Civic Square to sit-in peacefully with no intentions of destroying government premises.^[284] He questioned the mobilisation of riot police while protesters staged no conflict. Also, the overuse of batons was underestimated by the police because the weapon could severely harm protesters.^[284] Legislative Council Chairman Jasper Tsang Yok-sing has disagreed that the police were excessively violent, saying they would not misuse pepper spray.^[285] and contrary to the claims of other pro-establishment members, Tsang sees little evidence of "foreign forces" at play.^[286] Member of Legislative Council Albert Ho of Democratic Party said, "[Attack on protesters] was one of the tactics used by the communists in mainland China from time to time. They use triads or pro-government mobs to try to attack you so the government will not have to assume responsibility."^[287]

Former Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa when urging the students to end the occupation, praised their "great sacrifice" in the pursuit of democracy, and said that "the rule of law and obeying the law form the cornerstone of democracy."^[288]

On 29 October, chairman of the Financial Services Development Council and Executive Councillor, Laura Cha, created controversy for the government and for HSBC, of which she is a board member, when she said: "African-American slaves were liberated in 1861, but did not get voting rights until 107 years later. So why can't Hong Kong wait for a while?" An online petition called for her to apologise and withdraw her remarks. A spokesman for the Executive Council stated in an e-mail on 31 October that "She did not mean any disrespect and regrets that her comment has caused concerns".^{[18][289][290][291]}

Business sector

The Federation of Hong Kong Industries, whose 3,000 manufacturer members are largely unaffected as manufacturing in Hong Kong has been largely de-localised to the mainland, oppose the protests, due to concerns for the effects on investor confidence.^[270] While the business groups have expressed concern at the disruption caused to their members,^[292][293] the city's wealthiest individuals have kept a relatively low-profile as they faced the dilemma of losing the patronage of CPC leadership while trying to avoid further escalation with overt condemnations of the movement.^[270] On the 19th day, Li Ka-Shing recognised that students' voices had been noted by Beijing, and urged them to go home "to avoid any regret".^[294] Li was, however, criticised by Xinhua for not being unambiguous in his opposition for the movement and his support for Leung.^[270] Lui Che Woo, the second richest man in Asia, appeared to hold a more pro-Beijing stance by stating that "citizens should be thankful to the police".^[295] Lui was opposed to "any activity that has a negative impact on the Hong Kong economy".^[270]

International reactions

United Nations

On 23 October, the UN Human Rights Committee, which monitors compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, urged China to allow free elections in Hong Kong.^[296][297] The committee emphasised specifically that 'universal suffrage' includes the right to stand for office as well as the right to vote. Describing China's actions as "not satisfactory", the committee's chairman Konstantine Vardzelashvili announced that "The main concerns of Committee members were focused on the right to stand for elections without unreasonable restrictions."^[24]

A spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry confirmed on the following day that the Covenant, signed by China in 1998, did apply to Hong Kong, but said that, nonetheless, "The covenant is not a measure for Hong Kong's political reform", and that China's policy on Hong Kong's elections had "unshakable legal status and effect". Reuters observed that "It was not immediately clear how, if the covenant applied to Hong Kong, it could have no bearing on its political reform."^[25]

States

Leaders of countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Taiwan, Vatican City, United Kingdom, and the United States, supported the protesters' right to protest and their cause of universal suffrage and urged restraint on all sides, with the notable exception of Russia, whose state media claimed that the protests were another West-sponsored colour revolution similar to the Euromaidan.^{[22][298][299]} German president Joachim Gauck, celebrating the 24th anniversary of German reunification, praised the spirit of Hong Kong's suffragists to their own of 24 years ago who overcame their fear of their oppressors;^[300] Chancellor Angela Merkel said freedom of speech should remain guaranteed by law in Hong Kong.^[301]

British Prime Minister David Cameron expressed deep concern about clashes in Hong Kong and said that he felt an obligation to the former colony.^[302][303] Cameron said on 15 October that Britain should stand up for the rights set out in the Anglo-Chinese agreement.^[304] The Foreign Office called on Hong Kong to uphold residents' rights to demonstrate, and said that the best way to guarantee these rights is through transition to universal suffrage.^[305][306] Former Hong Kong Governor and current Chancellor of the University of Oxford Chris Patten expressed support for the protests^[307] and denounced the Iranian-style democratic model for the city.^[308] Citing China's obligation to Britain to adhere to the terms of Sino-British Joint Declaration,^[309] he urged the British government to put greater pressure on the Chinese state, and to help China and Hong Kong find a solution to the impasse.^[310] The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Patten should realise that "times have changed",^[311] and that no party had the right to interfere in China's domestic affairs.^[312]

British member of parliament and chairman of the Commons Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, Richard Ottaway, denounced China's declaration that the committee would be refused permission to enter Hong Kong on their planned visit in late December as part of their inquiry into progress of the implementation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration. Ottaway sought confirmation from the China's deputy ambassador after receiving a letter from the central government that his group's visit "would be perceived to be siding with the protesters involved in Occupy Central and other illegal activities", and was told that the group would be turned back.^[313]

In Taiwan, the situation in Hong Kong is closely monitored since China aims to reunify the island with a "one country, two systems" model similar to one that is used in Hong Kong.^[314] President Ma Ying-jeou expressed concern for the developments in Hong Kong and its future,^[315] and said the realisation of universal suffrage will be a win-win scenario for both Hong Kong and mainland China.^[316] On 10 October, Taiwan's National Day, President Ma urged China to introduce constitutional democracy, saying "now that the 1.3 billion people on the mainland have become moderately wealthy, they will of course wish to enjoy greater democracy and rule of law. Such a desire has never been a monopoly of the west, but is the right of all humankind."^[317] In response to Ma's comments, China's Taiwan Affairs Office said Beijing was "firmly opposed to remarks on China's political system and Hong Kong's political reforms .... Taiwan should refrain from commenting on the issue."^[318]

Foreign media

The protests captured the attention of the world and gained extensive global media coverage.^[319] Student leader Joshua Wong featured on the cover of Time magazine during the week of his 18th birthday,^[320] and the movement was written about, also as a cover story, the following week.^[321] While the local pan-democrats and the majority of the Western press supported the protesters' aspirations for universal suffrage,^[319] Martin Jacques, writing for The Guardian, argued that the PRC had "overwhelmingly honoured its commitment to the principle of one country, two systems". He believed that the reason for the unrest is "the growing sense of dislocation among a section of Hong Kong's population" since 1997.^[322] Tim Summers, in an op-ed for CNN, said that the protests were fuelled by dissatisfaction with the Hong Kong government, but the catalyst was the decision of the NPCSC. Criticising politicians' and the media's interpretation of the agreements and undertakings of the PRC, Summer said "all the Joint Declaration said is that the chief executive will be 'appointed by the central people's government on the basis of the results of elections or consultations to be held locally [in Hong Kong].' Britain's role as co-signatory of that agreement gives it no legal basis for complaint on this particular point, and the lack of democracy for the executive branch before 1997 leaves it little moral high ground either."^[323]

Solidarity rallies worldwide

3,000–4,000 people gathered outside Chinese Embassy London to support the protests in Hong Kong on 1 October 2014

Rallies in support of the protests have occurred in over 64 cities worldwide, principally in front of Hong Kong trade missions or Chinese consulates.^{[324][325][326]} The demonstration in front of the Chinese embassy in London attracted 3000 participants.^[324] Petitions in Australia and to the White House urging support for the protests have collected more than 500 and 183,000 signatures respectively.^[325] In Taipei, locals organised a solidarity protest, where participants were reported to have scuffled with Taiwanese police after crowding a Hong Kong trade office.^[325] On 1 October, a gathering in Taipei's Liberty Square drew over 10,000 people in support of the protests.^[327] At the East Asian Cup qualifying match against Hong Kong on 16 November, Taiwanese football fans waved yellow umbrellas in a show of support. While the Chinese national anthem played, spectators sang "Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies".^[328] In Singapore, hundreds of people participated in a candlelight vigil at Hong Lim Park on 1 October to show support to the Occupy Central protesters.^[329]

Aftermath

Once traffic resumed, roadside PM2.5 readings shot back up to levels in excess of WHO recommended safe levels of 25mcg/m². According to the Clean Air Network, PM2.5 levels at Admiralty stood at 33mcg/m², an increase of 83% since during the occupation; Causeway Bay measured 31mcg/m², an increase of 55%, and Mong Kok's reading of 37mcg/m² represents an increase of 42%.^[203][204]

Chief Executive CY Leung said that protesters need to carefully consider what sort of democracy they are pursuing.^[330] He welcomed the end of the occupation, saying: "Other than economic losses, I believe the greatest loss Hong Kong society has suffered is the damage to the rule of law by a small group of people... If we just talk about democracy without talking about the rule of law, it's not real democracy but a state of no government".^[331] Leung saw his popularity ratings slump to a new low following the occupation protests, down to 39.7 percent, with a net of minus 37%. This was attributed to public perception of Leung's unwillingness to heal the wounds, and his unwarranted shifting of the blame for the wrongs in society onto opponents. Leung also claimed negative effects on the economy without providing evidence, and his assertions were contradicted by official figures.^[332]

Commissioner of the Police Andy Tsang confirmed the unprecedented challenges to the police posed by the occupations, and that as at 15 December a total of 955 individuals had been arrested,^[330][333] 221 activists had been hurt, and that 130 police officers had received light injuries.^[333] At the same time, Tsang anticipated further arrests, pending a 3-month investigation into the occupation movement.^[333] On, 19 December 2014, the eve of the 15th anniversary of Macau's handover, authorities in Macau banned journalists covering the arrival of Chinese president Xi Jinping from holding umbrellas in the rain.^[334]

The Economic Journal predicts a rout as a result of growing alienation and disaffection with the system and with traditional politics. It criticised the means the government employed to deal with the problem, and said that: "[the SAR government's] legitimacy to govern has been deeply damaged. Officials may be made scapegoats for the mass protests, and the police may have forfeited much of their hard-earned reputation and sound relationship with citizens following charges of brutality and links with triads. The judiciary has also taken a beating after it issued injunctions against the occupation of roads in Mong Kok and Admiralty. This has left many people with the perception that it has colluded with the government and the checks and balances between the two powers are now gone. The government's ill-conceived plan to crack down hard on the protesters under the guise of assisting bailiffs sets a dangerous precedent."^[335]

An editorial in The Wall Street Journal said that despite the establishment attempting to portray the occupy movement as a threat to Hong Kong, "it's clear that the real threat to Hong Kong comes from those who bend to Beijing's whims. China and its local proxies ... have mounted a violent march through the institutions that have sustained Hong Kong's stability and prosperity-independent courts, free press, honest law enforcement and more".^[336] An editorial in the Washington Post predicted that "Political unrest is likely to become a chronic condition in a place that until now had mostly accepted the authority of the Communist regime since 1997... China's inflexible response to the democracy movement may yield exactly the results it wishes to avoid: an unmanageable political situation in Hong Kong and the spread of the demand for political freedom".^[337]

A Guardian editorial wrote: "What China has done in Hong Kong will preserve control but deepen alienation... outside China, where it is seen as yet another indication that compromise and the Chinese communist party are strangers to each other, whether in dealing with non-Han minorities, in territorial issues with neighbours or in relations with other major states." It said that the one country, two systems formula "has been almost completely discredited by events in Hong Kong". It added that "The Chinese are prisoners of another narrative, in which China's rise is a phenomenon benefiting its neighbours as much as itself, in which opponents are seen as a tiny minority manipulated by hostile powers, and in which democracy is a flawed western concept that has no relevance for China".^[338]

On Christmas Eve, 250 protesters marched from Southorn Playground to Civic Square. Around 7:00 p.m., 500 "shopping" (referred to as "gau wu" by participants) protesters with yellow banners and umbrellas, gathered in Shantung Street, then Argyle Street and Nathan Road. 10 men and 2 women were arrested with ages ranging from 13 to 76. In Causeway Bay, people hung a yellow banner on the Times Square clocktower. The banner was removed by the police. No arrests were made as the protesters were on private property. A group of students hung a banner on Lennon Wall.^{[339][340][341][342][343]} About 30 people had been arrested.^[344]

Protection orders for youth protesters

Police have applied for protection orders for two youths which were arrested during the protests. In Hong Kong, care and protection orders are typically only used in severe cases of juvenile delinquency.^[345] These protection orders could mean that the parent can lose custody rights of the child and the child being sent to a children's home. These protection orders were seen as "white terror" deterrence for young people to be involved in protests or as police retribution by parts of the public.

The first incident of this kind occurred on 17 December when it was announced that the police were applying for a protection order for a 14-year-old male, who was one of those arrested during the clearance of Mong Kok. This protection order could result in termination of the parents' custody rights and the teenager facing a curfew, counselling or even being sent to a boys' home and removed from his parents.^[346] On 13 January, the child protection order was cancelled by police after the Department of Justice announced that they had no interest in pressing charges against him for contempt of court.^[345]

On 29 December, a 14-year-old female was arrested for drawing a flower onto the Lennon Wall on 23 December. Dubbed "Chalk Girl", the child was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, but was not charged. Instead, police applied for a Child Protection Order, which a judge granted. The CPO resulted in her being sent to a girls' home after a magistrate "deemed it safer". She was taken away from her hearing-impaired father, and could not go to school. The police action created uproar, and resulted in several sympathy chalk-drawing protests at the children's home and at the government offices.^[347][348] After Martin Lee successfully appealed her case to the High Court on 31 December, she was allowed to return home. Bail conditions stipulated that she must live with her father, continue her studies and be subject to a curfew from 10 PM to 6 AM, unless she is accompanied by her father, sister or a social worker. Her case was adjourned to 19 January.^[349]

NEWS CONTENTS

• 20210111 : "We are all Taiwanese now" stunt is Pompeo's act of petty spite for getting outfoxed in the Hong Kong colour revolution play. ( Jan 11, 2021 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20200816 : Greyzone did well with this expose of foreign meddling in Hong Kong ( Aug 16, 2020 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20200802 : Six HK secessionists fled ( Aug 02, 2020 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20200714 : Hong Kong Correctional Services Department: Large number of young people are expected to go to jail in the future ( Jul 14, 2020 , www.guancha.cn )
• 20200709 : Russia, China keep the 'dragon in the fog' - Indian Punchline ( Jul 09, 2020 , indianpunchline.com )
• 20200611 : A Tale of Two Protests- Why the U.S. Ruling Class Loves Hong Kong Protests But Hates the Minneapolis-Led Rebellion - Black Agenda Report ( Jun 11, 2020 , www.blackagendareport.com )
• 20200527 : CCP Mouthpiece Slams Habitual Liar Pompeo, Says US 'Incapable' Of Judging Hong Kong's Autonomy ( May 27, 2020 , www.zerohedge.com )
• 20200523 : A commentator in Taiwan said that the US consulate in Hong Kong has more than 2000 staff. If true, this number is astounding, and probably has nothing comparable in other US foreign missions. ( May 23, 2020 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20200523 : China's Move In Hong Kong Illustrates The End Of U.S. Superiority ( May 22, 2020 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20200522 : What has always been fascinating to me is the irony of the mindset HK protestors ( May 22, 2020 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20191221 : Hong Kong Police Arrest 4 Alleged Financiers Of The Protest Movement ( Dec 21, 2019 , www.zerohedge.com )
• 20191221 : Hong Kong Police Arrest Financiers Of The Protest Movement ( Dec 21, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20191221 : Mysterious Bags of Cash emerge exactly like in EuroMaydan riots ( Dec 21, 2019 , finance.yahoo.com )
• 20191215 : Hong Kong Police Report Second Bomb Plot Foiled ( Dec 15, 2019 , www.zerohedge.com )
• 20191207 : China suspends Hong Kong visits by U.S. military ships, aircraft, sanctions U.S. NGOs ( Dec 07, 2019 , economistsview.typepad.com )
• 20191206 : Why Are Ukrainian Neo-Nazis Joining the Hong Kong Protests - Sputnik International ( Dec 06, 2019 , sputniknews.com )
• 20191129 : To sum up, Trump has signed another evil law that intervenes in China's domestic affairs and violates the country's sovereignty by using Hong Kong as a stick. ( Nov 29, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20191128 : Hong Kong ensnared in the West's color revolution ( Nov 28, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20191128 : Will protest destroy Hong Kong financial industry. ( Nov 28, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20191128 : Futures Tumble After Trump Signs Bill Backing Hong Kong Protesters, Defying China ( Nov 27, 2019 , www.zerohedge.com )
• 20191125 : Why The Hong Kong Riots Are Coming To An End ( Nov 25, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20191122 : When they passed the "Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019" by unanimous consent, the U.S. Senate essentially doused our relationship with China with kerosene and set it on fire ( Nov 22, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20191010 : Apple removes app that Hong Kong protesters used to track police movements after it used for vandalism, attacks on officers ( Oct 10, 2019 , www.rt.com )
• 20191010 : Why is Apple guiding Hong Kong thugs US corporations face choice between virtue-signaling and business by Helen Buyniski ( Oct 10, 2019 , www.rt.com )
• 20191010 : Glorifying rioters China blasts France and EU for hypocrisy after they call for restraint in Hong Kong ( Oct 10, 2019 , www.rt.com )
• 20191009 : Instruments of democracy Hong Kong police raid protesters, seize body armor, petrol bomb materials (PHOTOS) -- RT World News ( Oct 09, 2019 , www.rt.com )
• 20191003 : Beijing is convinced that Hong Kong's elites and a substantial part of the public do not support the demonstrators and that what truly ails the territory are economic problems rather than political ones -- in particular, a combination of stagnant incomes and rising rents. ( Oct 03, 2019 , economistsview.typepad.com )
• 20190928 : Media biased Hong Kong reporting ( Sep 28, 2019 , www.unz.com )
• 20190924 : Wong also urged Taiwan's government to let Hong Kong protesters seek political asylum ( Sep 23, 2019 , www.theamericanconservative.com )
• 20190918 : Unhinged Neocon Ogress Applebaum on Board of NGO Stoking Hong Kong Unrest by Tony Cartalucci ( Sep 10, 2019 , russia-insider.com )
• 20190916 : Hong cong rightwing 'protesters' are extremely aggressive. Looks like they try to score the points for emigratin to Taiwan. ( Sep 16, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20190912 : If Wishes Were Horses: Nina Khrushcheva's Regime-Change Dream. ( Sep 12, 2019 , thenewkremlinstooge.wordpress.com )
• 20190912 : The comments to WSWS article on HK are **well worth** reading ( Sep 12, 2019 , thenewkremlinstooge.wordpress.com )
• 20190912 : Carrie Lam chose to play it like Yanukovych, and to give the protesters what they asked for. ( Sep 12, 2019 , thenewkremlinstooge.wordpress.com )
• 20190912 : Full 10-minute video of middle-aged and elderly commuters fighting with protesters, the incident that led to the Prince Edward MTR station staff calling in police over the August / September weekend to subdue and arrest protesters, some of whom attempted to evade arrest by changing clothes: ( Sep 12, 2019 , thenewkremlinstooge.wordpress.com )
• 20190912 : Only neoliberal governments can crush protests with absolute impunity ( Sep 12, 2019 , thenewkremlinstooge.wordpress.com )
• 20190911 : Hong Kong protesters cozy up to US, ask to 'liberate' city amid ongoing violence (VIDEOS) -- RT World News ( Sep 11, 2019 , www.rt.com )
• 20190911 : Color revolutionaries of the world, unite! Hong Kong protest leader pictured with White Helmets boss -- RT World News ( Sep 11, 2019 , www.rt.com )
• 20190911 : Beijing Has Proof Of Foreign Intervention In HK Unrest, Summons German Ambassador ( Sep 11, 2019 , www.zerohedge.com )
• 20190910 : China, Hong Kong and Taiwan - Frank Ching - Sic Semper Tyrannis ( Sep 10, 2019 , turcopolier.typepad.com )
• 20190910* It s all about Gene Sharp and seeping neoliberal regime change using Western logistical support, money, NGO and intelligence agencies and MSM as the leverage ( Aug 31, 2019 , Hong Cong and Maydan: the more the merrier ( Sep 09, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20190908 : Behind Hong Kong's chaos lie deep-seated social problems ( Sep 08, 2019 , economistsview.typepad.com )
• 20190908 : Hands Off Hong Kong. The Cry That Seldom Is Heard ( Sep 05, 2019 , www.antiwar.com )
• 20190908 : Hong Kong while having a high per capita income level is highly inequitable in income with economic tensions accentuated by a British-country-style property system. ( Sep 08, 2019 , economistsview.typepad.com )
• 20190902 : Hong Kong and the Audacity of the U.S. Part of a Destabilization War with China - Global ResearchGlobal Research - Centre for ( Sep 02, 2019 , www.globalresearch.ca )
• 20190902 : Magnitsky act for Hong Cong is in the works ( Sep 02, 2019 , turcopolier.typepad.com )
• 20190902 : America's Hybrid War against China has Entered a New Phase - Global ResearchGlobal Research - Centre for Research on Globaliz ( Sep 02, 2019 , www.globalresearch.ca )
• 20190831 : Hong Cong protester cleraly are adopting Maydan tacktics of escalation of protests: the next step in confrontation (petrol bombs) is so predictable ( Aug 31, 2019 , www.zerohedge.com )
• 20190831 : Clever Tactics "Add Oil" to Hong Kong Protests (and not "Hidden Hands" by Lambert Strether ( Aug 30, 2019 , www.nakedcapitalism.com )
• 20190828 : an interesting pair of comments by frequent fliers: ( Aug 28, 2019 , www.flyertalk.com )
• 20190827* House Niggers Mutiny by Israel Shamir ( Aug 27, 2019 , www.unz.com ) [Recommended]
• 20190826 : CONFIRMED: YouTube Censors Anti-Protest Channels in Bid to Bolster New Color Revolution in Hong Kong, China ( Aug 26, 2019 , 21stcenturywire.com )
• 20190826 : Joshua Wong is right in more ways than he compares the situation with 2014 Maidan riots in Ukraine ( Aug 25, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20190826 : What The Hell Is Happening In Hong Kong ( Aug 26, 2019 , www.zerohedge.com )
• 20190826 : Hong Kong protest and Euromaydan riots ( Aug 25, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20190826 : Deeper meanings of the Hong Kong protests> by Prof. Anis H. Bajrektarević ( consortiumnews.com )
• 20190826* US Backs Xenophobia Mob Violence in Hong Kong ( Aug 19, 2019 , consortiumnews.com ) [Recommended]
• 20190825* What Is the US Role in the Hong Kong Protests> by Reese Erlich ( Aug 23, 2019 , original.antiwar.com ) [Recommended]
• 20190823 : The HK protesters are shooting themselves on the foot. They can't achieve a military victory because, contrary to countries like Brazil and Ukraine, USA's infiltration in China is very low (reduced to embassies and universities), which rules out unconventional warfare as per the TC-18-01. ( Aug 23, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20190823 : Dirty tricks neoliberals play: In Hong real real and legitimate grievances with the Chinese government coused by neoliberalism were used by the USA and Taiwan to press mainland China on concenttion to the USA in thier trade war ( Aug 23, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20190821 : Creative use of Taiwan to fuel protests by providing asylum to protesters ( Aug 21, 2019 , news.yahoo.com )
• 20190819 : US Backs Xenophobia Mob Violence in Hong Kong Consortiumnews ( Aug 19, 2019 , consortiumnews.com )
• 20190819 : Pepe Escobar weighs in on Hong Kong civil disobedience ( Aug 07, 2019 , caucus99percent.com )
• 20190818 : Hong Kong's Inevitable Showdown ( Aug 18, 2019 , www.zerohedge.com )
• 20190813 : China Claims US 'Black Hand' Is Behind Hong Kong Protests ( Aug 13, 2019 , economistsview.typepad.com )
• 20190813* "Much that passes as idealism is disguised hatred or disguised love of power." ( Aug 13, 2019 , economistsview.typepad.com ) [Recommended]
• 20190812 : World is watching US reaction points to Hong Kong as a color revolution by Nebojsa Malic ( Aug 12, 2019 , www.rt.com )
• 20190812 : Allegedly authorities are infiltrating protests, instigating violence, then making arrests. ( Aug 12, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20190811 : Furious pushback this week by the US State Department after a photo of a US consular official meeting with "pro-democracy activists" was published in Hong Kong media. ( Aug 11, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20190811 : Hong Kong Maidan starts crossing the Rubicon from the upgrade from bricks and umbrellas to US-made grenade launchers ( Aug 11, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20190806 : The fact that, even after the backdown on the extradition proposal, the protesters continued escalating their demands to the point of demanding current HK leader Carrie Lam's removal, demonstrates that there is far more to the protesters' agenda than the extradition proposal. Add to that the fact that protesters receive cash payments for protesting (with the amounts jacked up if protesters destroy or damage things) and a CIA operative, Brian Kern, has been identified as a ring-leader, and it is apparent that a Color Revolution regime-change operation is in full swing. ( Aug 06, 2019 , thenewkremlinstooge.wordpress.com )
• 20190805 : HK-China conflict The national identity gap by Frank Ching - Sic Semper Tyrannis ( Aug 05, 2019 , turcopolier.typepad.com )
• 20190805 : Looks like in Ukraine local Hong Kong authorites are thorously corrupted and may well be infiltrated by Western intelligence againceto the same expect as the goverment of Yanukovich ( Aug 05, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20190804 : Provoking direct intervention may be the intent of Hong Kong protests oragnizers ( Aug 04, 2019 , turcopolier.typepad.com )
• 20190803 : Hong Kong Police Fire Tear Gas As Peaceful Protest Turns Chaotic ( Aug 03, 2019 , www.zerohedge.com )
• 20190803 : France vs China: compare and learn ( Aug 03, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20190803 : Events in Hong Kong may be less about extradition laws and more about the upcoming election in Taiwan ( Aug 03, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20190731 : China Accuses US Of Orchestrating Hong Kong Protests ( Jul 31, 2019 , www.zerohedge.com )
• 20190729 : HK like the Ukraine and the mess while based on existing grievances was facilitated by the US government agencies ( Jul 29, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20190728 : The U.S. Stunt In Hong Kong Will Make Other Issues More Difficult ( Jul 27, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20190723 : Hong Kong The Crisis Deepens by Frank Ching ( Jul 23, 2019 , turcopolier.typepad.com )
• 20190722 : Latest desperate attempt to trigger a color revolution in Hong Kong ( Jul 22, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20190722 : In Hong Kong, what we already suspected is now pretty much confirmed: there was an attempt of a color revolution in the city ( Jul 22, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20190714 : >What's Really Going On in Hong Kong ( Jul 14, 2019 , original.antiwar.com )
• 20190624 : For those interested in the Big Picture behind events leading up to the Hong Kong extradition law impasse, the essay below by longtime Hong Kong columnist Nuri Vittachy gives a detailed sequence ( Jun 24, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20190623 : The 'Extradition Protest' appears to have a startling resemblance to the 'Umbrella Protests' backed by the CIA/NED ( Jun 23, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20190623 : The Financial War Escalates ( Jun 23, 2019 , www.zerohedge.com )
• 20190622 : The Financial War Escalates ( Jun 22, 2019 , www.zerohedge.com )
• 20190620 : The uprising in Hong Kong is regime change-motivated ( Jun 20, 2019 , www.moonofalabama.org )
• 20190504 : America's Global Financial War Is Escalating ( May 04, 2019 , www.zerohedge.com )
• 20150314 : The Coming Chinese Crackup ( Mar 14, 2015 , Zero Hedge )
• 20150314 : Chinese Authorities and US-Made 'Color Revolution' in Hong Kong ( Chinese Authorities and US-Made 'Color Revolution' in Hong Kong , )
• 20150314 : Hong Kong's "Occupy Central" is US-backed Sedition by Tony Cartalucci ( October 20, 2014 , journal-neo.org )
• 20150314 : How Hong Kongs umbrella movement folded ( Al Jazeera English )
• 20150219 : Catholics Play Key Role in Hong Kong's "Umbrella Revolution" Women of Grace ( Catholics Play Key Role in Hong Kong's "Umbrella Revolution" Women of Grace, Feb 19, 2015 )
• 20150219 : Hong Kong's Umbrella Revolution Isn't Over Yet ( Feb 19, 2015 , NYTimes.com )
• 20150202 : Hong Kong pro-democracy protests – in pictures ( Hong Kong pro-democracy protests – in pictures , Feb 02, 2015 )
• 20150202 : Hong Kong democracy protesters march for 'true universal suffrage' ( Hong Kong democracy protesters march for 'true universal suffrage' , Feb 02, 2015 )
• 20150202 : The Guardian ( The Guardian, )
• 20150112 : The Xinjiang-Chechnya correlation ( The Xinjiang-Chechnya correlation, Jan 12, 2015 )
• 20150109 : How it was organized in Hong Kong... How can it be organized everywhere... by Ruslan Karmanov ( December 26 2014 , marina-yudenich.livejournal.com )
• 20150109 : Wu-Tang Clan's "A Better Tomorrow" video is a powerful tribute to nationwide protesters ( Wu-Tang Clan's "A Better Tomorrow" video is a powerful tribute to nationwide protesters, )
• 20150109 : Dewayne-Net Archives ( Dewayne-Net Archives, )
• 20141217 : 2014 Hong Kong protests ( December 2014 , Wikipedia )
• 20141217 : Hong Kong Protesters Surround City Leader's Office in Renewed Confrontation - NYTimes.com by CHRIS BUCKLEY and AUSTIN RAMZYNOV. 30, 2014 ( Hong Kong Protesters Surround City Leader's Office in Renewed Confrontation - NYTimes.com, )
• 20141124 : MPs' trip to China cancelled after row over Hong Kong protests debate ( Nov 24, 2014 , theguardian.com )
• 20141121 : 200PM Water Cooler 11-21-14 ( 200PM Water Cooler 11-21-14 , Nov 21, 2014 )
• 20141121 : Hong Kong pro-democracy leaders condemn parliament clashes ( 19 November 2014 , bbc.com )
• 20141121 : Support for Hong Kong street protests wanes ahead of expected dispersal poll ( Support for Hong Kong street protests wanes ahead of expected dispersal poll, )
• 20141113 : A Fruitful Visit by Obama Ends With Blunt Words by Xi Jinping by Jane Perlez ( Nov 12, 2014 , NYTimes.com )
• 20141112 : Hong Kong's umbrella protests are here to stay ( Nov 12, 2014 , theguardian.com )
• 20141102 : China gets silence from Hong Kong tycoons instead of vocal support by Julie Makinen ( Oct 31, 2014 , LA Times )
• 20141102 : Prominent Hong Kong activist says protesters need to unify, strategize by By Echo Hui ( Oct 30, 2014 , LA Times )
• 20141102 : Why China Wont Talk to Hong Kongs Protesters - FPIF ( Why China Won't Talk to Hong Kong's Protesters - FPIF, )
• 20141030 : Ukraine's authoritarianism Events in Kiev signal the end of the color revolutions by Anne Applebaum ( Ukraine's authoritarianism Events in Kiev signal the end of the color revolutions, Oct 30, 2014 )
• 20141023 : Why is America so obsessed with Color Revolution ( Why is America so obsessed with 'Color Revolution' , Oct 23, 2014 )
• 20141023 : CCTV.com English ( CCTV.com English, )
• 20141023 : Protesters ignore HK court order by TIMOTHY CHUI and LUIS LIU (China Daily) ( 2014-10-23 , chinadaily.com.cn )
• 20141022 : Why is America so obsessed with Color Revolution by Zhang Dan ( 10-22-2014 , CCTV.com English )
• 20141016 : Hong Kong protests a colour revolution backed by the West, says Beijing by Li Xueying Hong Kong Correspondent ( Oct 15, 2014 , straitstimes.com )
• 20141016 : Beijing Claims Hong Kong's Pro-Democracy Protests Are a US-Backed Color Revolution by Oiwan Lam ( October 15, 2014 , Global Voices )
• 20141016 : They seem to have forgotten their history ( Oct 6, 2014 , moonofalabama.org )
• 20141016 : The Adults Show Up in Hong Kong by Peter Lee ( Oct 07, 2014 , CounterPunch )
• 20141016 : Hong Kongs war for democracy gets dirtier by Peter Lee ( Oct 10, 2014 , atimes.com )
• 20141012 : Unlike Ukraine, The Hong Kong Protests Will Almost Certainly Fail by Paul Roderick Gregory ( Oct 10, 2014 , Forbes )
• 20141012 : Furious protesters chase police to Mong Kok station in nightly stand-off by Peter So and Emily Tsang ( October 12 , 2014 , South China Morning Post )
• 20141012 : Carrie Lam helpless over talks deadlock ( Oct 12, 2014 , South China Morning Post )
• 20141012 : The 'Umbrella Revolution' and Secessionist Political Contagion in China (II) by Andrew Korybko ( Oriental Review )
• 20141012 : Hong Kongs Revolt Will Probably End Like Moscows by Leonid Bershidsky ( Oct 1, 2014 , Bloomberg View )
• 20141012 : Why Hong Kong Is Massively Pissed (A Primer from Big Lychee) ( Why Hong Kong Is Massively Pissed (A Primer from Big Lychee), Oct 12, 2014 )
• 20141012 : Hong Kong's Umbrellas are 'Made in USA' by William Engdahl ( October 8, 2014 , boilingfrogspost.com )
• 20141011 : Color Umbrellas over Hong Kong ( Oct 10, 2014 , from-ua.com )
• 20141008 : How Chinese authorities try to extinguish color revolution fire in Hong Cong ( How Chinese authorities try to extinguish color revolution fire in Hong Cong, Oct 08, 2014 )
• 20141004 : Violent clashes break out in Hong Kong after counter-protesters storm sit-in by Tania Branigan in Hong Kong and Jonathan Kaiman in Beijing ( Oct 03, 2014 , The Guardian )
• 20141004 : Hong Kong protests: Violence organized, Occupy Central leaders say – as it happened ( Hong Kong protests: Violence 'organized', Occupy Central leaders say – as it happened, )
• 20141004 : Hong Kong The Radicalize Or Fold Alternative ( October 04, 2014 )
• 20141004 : Hong Kong protesters beaten and bloodied as thugs attack sit-in ( theguardian.com )
• 20141003 : Hong Kong protests: Leaders threaten to call off talks ( Oct 3, 2014 , bbc.com )
• 20141003 : The wider concerns of Hong Kongs protesters ( Oct 3, 2014 , bbc.com )
• 20141002 : Hong Kong Government's Strategy on Protesters Wait Them Out ( Oct 02, 2014 , NYTimes.com )
• 20141002 : The (NED Financed) Hong Kong Riots ( September 29, 2014 , Comments (205) )
• 20141002 : US Openly Approves Hong Kong Chaos it Created by Tony Cartalucci ( US Openly Approves Hong Kong Chaos it Created, )
• 20140929 : Beijing reaps bitter fruit in Hong Kong by Peter Lee ( atimes.com )
• 20140925 : US backed colour revolution in Hong Kong ( Sep 25, 2014 , pravda.ru )

Old News ;-)

[Jan 11, 2021] "We are all Taiwanese now" stunt is Pompeo's act of petty spite for getting outfoxed in the Hong Kong colour revolution play.

Jan 11, 2021 | www.moonofalabama.org

LittleWhiteCabbage , Jan 11 2021 15:19 utc | 128

@84:
As sometimes said: don't sweat the small stuff.
This "We are all Taiwanese now" stunt is Pompeo's act of petty spite for getting outfoxed in the Hong Kong colour revolution play.
Empire's useful idiots were let loose to trash the hapless city, fired up by the Western propaganda machinery.
Now Beijing is putting the stock on those pompous minions with the National Security Law, and their foreign masters can't do nuffin' except squeal human rights and apply some nuisance sanctions.
The West fails because it looks at China through ideological lenses and sees Communists, who can fall back on 5000 years of statecraft to push back at interlopers.
Beijing's moves can be likened to two classic strategies.
1. Zhuge Liang fools the enemy to fire all their arrows at straw men, which become ammunition against them.
2. The Empty City strategy. Invaders take over an ostensibly abandoned city, only to be trapped inside.
Global Times is cantankerous and sometimes risible, but even a broken clock is right, twice a day.
So when it says that crossing Beijing's red line on the Taiwan issue is not in the island's best interests, the incoming BiMala administration should take note.

[Aug 16, 2020] Greyzone did well with this expose of foreign meddling in Hong Kong

Aug 16, 2020 | www.moonofalabama.org

jayc , Aug 16 2020 17:30 utc | 28

Greyzone did well with this expose of foreign meddling in Hong Kong
https://thegrayzone.com/2020/08/08/hong-kong-western-media-yellowfacing-amnesty/

The NGO community has reacted angrily to the exposure, labelling Greyzone a Kremlin and Beijing linked disinfo site, even as the story was confirmed by South China Morning Post. The SCMP was then labelled "pro-communist". Facts are wholly partisan, since 2014.

[Aug 02, 2020] Six HK secessionists fled

Aug 02, 2020 | www.moonofalabama.org

JC , Aug 2 2020 21:03 utc | 48

Six HK secessionists fled, now wanted in HK. The countries they're hiding had earlier declared withdraw extradition treaties with HK. These six wanted persons and more as time progress believe they are safe wherever countries sheltering them. HK and China members of Interpol...

Let me share with MoA. I watch the old method regimes' changes. Many are uninformed, how the Singapore regime backed by Americunt wiped completely Singapore's oppositions. Do a search Tan Wah Piow and Operation Coldstore. The code name for a covert security operation carried out in Singapore on 2 February 1963. Led to the arrest of 113 people, who were detained without trial under the Preservation of Public Service Security Ordinance (PSSO). The oppositions were never members of Marxism nor commie or CPM (Communist Party of Malaya) more likely the forerunner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristic

The worlds longest detain prisoner was not Nelson Mandela but an unknown Singaporean Dr. Chia Thye Poh detained without trial by Lee Kuan Yew's regime for 32 years, longer than Nelson Mandela SA. Therefore the six secessionists need to rethink what life ahead. China isn't going anywhere and will continue to grow and servicing its citizen. Socialism with Chinese Characteristic.

Nathan Law Kwun-chung 26, living London
Wayne Chan Ka-ku, fled to the Netherlands
Honcques Laus UK to political asylum June. Germany fake reporter
Samuel Chu American citizen & have been for 25 years. Pastor son
Simon Cheng Man-kit (Zheng Wenjie) British consulate, 28, solicit prostitute in Shenzhen and arrested. fled to UK
Ray Wong Toi-yeung 15Sept 93 HEC Higher Education Certificate. Fled asylum Germany in 2018

[Jul 14, 2020] Hong Kong Correctional Services Department: Large number of young people are expected to go to jail in the future

Jul 14, 2020 | www.guancha.cn

the police have so far arrested a total of 9216 people, 1979 people have been or are being dealt with by the judicial process, of which 252 people have to bear the legal consequences. Mr Hu said there were many young people and many students among those arrested, and "we expect a large number of young people to enter the correctional facility in the foreseeable future." "

Mr Hu said the number of teenagers jailed two years after they were released from prison had fallen from 24.2 per cent in 2007 to 9.8 per cent in 2017...

Prisoners wave goodbye to family members Picture source: Hong Kong Report

According to Hong Kong's Wen Report, Hu Yingming ... criticized some people in the community for advocating the use of violence to solve problems and downplay the impact of imprisonment: "In my 30 years of working in the Correctional Services Department, I have never seen anyone with imprisonment as a life goal." Prison is not a paradise, it is not a place for the public to enhance or exercise, it will not add color to the page of life, leaving prison after the head will not have any aura. "

Hu Yingming reminded that imprisonment is only an indelible mark in life, the prison food and clothing and living are very different from the outside...

This article is an exclusive manuscript of the Observer Network and may not be reproduced without authorization.

[Jul 09, 2020] Russia, China keep the 'dragon in the fog' - Indian Punchline

Jul 09, 2020 | indianpunchline.com

Hong Kong has a long history of being the base camp of western intelligence agencies in the Asia-Pacific. Much has been written about the western intelligence agencies' covert operations out of Hong Kong before, during and after the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests in China.

In the case of Russia, too, western intelligence activities are showing signs of making another determined push for a post-Putin scenario in the Kremlin. The West's calculation is that if Putin were to step down in 2024, he would very soon become a "lame duck". Like in Hong Kong, western intelligence has developed extensive networks within Russia through which it is feasible to fuel unrest if political uncertainties coalesce with social and economic grievances. The Russian counter-intelligence is very well aware of this danger.

Putin has outwitted the western game plan to destabilise Russia. The constitutional amendment allows him to seek another two six-year terms and he intends to keep everyone guessing. Keeping the western adversaries guessing is also what the Chinese security law in Hong Kong hopes to achieve.

The western intelligence operating out of the city henceforth comes under direct scrutiny of Beijing . Recruitment of local agents, planning and mounting operations inside China, or inciting unrest in Hong Kong to weaken China -- such covert operations become far more difficult and risky for the US, British and Australian intelligence. Interestingly, Xi used the expression "external sabotage and intervention" in his conversation with Putin today.

Beijing and Moscow have voiced strong support for each other's moves to strengthen national security. On June 2, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said,

"We note that the national referendum on constitutional amendments, a major event in Russia's political calendar, is going on smoothly. Results released by the Central Elections Commission reflect the Russian people's choice. As Russia's friendly neighbour and comprehensive strategic partner of coordination for a new era, China will always respect the development path independently chosen by the Russian people and support Russia's efforts to realise lasting stability and promote socioeconomic development.

"We stand ready to work together with the Russian side to act on the consensus reached by our heads of state, deepen all-round strategic coordination and mutually-beneficial cooperation in various areas, and bring greater benefits to our two peoples."

On the same day, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in Moscow, "We noted the entry into force of the law on ensuring national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the PRC on July 1, 2020 by the decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China.

"In this context, we would like to reaffirm that Russia's position of principle on the situation in Hong Kong remains unchanged. We respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the PRC and consider all issues pertaining to Hong Kong to be China's domestic affair. We are against any attempts by external forces to interfere in relations between the central government and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the PRC."

Cooperation between the Russian and Chinese security agencies in the realm of internal security can only stem from a high level of mutual understanding at the highest level. Significantly, on July 4, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov poured cold water on President Trump's invitation to Putin to attend a G7 summit in the US, calling it a "flawed" idea.

Moscow has any number of legitimate reasons to distance itself from Trump's invite, but what Ryabkov chose was very telling. He said, "The idea of the so-called expanded G7 summit is flawed, because it is unclear to us how the authors of that initiative plan to consider the Chinese factor. Without China, it is just impossible to discuss certain issues in the modern world."

In effect, Rybakov thwarted Washington's move to isolate China. Trump's advisors were naive to estimate that Moscow could be baited to join its containment strategy against China. Ryabkov publicly administered the Kremlin's snub.

[Jun 11, 2020] A Tale of Two Protests- Why the U.S. Ruling Class Loves Hong Kong Protests But Hates the Minneapolis-Led Rebellion - Black Agenda Report

Jun 11, 2020 | www.blackagendareport.com

The protests in Hong Kong are led by an assortment of US-backed proxies who have separation from China as their principle goal.

"In Hong Kong, the US sees not a war for 'democracy' but rather a key battleground for its larger hybrid war against China."

The rebellions in Hong Kong and Minneapolis have received vastly different responses from the U.S. ruling class. In Minneapolis, masses of peoplet took to the streets on May 26th to express their outrage over the police murder of George Floyd and the many Black Americans who have shared a similar fate. The rebellion quickly spread to cities across the country with corporations, police stations, and even the CNN headquarters in Atlanta, GA all facing some form of property destruction. Since June of 2019, Hong Kong protestors have held regular demonstrations to demand "democracy" and autonomy from China. The protests have once again picked up momentum after the National People's Congress, China's highest legislative body, pushed forward new national security legislation that will enforce Article 23 of the Basic Law which prohibits secessionist or separatist political activity.

Protestors in Hong Kong have been treated with honor from the corporate media in stark contrast to the homegrown uprisings occurring in U.S. cities. The New York Times and the rest of the corporate media have parroted Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's alarm that Hong Kong is being usurped by China's central government and losing its Western-style freedoms. A brief scan of CNN , The New York Times , and The Washington Post 's coverage of the Hong Kong protests reads as a sympathetic tragedy of a people under siege from a tyrannical government. The protestors are described as defying "crackdowns" and resisting an unjust authority. Of course, none of these outlets have taken much time to investigate exactly what the Hong Kong protests seek to achieve.

"Protestors in Hong Kong have been treated with honor from the corporate media in stark contrast to the homegrown uprisings."

Behind demands for universal suffrage and amnesty for detained protestors lies an agenda that works quite well for the United States and its imperial allies. The protests in Hong Kong are led by an assortment of U.S.-backed proxies who have separation from China as their principle goal. One of the biggest donors of the protests, Jimmy Lai, is called the Rupert Murdoch of Asia and owns a large tabloid media corporation, Apple Daily . In 2012, Lai's publication likened pregnant Chinese women to "locusts" invading Hong Kong . Lai poured millions of his own dollars into the 2014 precursor to the current unrest otherwise known as the "Occupy Central" protests. He has repeatedly called for the Trump administration to intervene in Hong Kong and has received a platform in The New York Times and other corporate media outlets to communicate his nativist and rightwing demand for the U.S. to privilege "Hong Kongers" and punish China.

Jimmy Lai is joined by Freedom House award winners Joshua Wong and Martin Lee to round out the most prominent faces of Hong Kong's "pro-democracy" leadership. Martin Lee is the chairperson of Hong Kong's Democratic Party. Lee possesses close ties to the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), having won the organization's Democracy Award in 1997. The NED is a non-profit front organization of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and is principally funded by the U.S. Congress. The NED has generously provided tens of millions of U.S. dollars to a coalition of pro-independence organizations. The impact of U.S.-support on the ideological and class character of the Hong Kong protests is not difficult to discern. Protestors regularly wave the regalia of the Union Jack and the American flag as they clamor for the U.S. to "liberate" them from China . The NED-backed unrest in Hong Kong has also received solidarity from members of the neo-Nazi paramilitary organization Azov Battalion , which in 2014 helped engineer the violent overthrow of the government of Ukraine with extensive U.S. support.

"Protestors regularly wave the regalia of the Union Jack and the American flag."

In many ways, the Hong Kong protests have more in common with U.S. police departments than the protestors in the U.S. seeking justice for George Floyd. Hong Kong protestors have used xenophobia and violence against elderly citizens and anyone considered to be sympathetic to mainland China. During weekend protests beginning on May 30th, videos surfaced in cities across the country that showed how U.S. police routinely wield the deadly stick of white supremacy to kill Black Americans such as George Floyd and then run over, shoot, and arrest journalists and activists present at the protests. Hong Kong protestors possess a distinct nativist ideology that aligns with the racist underpinnings of the U.S. national security state. Police departments protect the U.S.' racist corporate order and lobby for policies such as the 1033 program that provides weaponry, coordination, and training directly from the Pentagon. Hong Kong protestors have successfully lobbied U.S. Congress to pass the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 . The bill allows the U.S. to sanction Chinese leaders and assets accused of getting in the way of the underlying aim of the Hong Kong protests to completely sever the former colony from China under the guise of Western style "democracy."

There is thus no shortage of reasons why the U.S. ruling class loves the protests in Hong Kong but desperately wants to stifle the rebellion against police brutality occurring in the United States. Neoliberal war hawks such as Susan Rice have once again raised the specter of Russian interference and its potential influence over people in the U.S. standing up to police violence. Rightwing elements in the U.S. have accused protestors of being backed by billionaire George Soros . Donald Trump has labeled Antifa a terrorist organization and threatened to unilaterally deploy the U.S. military to crush the protests. The "outside agitators" narrative possesses a long standing racist and anti-communist history in the U.S. that gained prominence when the Communist Party was accused of infiltrating Black American communities to subvert the fascist order of Jim Crow. The real "outside agitators" are the undercover cops, spooks, and white nationalist organizations working to sew chaos within the uprising to justify the criminalization and demonization of the masses in the streets.

"Hong Kong protestors possess a distinct nativist ideology that aligns with the racist underpinnings of the U.S. national security state."

Perhaps no better word can summarize the current situation for U.S. imperialism at this juncture in history than crisis. The U.S. ruling class has thrown its full weight behind the protests in Hong Kong to undermine China. But China's new national security legislation is geared toward curbing the foreign-backed influence of protestors and nothing short of U.S. military intervention can stop China from asserting the right to self-determination over its own territory. The U.S. ruling class' response to the protests over George Floyd's death is filled not only with a natural hatred toward any sign of popular unrest but also with deep confusion. Massive anger over the killing of Floyd has roots in hundreds of years of settler colonial and racist terror and is only buttressed by a pandemic-induced economic crisis worse than the Great Depression. The U.S. ruling class desperately wants to suppress the protests entirely but has been confronted with the prospect that only a nation-wide massacre can do the job. As the Trump administration and its military spooks coordinate with police departments to figure out the most effective means to repress the protests, the corporate media has feigned lukewarm support for "peaceful" demonstrations while condemning any "violence" against private property.

On May 31st, CNN ran a loop of protestors in Philadelphia robbing corporations and burning police vehicles. That same day, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo joined the chorus of condemnations against protestors destroying "their own house." Ruling class hatred toward private property destruction negates the fact that when the U.S. emerged from its war of independence from the Union Jack, Black people were the literal property of the slave owning class. Trillions worth in wealth was stolen from free Black labor to build the U.S.' capitalist infrastructure. A violent, racist state apparatus was erected to maintain this arrangement.

"The U.S. ruling class desperately wants to suppress the protests entirely."

Of course, the U.S. ruling class has always expressed much more concern about the condition of private property and capital than the condition of Black life. History tells us that the U.S. exists on a foundation of a centuries-long racist war to prevent Black freedom. The American road to Ferguson's uprising in 2014, Baltimore's uprising in 2015, and Minnesota's uprising in 2020 was paved with the blood of millions of Black lives that were killed in slave rebellions, Jim Crow lynch mobs, and COINTELPRO's operations to subvert the Black liberation movement. The U.S. remains very much engaged in a racist war against Black America, which explains why the cops, media outlets, and all sections of the ruling order share a similar hatred toward the Minneapolis-led uprising.

In Hong Kong, the U.S. sees not a war for "democracy" but rather a key battleground for its larger hybrid war against China . China has been deemed the biggest threat to the U.S.' economic and military interests abroad just as the specter of Black freedom has always been the biggest threat to U.S. "national security" at home. The NED-backed movement in Hong Kong is not without precedent. The NED has spent billions of U.S. dollars supporting rightwing and terroristic forces in Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Korea to name just a few . In a word, the U.S. ruling class loves any unrest that its soft power apparatus can control and direct toward its own geopolitical aims.

" The U.S. remains very much engaged in a racist war against Black America."

Protests of police brutality offer no such opportunity. In fact, Floyd's death triggered a popular response that only exacerbates the broader crisis of legitimacy facing U.S. imperial hegemony worldwide. China and Iran, often the target of Western criticism for being "authoritarian regimes," could not help but condemn the utter hypocrisy of the United States' human rights agenda. COVID-19 and the economic collapse that followed has further exposed American capitalism to be a system with nothing left to offer workers but austerity and war. China came out of the pandemic with even more reason to be confident about its domestic and international leadership in the face of U.S. decline. White supremacy, economic crisis, and imperial stagnation has created a perfect storm for rebellion and has sown the seeds of uncertainty within the ruling class. What comes next is a question that must be seized by the masses. Anyone who claims to stand for peace, justice, and liberation should suspect foul play when the U.S. ruling class shows love to a protest movement abroad given how this same ruling class treats the genuine outcry of the Black masses and their allies against the mass incarceration regime right here in the belly of the beast.

Danny Haiphong is an activist and journalist in the New York City area. He and Roberto Sirvent are co-authors of the book entitled American Exceptionalism and American Innocence: A People's History of Fake News--From the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror ( Skyhorse Publishing). He can be reached at [email protected], on Twitter @spiritofho , and on Youtube at The Left Lens with Danny Haiphong.

[May 27, 2020] CCP Mouthpiece Slams Habitual Liar Pompeo, Says US 'Incapable' Of Judging Hong Kong's Autonomy

May 27, 2020 | www.zerohedge.com

CCP Mouthpiece Slams "Habitual Liar" Pompeo, Says US 'Incapable' Of Judging Hong Kong's Autonomy by Tyler Durden Wed, 05/27/2020 - 14:33 Update (1430ET): One of the most visible english-language mouthpieces for the Communist Party has just weighed in on Secretary Pompeo's decision. Global Times editor Hu Xijin accused Pompeo of being a habitual liar, and insisted it was not up to the US Congress to decide whether Hong Kong is "autonomous".

Whether China's Hong Kong is autonomous, how could it possibly be up to the US to define? Plus, it has a habitually lying Secretary of State who can tell the US Congress what Hong Kong national security law is before it's even enacted. pic.twitter.com/JI1QLJNn6V

-- Hu Xijin 胡锡进 (@HuXijin_GT) May 27, 2020

We imagine we'll be hearing more from the Foreign Ministry in a few hours.

* * *

In what appears to be a preview of the at-this-point inevitable White House decision to strip Hong Kong of its preferred trading status over the new National Security law imposed by Beijing, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted on Wednesday that he has "reported to Congress that Hong Kong is no longer autonomous from China."

Congress now has the power to strip Hong Kong of its "special status" under the United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992, which has allowed for the city-state to be treated more favorably than the rest of China by the US.

The status is part of what's allowed Hong Kong to develop as a 'gateway to the West', a key part of its appeal as an international city. Without the US 'special status', HK might lose its international cachet as well, and eventually become just another Chinese city.

Indeed, without such easy access to the global economy, Hong Kong will become just an extension of Shenzen, which lies just across the border on the mainland.

Today, I reported to Congress that Hong Kong is no longer autonomous from China, given facts on the ground. The United States stands with the people of Hong Kong.

-- Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) May 27, 2020

In a story published just minutes before Pompeo's tweet, the Washington Post explains that "a US law passed last year requires the secretary of state to certify - as part of an annual report to Congress - whether Hong Kong remains 'sufficiently autonomous' from Beijing to justify its unique treatment. That includes assessing the degree to which Hong Kong's autonomy had been eroded by the government of China. (Hong Kong is part of China but has a different legal and economic system, a holdover from its time as a British colony.) The law also provides for sanctions against officials deemed responsible for human rights abuses or undermining the city's autonomy. Such sanctions were also said to be under consideration at the White House in the wake of the Chinese government's decision in May to impose new national security laws on the city."

Stocks have shown a surprising degree of resilience, though the offshore yuan - a key barometer of China-related risks - skidded lower.

Aside from the fact that the decision - which was widely anticipated - marks another milestone in the deterioration in Washington-Beijing relations, as police in HK have already begun arresting protesters brave enough to take the streets in the face of an unprecedented police crackdown, it also jeopardizes nearly $40 billion in bilateral trade, as WaPo explains.

"Longer term, people might have a second thought about raising money or doing business in Hong Kong," said Kevin Lai, chief economist for Asia excluding Japan at Daiwa Capital Markets. Another expert described revoking HK's special status as "the nuclear option" for the US, and "the beginning of the death of Hong Kong as we know it".

For the last day or so, the editor of China's Global Times has been taunting the US in a series of tweets, daring it to use its navy and come save the protesting Hong Kongers, some of whom have written messages begging Trump to interfere.

Will you really send US troops to land on Hong Kong? If you don't', your "powerful" response is nothing but bluffing, isn't it? Canceling Hong Kong's separate customs territory status is not "powerful," and China has long been prepared for that. pic.twitter.com/WhMNCP5HAs

-- Hu Xijin 胡锡进 (@HuXijin_GT) May 27, 2020

Senior administration officials have insisted that this likely won't be the end of Trump's aggression toward China. Earlier on Wednesday, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who leads the department in charge of Washington's crackdown on Huawei, said the president has more in store.

While there's no question rescinding HK's special status will be interpreted as another economy attack by Washington. But there's something else even more alarming possibly lying in wait: The law passed last year in the US also requires the president to freeze US-based assets and bar entry to anyone who helps China repress Hong Kong.

It's this possibility - which we could hear more about in the coming days - that should really stick in investors' minds.

[May 23, 2020] A commentator in Taiwan said that the US consulate in Hong Kong has more than 2000 staff. If true, this number is astounding, and probably has nothing comparable in other US foreign missions.

May 23, 2020 | www.moonofalabama.org

occupatio , May 23 2020 3:23 utc | 58

A commentator in Taiwan said that the US consulate in Hong Kong has more than 2000 staff. If true, this number is astounding, and probably has nothing comparable in other US foreign missions. These officials can't all be processing visas, could they, haha. Regime-change workers, spies and so-called diplomats.

[May 23, 2020] China's Move In Hong Kong Illustrates The End Of U.S. Superiority

That does not mean the end of the USA superiority. That is an action of china which can be called "better late then never". What it means that the fight with China moves from trade war into Cold war. And the USA is pretty tncous in enforcing COCOM like measures against China, with corresponding for China consequences.

Notable quotes:

"... under the Trump administration the U.S. has introduced more and more measures to shackle China's development. The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act passed last year by the U.S. Congress demands that the U.S. government reports on Hong Kong and punishes those who it deems to be human right violators. The sanctions against Chinese companies and especially Huawei, recently expanded to a total economic blockade of 5G chip deliveries to that company, demonstrate that the U.S. will do anything it can to hinder China's economic success. ..."

"... The 'Cold War 2.0' the U.S. launched against China will now see significant counter moves. ..."

"... Under the new law the U.S. will have to stop its financing of student organization, anti-government unions and media in Hong Kong. The opposition parties will no longer be allowed to have relations with U.S. influence operations. ..."

"... No U.S. action can prevent China's government from securing its realm. Hong Kong is a Chinese city where China's laws, not U.S. dollars, are supreme. ..."

"... The U.S. seems to believe it can win a cold war with China. ..."

"... When the U.S. prohibits companies which use U.S. software or machines to design chips and make they sell to China then those companies will seek to buy such software and machines elsewhere. When the U.S. tries to hinder China's access to computer chips, China will build its own chip industry. Ten years from now it will be the U.S. which will have lost access to the then most modern ones as all of those will come from China. ..."

"... In his 2003 book After the Empire Emmanuel Todd described why the U.S. was moving towards the loss of its superpower status ..."

"... The Covid-19 crisis has laid all this bare for everyone to see. Will the U.S., as Todd predicted, now have to give up its superpower status? Or will it start a big war against China to divert the attention elsewhere and to prove its presumed superiority? ..."

"... Of the existing 30 or so high-tech productive chains, China only enjoys superiority at 2 or 3 (see 6:48). It is still greatly dependent on the West to development and still is a developing country. ..."

May 22, 2020 | www.moonofalabama.org

Kurt Zumdieck , May 22 2020 18:24 utc | 4

Blaming China for the Covid-19 pandemic is false . But the U.S. will continue to do so as a part of its larger anti-China strategy.

As the U.S. is busy to counter the epidemic at home China has already defeated it within its borders. It now uses the moment to remove an issue the U.S. has long used to harass it. Hong Kong will finally be liberated from its U.S. supported racists disguised as liberals .

In late 1984 Britain and China signed a formal agreement which approved the 1997 release of Britain's colony Hong Kong to China. Britain had to agree to the pact because it had lost the capability to defend the colony. The Sino British Joint Declaration stipulated that China would create a formal law that would allow Hong Kong to largely govern itself.

The ' Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ' is the de facto constitution of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. But it is a national law of China adopted by the Chinese National People's Congress in 1990 and introduced in Hong Kong in 1997 after the British rule ran out. If necessary the law can be changed.

Chapter II of the Basic Law regulates the relationship between the Central Authorities and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Article 23 of the Basic Law stipulated that Hong Kong will have to implement certain measures for internal security:

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall enact laws on its own to prohibit any act of treason, secession, sedition, subversion against the Central People's Government , or theft of state secrets, to prohibit foreign political organizations or bodies from conducting political activities in the Region , and to prohibit political organizations or bodies of the Region from establishing ties with foreign political organizations or bodies .

Hong Kong has failed to create any of the laws demanded by Article 23. Each time its government tried to even partially implement such laws, in 2003, 2014 and 2019, protests and large scale riots in the streets of Hong Kong prevented it.

China was always concerned about the foreign directed unrest in Hong Kong but it did not press the issue while it was still depending on Hong Kong for access to money and markets.

In the year 2000 Hong Kong's GDP stood at $171 billion while China's was just 7 times larger at $1.200 billion. Last year Hong Kong's GDP had nearly doubled to $365 billion. But China's GDP had grown more than tenfold to $14,200 billion, nearly 40 times larger than Hong Kong's. Expressed in purchase power parity the divergence is even bigger. As an economic outlet for China Hong Kong has lost its importance.

Another factor that held China back from deeper meddling in Hong Kong was its concern about negative consequences from the U.S. and Britain. But under the Trump administration the U.S. has introduced more and more measures to shackle China's development. The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act passed last year by the U.S. Congress demands that the U.S. government reports on Hong Kong and punishes those who it deems to be human right violators. The sanctions against Chinese companies and especially Huawei, recently expanded to a total economic blockade of 5G chip deliveries to that company, demonstrate that the U.S. will do anything it can to hinder China's economic success.

The Obama administration's 'pivot to Asia' was already a somewhat disguised move against China. The Trump administration's National Defense Strategy openly declared China a "strategic competitor using predatory economics to intimidate its neighbors while militarizing features in the South China Sea".

The U.S. Marine Corps is being reconfigured into specialized units designed to blockade China's access to the sea :

Thus, small Marine forces would deploy around the islands of the first island chain and the South China Sea, each element having the ability to contest the surrounding air and naval space using anti-air and antiship missiles. Collectively, these forces would attrite Chinese forces, inhibit them from moving outward, and ultimately, as part of a joint campaign, squeeze them back to the Chinese homeland.

bigger

The 'Cold War 2.0' the U.S. launched against China will now see significant counter moves.

Last year's violent riots in Hong Kong , cheered on by the borg in Washington DC, have demonstrated that the development in Hong Kong is on a bad trajectory that may endanger China. There is no longer a reason for China to hold back on countering the nonsense. Hong Kong's economy is no longer relevant. U.S. sanctions are coming independent of what China does or does not do in Hong Kong. The U.S. military designs are now an obvious threat.

As the laws that Hong Kong was supposed to implement are not forthcoming, China will now create and implement them itself :

The central government is to table a resolution on Friday to enable the apex of its top legislative body, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), to craft and pass a new national security law tailor-made for Hong Kong, it announced late on Thursday.

Sources earlier told the Post the new law would proscribe secessionist and subversive activity as well as foreign interference and terrorism in the city -- all developments that had been troubling Beijing for some time, but most pressingly over the past year of increasingly violent anti-government protests.
...
According to a mainland source familiar with Hong Kong affairs, Beijing had come to the conclusion that it was impossible for the city's Legislative Council to pass a national security law to enact Article 23 of the city's Basic Law given the political climate. This was why it was turning to the NPC to take on the responsibility.

On May 28 the NPC will vote on a resolution asking its Standing Committee to write the relevant law for Hong Kong. It is likely to be enacted by promulgation at the end of June. The law will become part of Annex III of the Basic Law which lists "National Laws to be Applied in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region".

Under the new law the U.S. will have to stop its financing of student organization, anti-government unions and media in Hong Kong. The opposition parties will no longer be allowed to have relations with U.S. influence operations.

The U.S. State Department promptly condemned the step :

Hong Kong has flourished as a bastion of liberty. The United States strongly urges Beijing to reconsider its disastrous proposal, abide by its international obligations, and respect Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy, democratic institutions, and civil liberties, which are key to preserving its special status under U.S. law. Any decision impinging on Hong Kong's autonomy and freedoms as guaranteed under the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law would inevitably impact our assessment of One Country, Two Systems and the status of the territory.

We stand with the people of Hong Kong.

It is not (yet?) The Coming War On China (video) but some hapless huffing and puffing that is strong on rhetoric but has little effect. No U.S. action can prevent China's government from securing its realm. Hong Kong is a Chinese city where China's laws, not U.S. dollars, are supreme.

The U.S. seems to believe it can win a cold war with China. But that understanding is wrong.

On the economic front it is not the U.S. that is winning by decoupling from China but Asia that is decoupling from the U.S. :

Since the US-China tech war began in April 2018 with Washington's ban on chip exports to China's ZTE Corporation, "de-Americanization of supply chains" has been the buzzword in the semiconductor industry.

Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia purchased about 50% more Chinese products in April 2020 than they did in the year-earlier month. Japan and Korea showed 20% gains. Exports to the US rose year-on-year, but from a very low 2019 base.

China's imports from Asia also rose sharply.

When the U.S. prohibits companies which use U.S. software or machines to design chips and make they sell to China then those companies will seek to buy such software and machines elsewhere. When the U.S. tries to hinder China's access to computer chips, China will build its own chip industry. Ten years from now it will be the U.S. which will have lost access to the then most modern ones as all of those will come from China. Already today it is China that dominates global trade .

The chaotic way in which the U.S. handles its Covid crisis is widely observed abroad. Those who see clearly recognized that it is now China, not the U.S., that is the responsible superpower . The U.S. is overwhelmed and will continue to be so for a long time:

This is why I don't see the talk about a possible "Cold War 2.0" as meaningful or relevant. If there were to be any sort of "cold war" between the United States and China, then U.S. policymakers would still be able credibly to start planning how to manage this complex relationship with China . But in reality, the options for "managing" the core of this relationship are pitifully few, since the central task of whatever U.S. leadership emerges from this Covid nightmare will be to manage the precipitous collapse of the globe-circling empire the United States has sat atop of since 1945.
...
So here in Washington in Spring of 2020, I say, Let 'em huff and puff with their new flatulations of childish Sinophobia. Let them threaten this or that version of a new "Cold War". Let them compete in elections -- if these are to be held -- on versions of "Who can be tougher on China." But the cold reality shows that, as Banquo said, "It is a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

In his 2003 book After the Empire Emmanuel Todd described why the U.S. was moving towards the loss of its superpower status :

Todd calmly and straightforwardly takes stock of many negative trends, including America's weakened commitment to the socio-economic integration of African Americans, a bulimic economy that increasingly relies on smoke and mirrors and the goodwill of foreign investors, and a foreign policy that squanders the country's reserves of "soft power" while its militaristic arsonist-fireman behavior is met with increasing resistance.

The Covid-19 crisis has laid all this bare for everyone to see. Will the U.S., as Todd predicted, now have to give up its superpower status? Or will it start a big war against China to divert the attention elsewhere and to prove its presumed superiority?

Posted by b on May 22, 2020 at 17:41 UTC | Permalink

If Washington lured the Soviet Union into it's demise in Afghanistan, which left that minor empire in shambles - socially, militarily, economically - it was the nuclear conflagration at Chernobyl that put the corpse in the ground.....

(Watch the GREAT HBO five-part tragedy on it and you will see that the brutally heroic response of the Soviets, that saved the Western World at least temporarily, but is the portrait of self-sacrifice)

What was lost in the Soviets fumbling immediate post-explosion cover-up was the trust of their Eastern European satellite countries. That doomed that empire. So much military might was given up in Afghanistan, then on Chernobyl, it was not clear if the Soviets had the wherewithal to put down the rebellions that spread from Czechoslovakia to East Germany and beyond.

Covid-19 will do the same to the American Empire.

As its own infrastructure has been laid waste by the COLLASSAL MONEY PIT that is the Pentagon, its flagrant use of the most valuable energy commodity, oil, to maintain some 4000 bases worldwide, this rickety over-extended upside down version of old Anglo-Dutch trading empires, will finally collapse.

Loss of trust by the many craven satellites, in America's fractured response, to Covid-19 will put the final nail in its coffin.

A hot-shooting War may come next, but the empire

---

norecovery , May 22 2020 18:36 utc | 5

The U.S. and its vassals will use every dirty trick in the book even while shooting themselves in the foot, as they have demonstrated in the past (and presently). Short of starting a nuclear war, the level of moral turpitude could not be any lower.

jayc , May 22 2020 18:36 utc | 6

That the pro-USA bloc in HK has to complain of supposed violations of the non-binding aspirational 1984 Joint Declaration shows their position is one of complaint not dialogue.

As early as last May, protesters interviewed by international media were pleading for the US to enact the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act.

They got their wish last autumn, but now they get the blowback from that decision. The pro-USA bloc is now openly discussing a new strategy of rising like a phoenix from the ashes of the temper tantrum they will stage in response. The hysteria meter will rise to 10.

Nick , May 22 2020 18:38 utc | 8

"we stand with the people of Hong Kong".

My god, the cringe-inducing arrogance of the Washington regime is something else! Imagine after Hurricane Maria and the subsequently dismal aid effort that devastated Puerto Rico, the Chinese issued a statement lambasting the US response and saying "we stand with the people of Puerto Rico".

Disgusting regime.

Ou Si (區司) , May 22 2020 18:57 utc | 10

The new law only prohibits organized protest movements funded from abroad (Us of north A or G-Britain, for instance), and not those protests paid for by tax and corruption refugees from Mainland China-- nor those from Táiwan that adhere to the unity of the Chinese state.

Ou Si (區司) , May 22 2020 19:00 utc | 11

Laws like this one also exist in Finland, Norway and Iceland to prohibit foreign electioneering interferences,

Jackrabbit , May 22 2020 19:05 utc | 12

I dunno.

Seems to me that Chinese dominion of HK has long been in the cards. Not sure that the Chinese moves signal anything more than the obvious: USA/EMPIRE desire to stomp on Chinese ambitions.

Kissinger laid out the plan in 2014 in his WSJ Op-Ed: Henry Kissinger on the Assembly of a New World Order . Even though I repeatedly refer back to Kissinger's Op-Ed, few really seem to 'get it'. USA Deep State are not the complete idiots that some want to make them seem.

Start a war with China? Not likely any time soon.

USA/EMPIRE have got what it wanted from HK, didn't they? They used HK to antagonize China and for anti-China propaganda. China's looming "crackdown" on UK will get lots of attention in the West, as USA economic sanctions on multiple countries are largely ignored and Assange rots in prison with nary a word from the press.

IMO The real test of USA/Empire is coming soon in the Caribbean. Will USA 'blink' and allow Iran to deliver gas to Venezuela?

!!

Babyl-on , May 22 2020 19:53 utc | 19

We are dealing with the same group, the descendants of the men who dropped the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki not to end WWII but to show the USSR and the world that the Western Empire had the world at its feet.

The idea that this group will not use nuclear weapons again is foolish.

I don't know why people keep using the irrelevant term "cold war" when the US is engaged in hybrid warfare throughout the globe and there is nothing cold about it.

Jen , May 22 2020 20:32 utc | 24

As Ou Si @ 11 states, other nations have similar laws prohibiting foreign influence through the use of non-government organisations posing as charities or religious institutions via embassies and consulates. Moreover as in the case of Russia (I believe, but people can correct me if I'm wrong), the law that prohibits such activity is based on the equivalent US law that apply to foreign organisations on US soil.

In the not so distant future, we can expect to see truckloads of US and UK consulate staff being kicked out of HK and religious and other various "humanitarian" and "cultural" organisations in HK having to pack their bags and go.

Where they will all relocate though is another worry.

Guy THORNTON , May 22 2020 20:36 utc | 25

But the cold reality shows that, as Banquo said, “It is a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”

Macbeth's words, not Banquo's.

As usual, a nicely measured article, thank you.

james , May 22 2020 20:41 utc | 26

ot but related... vancouver is witnessing a greater number of attacks on asian people at present... it seems the 'hate china' memo is working itself thru the msm system with these kinds of results... when i have an article to go with this, i will share...

William Gruff , May 22 2020 20:49 utc | 27

The US is already at war with China, and will escalate from hybrid/economic war to hot war eventually because the US believes it has no alternative. Giving up global hegemony and yielding to the rising power is not perceived as a viable option. Allowing China's rise will lead to the destruction of the Empire, and America will not allow that without using the best tools of imperialism it has left, which is its military.

The Chinese need to understand this, and I believe they do understand it, but they need to accurately grasp how the US will respond to the shooting conflict when it starts. The US will escalate the violence to stay at least one level more brutal than their adversary. If the Chinese shoot at and damage an American ship, then the Americans will respond with ten times the force and sink a Chinese ship. If the Chinese sink an American ship, then the Americans will (try to) sink every Chinese ship.

The point here is that the Chinese cannot entertain the illusion that they can just give America a light military slap and the Americans will reconsider their imperialist behavior. There is precisely 0% chance of that working. When the Chinese do take action it has to be big and decisive. If the Chinese want any chance of escaping the Thucydides Trap without all-out war, then they must punch their way out with enough "Shock & Awe™" to disrupt America's otherwise inevitable escalation.

Keep in mind that the United States will use atomic weapons to defend its hegemony if allowed to escalate to that level. The only way to prevent that is to leapfrog past all of the levels of escalation that America is prepared for at the given moment and in the process stun America into inability to respond. China certainly has the means to accomplish this, but they cannot be timid about it.

vk , May 22 2020 21:02 utc | 28

China is still in great danger. Of the existing 30 or so high-tech productive chains, China only enjoys superiority at 2 or 3 (see 6:48).

It is still greatly dependent on the West to development and still is a developing country.

So, yes, the West still has a realistic chance of destroying China and inaugurating a new cycle of capitalist prosperity.

What happens with the "decoupling"/"Pivot to Asia" is that, in the West, there's a scatological theory [go to 10th paragraph] - of Keynesian origin - that socialism can only play "catch up" with capitalism, but never surpass it when a "toyotist phase" of technological innovation comes (this is obviously based on the USSR's case). This theory states that, if there's innovation in socialism, it is residual and by accident, and that only in capitalism is significant technological advancement possible. From this, they posit that, if China is blocked out of Western IP, it will soon "go back to its place" - which is probably to Brazil or India level.

If China will be able to get out of the "Toyotist Trap" that destroyed the USSR, only time will tell. Regardless, decoupling is clearly not working, and China is not showing any signs so far of slowing down. Hence Trump is now embracing a more direct approach.

As for the USA, I've put my big picture opinion about it some days ago, so I won't repeat myself. Here, it suffices to say that, yes, I believe the USA can continue to survive as an empire - even if, worst case scenario, in a "byzantine" form. To its favor, it has: 1) the third largest world population 2) huge territory, with excellent proportion of high-quality arable land (35%), that basically guarantees food security indefinitely (for comparison, the USSR only had 10% of arable land, and of worse quality) 3) two coasts, to the two main Oceans (Pacific and Atlantic), plus a direct exit to the Arctic (Alaska and, de facto, Greenland and Canada) 4) excellent, very defensive territory, protected by both oceans (sea-to-sea), bordered only by two very feeble neighbors (Mexico and Canada) that can be easily absorbed if the situation asks to 4) still the financial superpower 5) still a robust "real" economy - specially if compared to the micro-nations of Western Europe and East-Asia 6) a big fucking Navy, which gives it thalassocratic power.

I don't see the USA losing its territorial integrity anytime soon. There are separatist movements in places like Texas and, more recently, the Western Coast. Most of them exist only for fiscal reasons and are not taken seriously by anyone else. The Star-and-Stripes is still a very strong ideal to the average American, and nobody takes the idea of territory loss for real. If that happens, though, it would change my equation on the survival of the American Empire completely.

As for Hong Kong. I watched a video by the chief of the PLA last year (unfortunately, I watched it on Twitter and don't have the link with me anymore). He was very clear: Hong Kong does not present an existential threat to China. The greatest existential threat to China are, by far, Xinjiang and Tibet, followed by Taiwan and the South China Sea. Hong Kong is a distant fourth place.

Those liberal clowns were never close.

Scotch Bingeinton , May 22 2020 21:06 utc | 29

Much appreciated article, thanks for that! I know nothing about China and Hong Kong, so I'm much obliged for your analysis.

Seems really like the thing to do for the Chinese, not to meddle too much in the city's internal affairs, but make sure that hostile powers can't meddle there either. When those protests slash riots came up, I was racking my brain about why the Chinese would put up with any festering US consulate in Hong Kong. Just throw those "diplomats" out on whatever thin pretext. That's also what Venezuela should have done long ago, and Syria too, back in 2011 when that certified creep Robert Stephen Ford was hopping from couch to couch, inciting civil war and probably looking to get laid by impressionable Arab guys as well. They could have saved themselves a lot of trouble by just 'neutralising' Jeff-Man Feltman over in Lebanon, too, before said Feltman managed to neutralise his host Rafic Hariri.

Jen , May 22 2020 21:55 utc | 33

VK @ 28:

One problem with your scenario is that the US navy may be over-extended in parts of the world where all the enemy has to do is to cut off supply lines to battleship groups and then those ships would be completey helpless. US warships in the Persian Gulf with the Strait of Hormuz sealed off by Iran come to mind.

Incidents involving US naval ship collisions with slow-moving oil tankers in SE Asian waters and some other parts of of the the world, resulting in the loss of sailors, hardly instill the notion that the US is a mighty thalassocratic force.

It's my understanding also that Russia, China and maybe some other countries have invested hugely in long-range missiles capable of hitting US coastal cities and areas where the bulk of the US population lives.

And if long-range missiles don't put paid to the notion that projecting power through sending naval warships all over the planet works, maybe the fact that many of these ships are sitting ducks for COVID-19 infection clusters might, where the US public is concerned.

vk , May 22 2020 22:16 utc | 34

@ Posted by: Jen | May 22 2020 21:55 utc | 33

I agree the new anti-ship missile technology may have changed the rules of naval warfare.

However, it's important to highlight that, contrary to the US Army, the USN has a stellar record. It fought wonderfully against the Japanese Empire in 1941-1945, and successfully converted both the Pacific and the Atlantic into "American lakes" for the next 75 years. All the Americans have nowadays it owes its Navy.

But you may be right. Maybe the USN is also susceptible to degeneration.

Kadath , May 22 2020 22:53 utc | 37

Re:34 VK,

The US Navy has had some pretty serious lapses in the past decade, the multiple collisions with cargo ships and the failed Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) design. Putting aside the unproven allegations that the Chinese or the Russians somehow "spooled" the GPS of the ships to cause the collisions the fact the US ships didn't have lookouts posted means they either got lazy or they are so understaffed they cut vital roles they felted were better off being automated. Also, I seem to recall that the US navy reduced their offshore training program for their officers a few years ago (meaning their newest officers are learning on the fly at sea). So i'm not sure if they've avoided the problems of a bloated military

Richard Steven Hack , May 22 2020 23:51 utc | 39

Posted by: vk | May 22 2020 21:02 utc | 28

Of the existing 30 or so high-tech productive chains, China only enjoys superiority at 2 or 3 (see 6:48). It is still greatly dependent on the West to development and still is a developing country.

Based on what I've read, China is on a fast track to develop technology on their own. In addition, technology development is world-wide these days. What China can not develop itself - quickly enough, time is the only real problem - it can buy with its economic power.

"if China is blocked out of Western IP, it will soon "go back to its place" - which is probably to Brazil or India level."

Ah, but that's where hackers come in. China can *not* be blocked out of Western IP. First, as I said, China can *buy* it. Unless there is a general prohibition across the entire Western world, and by extension sanctions against any other nation from selling to China - which is an unenforceable policy, as Iran has shown - China can buy what it doesn't have and then reverse-engineer it. Russia will sell it if no one else will.

Second, China can continue to simply acquire technology through industrial espionage. Every country and every industry engages in this sort of thing. Ever watch the movie "Duplicity"? That shit actually happens. I read about industrial espionage years ago and it's only gotten fancier since the old days of paper files. I would be happy to breach any US or EU industrial sector and sell what I find to the Chinese, the Malaysians or anyone else interested. It's called "leveling the playing field" and that is advantageous for everyone. If the US industrial sector employees can't keep up, that's their problem. No one is guaranteed a job for life - and shouldn't be.

"1) the third largest world population"

Which is mostly engaged in unproductive activities like finance, law, etc. I've read that if you visit the main US universities teaching science and technology, who are the students? Chinese. Indians. Not Americans. Americans only want to "make money" in law and finance, not "make things."

"2) huge territory, with excellent proportion of high-quality arable land (35%), that basically guarantees food security indefinitely"

In military terms, given current military technology, territory doesn't matter. China has enough nuclear missiles to destroy the 50 Major Metropolitan Areas in this country. Losing 100-200 millions citizens kinda puts a damper on US productivity. Losing the same number in China merely means more for the rest.

"3) two coasts, to the two main Oceans (Pacific and Atlantic)"

Which submarines can make irrelevant. Good for economic matters - *if* your economy can continue competing. China has one coast - but its Belt and Road Initiative gives it economic clout on the back-end and the front-end. I don't see the US successfully countering that Initiative.

"4) excellent, very defensive territory, protected by both oceans (sea-to-sea)"

Which only means the US can't be "invaded". That's WWI and WWII thinking the US is mired in. Today, you destroy an opponent's military and, if necessary, his civilian population, or at least its ability to "project" force against you. You don't "invade" unless it's some weak Third World country. And if the US can't "project" its power via its navy or air force, having a lot of territory doesn't mean much. This is where Russia is right now. Very defensible but limited in force projection (but getting better fast.) The problem for the US is China and Russia are developing military technology that can prevent US force projection around *their* borders.

"bordered only by two very feeble neighbors (Mexico and Canada) that can be easily absorbed if the situation asks"

LOL I can just see the US "absorbing" Mexico. Canada, maybe - they're allies anyway. Mexico, not so much. You want a "quagmire", send the US troops to take on the Mexican drug gangs. They aren't Pancho Villa.

"4) still the financial superpower"

Uhm, what part of "Depression" did you miss? And even if that doesn't happen now, continued financial success is unlikely. Like pandemics, shit happens in economics and monetary policy.

"a big fucking Navy, which gives it thalassocratic power."

That can be sunk in a heartbeat and is virtually a colossal money pit with limited strategic value given current military technology which both China and Russia are as advanced as the US is, if not more so. Plus China is developing its own navy quickly. I read somewhere a description of one Chinese naval shipyard. There were several advanced destroyers being developed. Then the article noted that China has several more large shipyards. That Chinese long coast comes in handy for that sort of thing.

China Now Has More Warships Than the U.S.
But sometimes quantity doesn't trump quality. [My note: But sometimes it does.]
https://tinyurl.com/y7numhef

That's just the first article I found, from a crappy source. There are better analyses, of course.

"I don't see the USA losing its territorial integrity anytime soon. There are separatist movements in places like Texas and, more recently, the Western Coast. Most of them exist only for fiscal reasons and are not taken seriously by anyone else."

I'd agree with that. I hear this "California secession" crap periodically and never believe it. However, for state politicians, the notion of being "President" of your own country versus a "Governor" probably is tempting to these morons. State populations are frequently idiots as well, as the current lockdown response is demonstrating. All in all, though, if there are perceived external military threats, that is likely to make the states prefer to remain under US central control.

[May 22, 2020] What has always been fascinating to me is the irony of the mindset HK protestors

May 22, 2020 | www.moonofalabama.org

Doryphore , May 22 2020 21:30 utc | 31

Good info on this situation, b.

What has always been fascinating to me is the irony of the mindset HK protestors. They have legit grievances about economic injustices but due to their media (which is just an extension of British tabloid conspiracy sites like the Mirror and Sun or neocon Bri rags like the Economist), they wrongly attribute blame to Beijing when they ought to their former British masters.

When they left, they forced China to guarantee that the oligarchs in HK would continue to have full control over land and banking interests. These corrupt servants of the British have continued to jack up housing prices and made it nearly impossible for many to live a comfortable life.

HK has more land than Singapore but the later made it illegal to price gauge rent and made other protections against predatory oligarchs.

Now Singaporeans have very high home ownership and affordable housing while HKers must live like rats.

Due to their colonial brainwashing, the HKers have come to see anti-China conspiracy theories everywhere when their own oligarchs continue to steal from them. Had it not been for the British who forced Beijing into these pro-oligarch deals to ensure handover, Beijing would have done the same for HK what the Singaporean gov did for their population.

---

J Norwich , May 23 2020 0:43 utc | 50

Posted by: carl | May 22 2020 23:29 utc | 38

How can supporting the independence of Taiwan, or being anti-Communist be racist?

Anyone with first hand knowledge of Hong Kong understands that many Hong Kong Chinese despise "mainlanders" as a people. Their antipathy is to the culture, manners, values and economic power of mainland Chinese. It is not a principled objection to communist ideology or concern for their neighbours in Taiwan.

This should not be taken as a criticism of Hong Kongers. It is just a factual observation. Chinese people in general appear unconcerned by the concept of racism. In my experience, Hong Kongers in particular have no qualms about criticising other races and cultures, and certainly don't see it as immoral. Personally, I don't particularly mind this.

Paora , May 23 2020 1:05 utc | 51

Here's a little story from my teen years in the '90s that taught me everything I needed to know about the mentality of Hong Kongers. When my father's provincial university opened a satellite campus in a wealthy area of my country's largest city, I found myself at a high school with many recent East Asian migrants. Not many Mainlanders yet, mostly Sth Koreans and HK/Taiwan/Singapore Chinese. The HKers tended to be more arrogant than their fellow East Asians, seeing themselves as superior and more 'Western'.

One HK guy decided to differentiate himself by referring to the other East Asians as 'Gooks'. One day in class my quiet Korean friend gave the teacher a note and said in halting English "I need to go see ... orthodontist". On hearing this, our HKer immediately yelled "Is 'dentist' ... not 'dontist' you stupid GOOK!", provoking roars of laughter. Once he realised we were laughing at him, not with him, that was the beginning of the end for his 'Gook' experiment.

A Cynic , May 23 2020 1:22 utc | 52

Kind of ironic to play the racism card here - hard to find any more racist group than Han Chinese!

[Dec 21, 2019] Hong Kong Police Arrest 4 Alleged Financiers Of The Protest Movement

Dec 21, 2019 | www.zerohedge.com

On Thursday, police in Hong Kong announced the arrests of several individuals whom they described as leaders of the Hong Kong protests movement. But these individuals (their identities have not been released) were not simply collared out in the street.

Instead, police described the four as leaders of Spark Alliance, a mysterious organization that has been one of the main financiers of the protest movement, including by bailing protesters out of jail and helping to defray their legal fees.

Police seized HK$70 million ($9 million) in bank deposits and personal insurance products from Spark, claiming that the group broke laws about money laundering.

In a response posted to its FB group, Spark blasted the police, accusing them of deliberately trying to cut off one of the most important avenues of financing in the protest movement.

On Thursday evening, police announced the arrests of four people connected with Spark Alliance for suspected money laundering, the first cases brought over financing the demonstrations after six months of protests against China's tightening grip over Hong Kong. Authorities froze HK$70 million of bank deposits and personal insurance products linked to the fund, while also seizing HK$130,000 in cash.

"The police attempted, through false statements, to distort the work of Spark Alliance as money laundering for malicious uses," the group said in a statement on Facebook. " Spark Alliance condemns this kind of defamatory action."

The arrests and seizures, as Bloomberg explains, shed light on the innerworkings of the Hong Kong protest movement. Millions of Americans who have read the news reports about the protests have probably been left wondering how the protesters became so organized.

Well, this is how: Since the beginning of the movement, wealthy working HKers have observed their duty to help those battling it out on the front lines in any way possible. Mostly, they do it through donations to groups that purport to help bail out protesters after they've been arrested, or groups that simply provide food and shelter for the demonstrators, many of whom are teenagers, or in their early 20s.

This division of responsibilities is part of what's allowed the movement to continue on for as long as it has.

But by cracking down on the money, HK police are essentially pulling the rug out from under Hong Kongers facing criminal charges for protest-related activities.

Because Spark Alliance and another, more transparent, fund called the 612 Humanitarian Fund are responsible for financing the protest movement: According to BBG, the two funds account for 70% of the money raised by the protest movement.

The impact of this crackdown is two-fold: not only will protesters counting on these funds to pay their legal fees be left out in the cold, but the renewed police scrutiny could deter some working Hong Kongers who have been supporting the movement with donations.

The crackdown deals a major blow to demonstrators as they face ever-mounting legal bills, with more than 6,000 people arrested since June. Spark Alliance, one of the largest crowd-funding campaigns supporting the protests, plays a crucial behind-the-scenes role - often sending anonymous representatives to bail protesters out of jail in the middle of the night.

The latest arrests risk deterring Hong Kong's professional class from giving more cash, potentially curbing a substantial source of funds that have helped sustain the protests longer than anyone had expected. They also show the limits of the leaderless movement's ability to manage tens of millions of dollars with little oversight outside of a formal financial system.

Funds bankrolling the protests have collectively raised at least HK$254 million ($33 million) since June, with 70% coming from just two groups, Spark Alliance and the 612 Humanitarian Fund, according to a tally based on disclosures from the groups and an analysis of publicly available documents. That figure doesn't reflect all the money raised related to the protests, only the funds Bloomberg News could verify.

Before the arrests, most Hong Kongers didn't know the identities of anyone behind Spark Alliance. Its website and bank accounts (before they were shut down) all forwarded to a Pest Control company.

But Spark proved its reliability early on by helping bail protesters out of jail. But the group has been under scrutiny even before the police got involved. Last month, HSBC shut down the group's account, saying they had detected activity that differed from the stated purpose of the account.

"Spark is probably less transparent but people tend to believe them," said Jason, a protester in his 30s who asked to be identified by his English name. He said he memorized the group's phone number and called the group after he was arrested in August. Seven hours later, two lawyers helped arrange HK$4,000 in bail money.

"Everyone knows the cost to fight for this movement and not everyone can afford lawyer fees," he said. "We need protection."

Over the past few months he's raised half a million dollars for Spark Alliance and other charities through the sale of Hong Kong-themed figurines, including a miniature Carrie Lam and a masked protester. Asked on Thursday night if he would still give the money to Spark Alliance, Jason said he wanted more information on the arrests.

The shadowy nature of some of these organizations has helped the Chinese government portray the protests as having been financed by foreign powers like the US. Of course, these accusations aren't entirely without merit. Beijing threatened sanctions this month against the National Endowment for Democracy, a US-based group which donated $686,000 to various Hong Kong nonprofits in 2019.

Meanwhile, the June 12 fund has already spent roughly a quarter of the money it has raised since June, mostly on legal expenses and bail.

For many of the thousands of protesters who have been arrested, the criminal penalties that they could face without adequate legal representation could land them in prison for years.

Without having the support of knowing their bail will be paid in the event of an arrest, many demonstrators wouldn't be so eager to fight their way past police barricades and take other risks like that.

But many members of the protest movement believe the 612 fund is too stodgy in how it operates. Most see organizations like Spark Alliance as being closer to the true ideals of the movement.

The 612 fund has been chided in online forums for deploying only 24% of the money it raised while asking protesters to first apply for legal aid from the city. Other critics see the 612 fund as part of an older political establishment in Hong Kong that has failed the younger generation of democracy advocates, and they believe Spark Alliance is closer to protesters in the trenches.

"The younger generation doesn't trust in any institutions, not even those that advocate for democracy," said Patrick Poon, a researcher at Amnesty International in Hong Kong. "It's an irrational decision to trust in a group believed to be closer to the people on the ground even if they don't know who is behind the fund."

Ng, a 612 fund trustee, said the group is supported by "members of the public that are incensed by what is being done by police and government."

"The movement is ongoing and we are using the funds for the stated purpose of humanitarian aid," she said. "We don't have any obligation to spend all the money immediately."

Now that police have set their sights on Spark, we imagine a new group will need to come forward and take up the mantle of the protest movement, or risk allowing it to fizzle out.

---

Stinkbug 1 , 29 minutes ago link

.

I keep wondering why ZH seems to be supporting the HK protestors when that 'color revolution' too seems to be supported by the same elements promoting promoting the overthrow of Trump and the overthrow of the elected government in Bolivia.

CatInTheHat , 1 hour ago link

"Now that police have set their sights on Spark, we imagine a new group will need to come forward and take up the mantle of the protest movement, or risk allowing it to fizzle out."

Aww too bad. Looks like the CIA got their funds seized. No worries Soros will just add more funding

IronForge , 1 hour ago link

Safe to Presume within 6Degrees of Separation to:

CIA, Mi-6, City of London, FED_RESV_Banks, Soros, HSBC, OtherHKGDrugRunners, NED, VoiceOfAmerica, Anglo-Murican_Christians, Falun_Gong.

NiggaPleeze , 1 hour ago link

Spark Alliance - no doubt NED/CIA/other Evil Empire NGO funding of terrorists.

Spark is emblematic of the Evil Empire - start a spark to burn down the house, and subject the entire planet to Evil Empire Totalitarian Tyranny.

May the Evil Empire die and its rulers be punished. Orange Satan to Hell to return home to his ultimate Master.

John Hansen , 2 hours ago link

The Hong Kong pirates have always been into secret societies and forced 'contributions'.

The English pirates had much in common and they worked together well harming the rest of China.

Noob678 , 3 hours ago link

In the six months riots and terrorisms, Hong Kong police did not kill anyone but gathering information and evidence to dismantle foreign meddling in the city. During 7 days of protests against religious discrimination in India the police already killed more than 20 people. IQ does matter.

Hong Kong IQ 108 Vs India IQ 82 :)

schroedingersrat , 2 hours ago link

How many people killed by US bombs or sanctions?

NiggaPleeze , 1 hour ago link

Wonder how many Muslims died in the past one year as victims of ZioNazi and Evil Empire terrorism and mass murder.

100,000s? Yes, it's true, nobody in the world is as violent, evil, malicious and belligerent as the ZioNazis and Evil Empire. Nobody is remotely close. Certainly not China.

skippy dinner , 3 hours ago link

My guess: it is Soros money

Omega_Man , 3 hours ago link

merican agents and zios should be disappeared never to be seen of again.... after a while they will be afraid to send new ones.

Lavrov , 3 hours ago link

Chim Choms are BRUTAL so far 21 CIA clowns have gone MISSING and never HEARD or SEEN.. At least Russia keeps these SPYS and do SWAPS Your agent for mine. TRADE OFF.. Not with CHIM CHOMS God only KNOWS where CIA spys go I can IMAGINE Naturally they are ORGAN donors. Chim choms don't **** around

bill_bly , 2 hours ago link

The CIA spies were probably Chinese nationals recruited by foreign spooks, so they're not going anywhere good.

CatInTheHat , 1 hour ago link

*Joshua Wong*

Incidentally, Greta Tunberg promoted Wong a week ago via Twitter

Makes sense since both are funded by Soros

Noob678 , 3 hours ago link

The arrests and seizures, as Bloomberg explains, shed light on the innerworkings of the Hong Kong protest movement. Millions of Americans who have read the news reports about the protests have probably been left wondering how the protesters became so organized.

Well, this is how: Since the beginning of the movement, wealthy working HKers have observed their duty to help those battling it out on the front lines in any way possible. Mostly, they do it through donations to groups that purport to help bail out protesters after they've been arrested, or groups that simply provide food and shelter for the demonstrators, many of whom are teenagers, or in their early 20s.

Whitewashing for the zionist eh :) US Pays Hong Kong Protesters

Astroturfing is the practice of masking the sponsors of a message or organization (e.g., political, advertising, religious or public relations) to make it appear as though it originates from and is supported by grassroots participants.

adonisdemilo , 4 hours ago link

National Endowment for Democracy rings a bell.

Isn't that somehow connected to George Soros?

Uncle Frank , 4 hours ago link

No.

Wiki -

'The National Endowment for Democracy ( NED ) is a U.S. non-profit soft power organization that was founded in 1983 with the stated goal of promoting democracy abroad. ^[1] It is funded primarily through an annual allocation from the U.S. Congress in the form of a grant awarded through the United States Information Agency (USIA). It was created by The Democracy Program as a bipartisan, private, non-profit corporation, and in turn acts as a grant-making foundation. ^[1] In addition to its grants program, NED also supports and houses the Journal of Democracy , the World Movement for Democracy , the International Forum for Democratic Studies , the Reagan–Fascell Fellowship Program , the Network of Democracy Research Institutes , and the Center for International Media Assistance .'

It was co-founded by Ronald Reagan when he was in office.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Endowment_for_Democracy

HowdyDoody , 3 hours ago link

It is a money laundering op for the CIA.

Omega_Man , 4 hours ago link

merican money is made from nothing... this allows for use in other nations to do evil works... best to ban merican dollars others than individuals holding small amounts of it... do not take it for exchange

Noob678 , 4 hours ago link

There will be NO DEAL. China is not going to surrender their financial sovereignty to the zionist bankers again after the communist party kicked them and their puppet (the Nationalist KMT currently settled in Taiwan, China) out in 1949 :)

Told ya :) Still don't get it? Good :)

China is just being nice to Trump and let him save face and give him a ladder to climb down :)

China already started cleaning up operation in Hong Kong by freezing the Zionist terrorist slush fund :P When the funding stop no mercenaries will work for free to destroy Hong Kong. Operation Yellowbird 2 just begins and you'll see them roaming in USA and Taiwan, then appear on CNN, Fox News and all Zionist media as eyewitness to Hong Kong police brutality and how communist China violates human rights :)

Told you so :)

Noob678 , 4 hours ago link

Man who fired live round at police believed to be part of earlier case in which officers seized bombs and firearms linked to Hong Kong protests

A man who fired a live round at officers in Tai Po on Friday night was involved in another case centred on the seizure of bombs and firearms linked to anti-government protests, a police source has said, adding that more suspects could be at large.

The force also warned that an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle seized in a follow-up flat raid was the same model used in the 2017 Las Vegas shooting which killed 58 people, adding that the weapon could cause severe casualties as it had a range of up to 800 metres.

[Dec 21, 2019] Hong Kong Police Arrest Financiers Of The Protest Movement

Dec 21, 2019 | www.moonofalabama.org

JC , Dec 21 2019 19:22 utc | 9

UPDATE Hong Kong Riots.

Hong Kong Police Arrest 4 Alleged Financiers Of The Protest Movement

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/hong-kong-police-arrest-4-alleged-financiers-protest-movement

Mysterious Bags of Cash Trigger Major Hong Kong Protest Arrests

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/mysterious-bags-cash-trigger-major-032653021.html?guccounter=1

[Dec 21, 2019] Mysterious Bags of Cash emerge exactly like in EuroMaydan riots

In case of EuroMaydan cash was delivered by diplomatic mail to Us and other embassies and then to the opposition parities.

Dec 21, 2019 | finance.yahoo.com

(Bloomberg) -- Glancing at bags of cash stuffed to the brim earlier this month, Gary Fan simply wanted someone to remove them from an office in Hong Kong used by his political party.

The former pro-democracy lawmaker had collected HK$2.7 million ($345,000) during an anti-government protest the day before, and was waiting for someone to pick it up from a mysterious group known as Spark Alliance that helps bail protesters out of jail. The next day, a person whom he knew and trusted came to collect the cash, even though Fan says he doesn't know who exactly is behind the group or where the money ends up.

"We just work by an honor system now, trusting them with a good cause," Fan said in a Dec. 11 interview, adding that Spark Alliance has "earned credibility with real work" like getting legal assistance for protesters. Still, he said, "I absolutely agree there should be more disclosure, transparency and accountability when you take money from the public."

On Thursday evening, police announced the arrests of four people connected with Spark Alliance for suspected money laundering, the first cases brought over financing the demonstrations after six months of protests against China's tightening grip over Hong Kong. Authorities froze HK$70 million of bank deposits and personal insurance products linked to the fund, while also seizing HK$130,000 in cash.

"The police attempted, through false statements, to distort the work of Spark Alliance as money laundering for malicious uses," the group said in a statement on Facebook. "Spark Alliance condemns this kind of defamatory action."

​The crackdown deals a major blow to demonstrators as they face ever-mounting legal bills, with more than 6,000 people arrested since June. Spark Alliance, one of the largest crowd-funding campaigns supporting the protests, plays a crucial behind-the-scenes role -- often sending anonymous representatives to bail protesters out of jail in the middle of the night.

The latest arrests risk deterring Hong Kong's professional class from giving more cash, potentially curbing a substantial source of funds that have helped sustain the protests longer than anyone had expected. They also show the limits of the leaderless movement's ability to manage tens of millions of dollars with little oversight outside of a formal financial system.

Funds bankrolling the protests have collectively raised at least HK$254 million ($33 million) since June, with 70% coming from just two groups, Spark Alliance and the 612 Humanitarian Fund, according to a tally based on disclosures from the groups and an analysis of publicly available documents. That figure doesn't reflect all the money raised related to the protests, only the funds Bloomberg News could verify.

The $33 million alone amounts to a third of the money the city has spent in overtime pay to 11,000 police officers since June, and would be able to purchase some 300,000 gas masks. But the largest costs faced by protesters are legal fees that may stretch out for years.

Nearly 1,000 people have been charged for offenses like rioting, which carries a jail sentence of as much as a decade, according to police. The 612 Fund says it can cost up to HK$1.8 million per person for a 60-day legal defense, and many trials last far longer. Some proceedings related to Hong Kong's 2014 Occupy protests are still ongoing.

Among dozens of groups, Spark Alliance is one of the most secretive: Even some donors and lawyers who assist the group say they don't know who runs it, while the bank account listed on its website belongs to a firm that owns a pest control company. A person who picked up Spark Alliance's hotline last week said the number was only for protester requests. The group didn't respond to requests for comment via Facebook, Whatsapp or Telegram.

'We Need Protection'

"Spark is probably less transparent but people tend to believe them," said Jason, a protester in his 30s who asked to be identified by his English name. He said he memorized the group's phone number and called the group after he was arrested in August. Seven hours later, two lawyers helped arrange HK$4,000 in bail money.

"Everyone knows the cost to fight for this movement and not everyone can afford lawyer fees," he said. "We need protection."

[Dec 15, 2019] Hong Kong Police Report Second Bomb Plot Foiled

Dec 15, 2019 | www.zerohedge.com

With the Hong Kong protests showing no sign of letting up, a new narrative has emerged; that anti-government activists are " sliding into terrorism with home-made bombs" designed to inflict mass casualties.

On Sunday, Hong Kong police reported that they foiled a second bomb plot in under a week - arresting three men who were allegedly testing home-made devices and chemicals in a secluded area, according to SCMP .

---

beijing expat , 1 hour ago link

"If this keeps up, China will be virtually forced to shut down the protests - all in the name of fighting terrorism."

well, I had argued all along that the strategy of the incremental escalation of violence, the destruction of public infrastructure, both well documented regime change strategies, were designed to ignite a civil war and force Mainland intervention.

This could then be used as an excuse for the usual embargo tactics. The construction of a remote detonated bomb is highly complex and as you will recall from Islamic terrorism, bomb makers are highly skilled.

For this skill to suddenly materialise in HK suggests intelligence agents at work. Hong Kong has real problems, all economic, but their 5 demands don't call for economic remedies, indeed they call for things that will never happen.

The leaders of the protests, Josh Wong, Deniese Ho and others are trained by NED and other agencies to sow discord in what was otherwise a peaceful community.

There was a BBC documentary on utube about HK activists being trained at the NED/Soros Oslo Freedom forum 2014 but it seems to have been memoryholed in the last few days.

Still... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yXtUje3bsYk&t=327s .

Some people are still talking about it.

anduka , 2 hours ago link

"If this keeps up, China will be virtually forced to shut down the protests..." Total nonsense. At this point if people in HK started blowing themselves up, the only thing to pop in Beijing will be some champagne bottles. If Hong Kong slowly destroys itself, Beijing will just contentedly watch from the sidelines as all that banking business goes to Shanghai, Macao or across the river to Shenzhen.

mervyn , 3 hours ago link

In a related news, neonazi from Ukraine were deported last week, after their press credentials on their visas were revoked.

IronForge , 3 hours ago link

Should have Locked them Up for 3Months.

[Dec 07, 2019] China suspends Hong Kong visits by U.S. military ships, aircraft, sanctions U.S. NGOs

Dec 07, 2019 | economistsview.typepad.com

anne , December 02, 2019 at 02:11 PM

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-12/02/c_138600158.htm

December 2, 2019

China suspends Hong Kong visits by U.S. military ships, aircraft, sanctions U.S. NGOs

BEIJING -- The Chinese government has decided to suspend reviewing applications to visit Hong Kong by U.S. military ships and aircraft starting Monday, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said.

China will also take sanctions against some U.S. non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for their role in the disturbances in Hong Kong, Hua said at a press conference.

The NGOs include the National Endowment for Democracy, National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, International Republican Institute, Human Rights Watch and Freedom House.

A lot of facts and evidence have shown that the aforementioned NGOs supported anti-China rioters in Hong Kong in various ways, abetted their extreme and violent criminal behavior and incited separatist activities for "Hong Kong independence", Hua said, adding that these organizations bear major responsibilities for Hong Kong's chaotic situation and should be sanctioned and pay their price.

The spokesperson said the United States has seriously violated the international law and basic norms governing international relations, and interfered in China's internal affairs by signing the so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 into law despite China's firm opposition.

"China urges the U.S. to correct its mistake and stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs or interfering in China's other internal affairs by any word and act," Hua said.

China will take further necessary actions in accordance with the development of the situation to firmly defend the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong and safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, she said.

[Dec 06, 2019] Why Are Ukrainian Neo-Nazis Joining the Hong Kong Protests - Sputnik International

Dec 06, 2019 | sputniknews.com

Prominent Ukrainian neo-Nazi figures have been spotted in the Hong Kong protests just weeks after hosting an "academy of street protest" in Kiev. Leaders of far-right Ukrainian groups that rose to prominence in the 2014 coup d'etat they helped orchestrate, including the Azov Battalion and Right Sektor , have recently traveled to Hong Kong to participate in the anti-Beijing protests there. It's unclear why the groups, sporting the apparel of a far-right hooligan group called "Honor" or "Gonor," have gone to Hong Kong, but the fact that both the 2014 Ukrainian coup and the present protests in Hong Kong have enjoyed extensive support from the CIA-spawned National Endowment for Democracy may give a clue.

"Hong Kong welcomed us as relatives," Serhii Filimonov wrote on Facebook Saturday, sharing a video of himself and other Ukrainian far-right figures in the semi-autonomous Chinese city. Filimonov once headed the Kiev branch of the Azov Civilian Corps, a support group for the ultra-nationalist Azov Battalion that's thinly veiled as a civilian NGO.

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fserhii.filimonov.98%2Fvideos%2F160773771798497%2F&show_text=1&width=560 photos posted the following day include Ihor Maliar, an Azov Battalion veteran who sports a "victory or Valhalla" tattoo across his neck, and Serhii Sternenko, who headed the Odessa section of Right Sektor when it torched the Trade Unions House on May 2, 2014, killing 42 people and injuring hundreds in the street violence before and after. Sternenko also helped found the "People's Lustration" fascist gang, which harassed, beat up and humiliated former officials of the Ukrainian government in the months following the 2014 Euromaidan coup. Sputnik Screenshot Screenshot of a Facebook post by Serhii Filimonov showing "Gonor" members in Hong Kong

Several of the men wear paraphernalia of the far-right "Honor" or "Gonor" so-called youth group founded by Filimonov in 2015, sporting a stylized version of the "trident," a symbol with ancient meaning in Ukraine adopted by ultra-nationalists, as three daggers. Several also have neo-Nazi tattoos, such as swastikas.

Actual swastika tattoos, just in case you were left in any doubt these are actual neo-nazis. pic.twitter.com/z2HqMWNXuO

-- Hong Kong Hermit (@HongKongHermit) December 2, 2019

​The men also posed in front of the wrecked Hong Kong Polytechnic University , where an intense two-week showdown between police and protesters saw more than 1,000 students detained and thousands of weapons seized, including petrol bombs and explosives.

Sputnik Screenshot Serhii Filimonov post showing Ukrainian far-right figures posing in front of Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Early last month, Filimonov, Sternenko and Maliar spoke at an "academy of street protest" in Kiev, the posters of which featured a molotov cocktail emblazoned with the "Gonor" logo.

Sputnik Screenshot Poster for an "academy of street protest" featuring lectures by several Ukrainian far-right figures

A Ukrainian Facebook page that came to the defense of the Gonor crew and their trip Monday afternoon seems to bridge the gap between the two movements. Calling itself the "Free Hong Kong Center," the page posts about the supposed strong links between the Hong Kong and 2014 Ukraine protests, complete with the words "umbrella" and "dignity" on their banner, referencing what demonstrators in Hong Kong called their 2014 protests, seen as a precursor to the present unrest, and by far-right Ukrainians to the 2014 coup.

The Center came to the defense of Gonor on Monday, posting that they are "simple activists" now and "are not connected to any Azov movements any more."

"They assured us they are really against nazism and another kind of alt-right ideology," they posted, dismissing the neo-Nazi imagery as traditional Ukrainian symbols.

Sputnik Screenshot Facebook post by "Free Hong Kong Center" defending "Gonor" members' visit to Hong Kong

It's not clear exactly what these "simple activists" were doing in Hong Kong. However, it's worth noting the extensive groundwork laid for both the 2014 uprising in Ukraine and the 2019 protests in Hong Kong via the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

In the three years before the 2014 coup, the CIA-backed NED sunk $14 million into regime change efforts in Ukraine, and the NED has been cultivating anti-Beijing attitudes in Hong Kong since the mid-1990s, before the territory was returned to Chinese rule by the British Empire.

Whether Filimonov and associates are there at the NED's behest or as simply a bit of protest tourism is anybody's guess.

[Nov 29, 2019] To sum up, Trump has signed another evil law that intervenes in China's domestic affairs and violates the country's sovereignty by using Hong Kong as a stick.

Notable quotes:

"... The Empire has started something it cannot win. I have other thoughts on this but I just dropped by to post this and get back to my entertaining chores, me being the chef and all that. ..."

Nov 29, 2019 | www.moonofalabama.org

karlof1 , Nov 28 2019 21:22 utc | 48

Just enough time to share this Global Times editorial regarding the gross interference in China's affairs by the Evil Outlaw US Empire's Congress--to cooperate with the Empire is to commit treason :

"In the meantime, the law also threatens to sanction Hongkongers who do not cooperate with the US. This will suppress neutral space for people with different ideas and further tear the city apart. The only way to maintain the solidarity of Hong Kong is to resist US provocation and prevent more people from joining hands with the opposition for fear of US sanctions. Efforts to fight the forces colluding with the US should be stepped up, and the corresponding laws need to be improved. There is no way to allow traitors to prevail and patriots to suffer .

"'One country, two systems' is China's independent constitutional arrangement and US intervention damages its external environment. Hong Kong society should be vigilant. To maintain "one country, two systems," the Chinese mainland and the HKSAR need to work together. Anyone who colludes with external forces to undermine 'one country, two systems' must pay a heavy price ."

Here's a softer op/ed , although it has a Confucian bite at its end:

"To sum up, Trump has signed another evil law that intervenes in China's domestic affairs and violates the country's sovereignty by using Hong Kong as a stick. However, in deciding how to use the stick and whether it will take the US where it wishes, Washington has to think carefully because the move would probably backfire ." [All Emphasis Mine]

The Empire has started something it cannot win. I have other thoughts on this but I just dropped by to post this and get back to my entertaining chores, me being the chef and all that.

Happy T-Day, and may Peace at some point finally prevail and come to Rule this and all other days.

[Nov 28, 2019] Hong Kong ensnared in the West's color revolution

Nov 28, 2019 | www.moonofalabama.org

Colin , Nov 28 2019 17:55 utc | 29

Here's a very nice roundup of the Hong Kong protests, with some helpful discussion of the recent elections: Hong Kong ensnared in the West's color revolution hot box

[Nov 28, 2019] Will protest destroy Hong Kong financial industry.

Nov 28, 2019 | www.moonofalabama.org

psychohistorian , Nov 28 2019 20:08 utc | 41

@ jayc # 34 who wrote
"
The effective elements of the blunt stick the HKHRDA represents will inevitably weaken if not destroy HK's position as a financial hub, a fact which the protest leaders seem not to have gamed out. Or maybe they have.
"
Exactly! I think destroy is closer to the truth. China does not want profit forced in the middle of their financial dealings with the outside world and there is little or no value that HK can add to the equation.

As jared adds in comment #40 above
"
The financial industry is generally a con game built on managing perception and after all its all about the money when we strip away the facade.
"
The lie that private finance masturbation for profit adds anything to the GDP of the world is getting closer to being obvious to many. If anything it can be shown that profit subtracts value that could/should be provided as a public utility by government.

[Nov 28, 2019] Futures Tumble After Trump Signs Bill Backing Hong Kong Protesters, Defying China

So in due course the trade war was replaced by the full scale cold war.

Notable quotes:

"... Needless to say, no differences will be "settled amicably" and now China will have no choice but to retaliate, aggressively straining relations with the US, and further complicating Trump's effort to wind down his nearly two-year old trade war with Beijing. ..."

"... The legislation, S. 1838, which was passed virtually unanimously in both chambers, requires annual reviews of Hong Kong's special trade status under American law and will allow Washington to suspend said status in case the city does not retain a sufficient degree of autonomy under the "one country, two systems" framework. The bill also sanctions any officials deemed responsible for human rights abuses or undermining the city's autonomy. ..."

"... The House cleared the bill 417-1 on Nov. 20 after the Senate passed it without opposition, veto-proof majorities that left Trump with little choice but to acquiesce, or else suffer bruising fallout from his own party. the GOP. ..."

"... In accordance with the law, the Commerce Department will have 180 days to produce a report examining whether the Chinese government has tried use Hong Kong's special trading status to import advanced "dual use" technologies in violation of US export control laws. Dual use technologies are those that can have commercial and military applications. ..."

"... The new law directs the US secretary of state to "clearly inform the government of the People's Republic of China that the use of media outlets to spread disinformation or to intimidate and threaten its perceived enemies in Hong Kong or in other countries is unacceptable." ..."

"... The state department should take any such activity "into consideration when granting visas for travel and work in the United States to journalists from the People's Republic of China who are affiliated with any such media organizations", the law says. ..."

"... Yes I think getting the western financial institutions out of HK is the plan. I'm sure they appreciate the US doing this for them, but of course they could never admit that. ..."

Nov 27, 2019 | www.zerohedge.com

Less than an hour after Trump once again paraded with yet another all-time high in the S&P...

... and on day 510 of the trade war, it appears the president was confident enough that a collapse in trade talks won't drag stocks too far lower, and moments after futures reopened at 6pm, the White House said that Trump had signed the Hong Kong bill backing pro-democracy protesters, defying China and making sure that every trader's Thanksgiving holiday was just ruined.

In a late Wednesday statement from the White House, Trump said that:

I signed these bills out of respect for President Xi, China, and the people of Hong Kong. They are being enacted in the hope that Leaders and Representatives of China and Hong Kong will be able to amicably settle their differences leading to long term peace and prosperity for all.

Needless to say, no differences will be "settled amicably" and now China will have no choice but to retaliate, aggressively straining relations with the US, and further complicating Trump's effort to wind down his nearly two-year old trade war with Beijing.

Trump's signing of the bill comes during a period of unprecedented unrest in Hong Kong, where anti-government protests sparked by a now-shelved extradition bill proposal have ballooned into broader calls for democratic reform and police accountability.

"The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act reaffirms and amends the United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992, specifies United States policy towards Hong Kong and directs assessment of the political developments in Hong Kong," the White House said in a statement. "Certain provisions of the act would interfere with the exercise of the president's constitutional authority to state the foreign policy of the United States."

The legislation, S. 1838, which was passed virtually unanimously in both chambers, requires annual reviews of Hong Kong's special trade status under American law and will allow Washington to suspend said status in case the city does not retain a sufficient degree of autonomy under the "one country, two systems" framework. The bill also sanctions any officials deemed responsible for human rights abuses or undermining the city's autonomy.

The House cleared the bill 417-1 on Nov. 20 after the Senate passed it without opposition, veto-proof majorities that left Trump with little choice but to acquiesce, or else suffer bruising fallout from his own party. the GOP.

Trump also signed into law the PROTECT Hong Kong act, which will prohibit the sale of US-made munitions such as tear gas and rubber bullets to the city's authorities.

While many members of Congress in both parties have voiced strong support for protesters demanding more autonomy for the city, Trump had stayed largely silent, even as the demonstrations have been met by rising police violence.

Until now.

The bill's author, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, said that with the legislation's enactment, the US now had "new and meaningful tools to deter further influence and interference from Beijing into Hong Kong's internal affairs."

In accordance with the law, the Commerce Department will have 180 days to produce a report examining whether the Chinese government has tried use Hong Kong's special trading status to import advanced "dual use" technologies in violation of US export control laws. Dual use technologies are those that can have commercial and military applications.

One other less discussed but notable provision of the Hong Kong Human Rights Act targets media outlets affiliated with China's government. The new law directs the US secretary of state to "clearly inform the government of the People's Republic of China that the use of media outlets to spread disinformation or to intimidate and threaten its perceived enemies in Hong Kong or in other countries is unacceptable."

The state department should take any such activity "into consideration when granting visas for travel and work in the United States to journalists from the People's Republic of China who are affiliated with any such media organizations", the law says.

* * *

In the days leading up to Trump's signature, China's foreign ministry had urged Trump to prevent the legislation from becoming law, warning the Americans not to underestimate China's determination to defend its "sovereignty, security and development interests."

"If the U.S. insists on going down this wrong path, China will take strong countermeasures, " said China's foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang at a briefing Thursday in Beijing. On Monday, China's Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang summoned the U.S. ambassador, Terry Branstad to express "strong opposition" to what the country's government considers American interference in the protests, including the legislation, according to statement. The new U.S. law comes just as Washington and Beijing showed signs of working toward "phase-one" of deal to ease the trade war. Trump would like the agreement finished in order to ease economic uncertainty for his re-election campaign in 2020, and has floated the possibility of signing the deal in a farm state as an acknowledgment of the constituency that's borne the brunt of retaliatory Chinese tariffs.

Last week China's Vice Premier and chief trade negotiator Liu He said before a speech at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Beijing, that he was "cautiously optimistic" about reaching the phase one accord. He will now have no choice but to amend his statement.

In anticipation of a stern Chinese rebuke, US equity futures tumbled, wiping out most of the previous day's gains... Still, the generally modest pullback - the S&P was around 2,940 when Trump announced the Phase 1 deal on Oct 11 - suggests that despite Trump's signature, markets expect a Chinese deal to still come through. That may be an aggressive and overly "hopeful" assumption, especially now that China now longer has a carte blanche to do whatever it wants in Hong Kong, especially in the aftermath of this weekend's landslide victory for the pro-Democracy camp which won in 17 of the city's 18 districts.

"Following last weekend's historic elections in Hong Kong that included record turnout, this new law could not be more timely in showing strong US support for Hongkongers' long-cherished freedoms," said Rubio

---

The Palmetto Cynic , 1 hour ago link

Trade wars are good and easy to win. LOL.

Gonzogal , 32 minutes ago link

This is another attempt by the US to stop BRICS. They care NOTHING about HK, only its usefulness in the US war on Chinas growing importance in world trade.

Fascal Rascal upended , 27 minutes ago link

**** trading with communists.

lift foot, aim, pull trigger.

but no no no... trading with communists brings jobs to sell cheap crap. oh what was I thinking.... cheap crap, jobs, and the richest of the rich get richer... my bad.
it ain’t like the commies are going to use the money to build up their military..

silly me.

sentido kumon , 41 minutes ago link

Of course the obvious solution is to just let people choose whatever or whomever they want to associate with and be respected and left alone for their choice.

But no. We all have to live and abide by the wishes of other people bcuz of "unity" and ****.

This non sense is really getting tiresome.

Gonzogal , 51 minutes ago link

This criticism from a country that just this week renewed the "Patriot Act" that has taken away Americans rights and increased spying on US citizens.

The US should get its OWN house in order BEFORE moves against countries that do the SAME THING THE US DOES!

The world is sick of this hypocracy!

Helg Saracen , 1 hour ago link

Eh guys, you still do not understand that all this (not only China and Hong Kong) is a very big "elite" performance for ordinary people to keep you (the rest of the boobies) in subjection. It's like in boxing - contractual fights. Do you think world "elites" benefit from peace and order? You are mistaken - these guys have the world as death (the death of their Power and their Control). An example from the history of Europe - in the 18-19 and early 20th century, Europe only did what it fought. But the funny thing is that the monarchs (the real owners of Europe) were relatives among themselves. The First World War was popularly called “The War of Three Cousins” (English monarch, German Kaiser and Russian emperor). But the Europeans paid for the dismantling of relatives. Now the "monarchs" are bankers and your position has not changed, you changed only the owners after 1918.

He–Mene Mox Mox , 1 hour ago link

Problem with Hong Kong is, it is dependent on China to survive. That is not only true for the most basic neccessities, but also as a port for international trade. However, in the last 25 years, Shenzhen and Guangzhou have built up their own trade hubs, which has pulled trade away from being concentrated in Hong Kong, and consequently more dependent on China. Our ideas of Hong Kong remaining an independent island nation isn't going to work for three reasons:

1. Without being a doorway to China, there is no other reason for its existence.

2. Hong Kong is indeed Chinese sovereign territory, that was taken away from it to be made into a trade colony by the British in 1841, under the Treaty of Nanking. The British gave up Hong Kong in 1997, under the 1984 signed Sino-British Joint Declaration, in which Britain agreed to return not only the New Territories but also Kowloon and Hong Kong itself. China promised to implement a "One Country, Two Systems" regime, under which for fifty years Hong Kong citizens could continue to practice capitalism and political freedoms forbidden on the mainland. So, when the year 2047 comes around, Hong Kong will be fully absorbed and integrated in a One Country, One system Chinese regime. In otherwords, Hong Kong's fate was already sealed in 1984, and there is nothing America can legally do about it.

3. Hong Kong still needs the basic neccessities from China to survive. Don't count on either the British or the Americans to provide it.

Dzerzhhinsky , 1 hour ago link

Yes I think getting the western financial institutions out of HK is the plan. I'm sure they appreciate the US doing this for them, but of course they could never admit that.

[Nov 25, 2019] Why The Hong Kong Riots Are Coming To An End

Notable quotes:

"... The "marginal violence" campaign of the "pro-democratic" students has failed to win more support for them. Regular Hongkongers are increasingly willing to take a stand against further provocations: ..."

"... Ten days ago the core of the black clad rioters began to paralyze Hong Kong's traffic during regular workdays. They ransacked nearly every metro stations and barricaded large thoroughfares and tunnels. Schools were closed, businesses and workers were severely harmed. ..."

"... One 70 year old street cleaner was killed when he was hit by a stone thrown by the rioters against civilians who tried to remove a barricade. A 57 year old man was drenched with gasoline and set alight after he verbally disagreed with the rioter's ransacking of a metro station. A policeman was shot with an arrow. ..."

"... Last Sunday the police surrounded the PolyU and let no one leave. Those who wanted out were either arrested or, when under 18, identified and handed to their parents. There were several violent battles when the rioters attempted to break through the police cordon but only a few escaped. ..."

"... Today there are still some 30 rioter holed up in a PolyU building. The police are waiting them out. They said that they had made more than a thousand arrests. The university is ransacked and there was significant battle damage . The rioters again left thousands of Molotov cocktails and other weapons behind. ..."

"... Had China moved troops to Hong Kong, or allowed more force to be used against the protesters, the U.S. would have used that to press its allies to put strong sanctions on China. The protesters' violence was designed to achieve that outcome. The plan was part of the larger U.S. strategy of decoupling from China . ..."

"... Here's a handy piece of advice for non-American nations around the world: Whenever some American starts running its mouth about crusading for Freedom, Democracy, Human Rights, or similar propaganda slogans, get ready to defend your nation. These slogans are merely the American version of the White Man's Burden and Western Civilizing Mission. ..."

"... The U.S. wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Pakistan have cost American taxpayers $6.4 trillion since they began in 2001. That total is $2 trillion more than all federal government spending during the recently completed fiscal year. The report, from Watson Institute of International and Public Affairs at Brown University, also finds that more than 801,000 people have died as a direct result of fighting. ..."

"... The Grayzone piece linked above misses the real man behind the lobbying. Andrew Duncan who is a main sponsor of Senator Marco Rubio who is the main promoter on the hill for "activist" and U.S. darling Joshua Wong. Duncan is also one of the producers (financiers) of a film about Wong. ..."

"... In Hong Kong, it looks like university students were enthused to join in. ..."

"... The cognitive dissonance has been overwhelming these past months. "Pro-democracy protesters" who use black bloc tactics of arson and vandalism ..."

"... . Add a dollop of uninformed virtue-signalling from the usual clueless western cheerleaders, and it has been a festival of delusion which somehow ends with the image of a petrol-bomb-wielding black bloc protester as the new face of "freedom" (as seen on twitter). ..."

"... Recall that early media reports said there were 1.7 million protesters "according to the organiser's estimates". Once you remember that, then every time you hear millions is a hint to look up the Police estimate (150k) and estimates of maximum numbers in space available - also 150k or thereabouts. ..."

"... People whose ultimate goal is a comfortable life in a the USA which best meets their needs without necessarily concerning themselves with the needs of everybody else, are incredibly vulnerable once arrested. ..."

"... Usually it takes a few years before a resistance movement becomes too infiltrated to fulfill its objectives (eg the IRA), if the PRC has managed to do this to a movement which initially had so much popular support, within the space of a couple of months, this a massive win. ..."

"... I can only try to imagine what the Chinese police do to the Filipino mercenaries who make up the core of the US sponsored "protesters" with Molotovs when they catch them. ..."

"... The Chinese are not really as smart as we thought, are they, or such riots would have never happened (where were the parents of all these kids used by the US organizers?). But credit goes to the smart Chinese leadership for sitting out all the violence of the US-sponsored "peaceful protests" and thus preventing the organizers from involving the rest of the West in the war on China. The organizers will not give up, will try another day another way. ..."

"... Many young Chinese rioters burned their own jobs with their Molotovs , the typical achievement of the professional ideologues - getting the young people to do damaging things to themselves. ..."

"... Considering the now ridiculously low, and increasingly lower, share of Hong Kong in China's economy, wrecking Hong Kong economy like it just happened was a Pyrrhic move from the protesters. Hurting HK's economy doesn't hurt China much, actually, it might just boost a little bit more mainland China and weaken the independent-minded HK a bit more. ..."

"... It's funny, in a silly kind of way, that the US Congress has decided to "own" the Hong Kong riots by recognising them as 'legitimate'. The protesters shot themselves in the foot when they rejected Carrie Lam's offer to convene a summit at which protest reps and HK Govt reps could negotiate their differences - without pre-conditions. ..."

"... hong kong is just a small piece of the puzzle, a tiny bit of the apple in the big strudel which is the US hurry hurry rush, particularly since obama and clinton, to 'pivot to Asia' and try to 'contain' once again a rising superpower, China. ..."

Nov 25, 2019 | www.moonofalabama.org

The U.S. sponsored riots in Hong Kong are mostly over. They were sustained much longer than we had expected .

The "marginal violence" campaign of the "pro-democratic" students has failed to win more support for them. Regular Hongkongers are increasingly willing to take a stand against further provocations:

Demonstrators gathered at about 12.30pm on a bridge outside Exchange Square, which houses Hong Kong's stock exchange in the city's financial heartland, in another round of lunchtime protests that have been staged most days over the past two weeks.

Scuffles broke out after a pro-police group of about 50 people showed up about an hour later, but police arrived soon after to clear the area.

During at least two altercations between some members of each group, an anti-government contingent yelled "go back to China" at their adversaries, and one of their number kicked a woman walking towards the smaller group.

Ten days ago the core of the black clad rioters began to paralyze Hong Kong's traffic during regular workdays. They ransacked nearly every metro stations and barricaded large thoroughfares and tunnels. Schools were closed, businesses and workers were severely harmed.

One 70 year old street cleaner was killed when he was hit by a stone thrown by the rioters against civilians who tried to remove a barricade. A 57 year old man was drenched with gasoline and set alight after he verbally disagreed with the rioter's ransacking of a metro station. A policeman was shot with an arrow.

The rioters occupied the Chinese University and the Polytechnic University (PolyU) which are next to large streets and the important Cross-Harbor-Tunnel. Using the universities as logistic bases and fortifications they managed to keep many roads closed throughout day and night. After some negotiations with the president of the Chinese University the rioters evacuated from there while leaving some 8,000 petrol bombs behind . They concentrated in the PolyU next to the Cross-Harbor-Tunnel.

That was a mistake .

Last Sunday the police surrounded the PolyU and let no one leave. Those who wanted out were either arrested or, when under 18, identified and handed to their parents. There were several violent battles when the rioters attempted to break through the police cordon but only a few escaped.

After a few days most of those inside PolyU surrendered to the police.

Today there are still some 30 rioter holed up in a PolyU building. The police are waiting them out. They said that they had made more than a thousand arrests. The university is ransacked and there was significant battle damage . The rioters again left thousands of Molotov cocktails and other weapons behind.

The blockage of the city traffic and the increasing damage caused by rioter vandalism has alienated even those who earlier supported them. As the police now have most of the core rioters under arrest there is little chance that such violent protests will continue.

On Sunday there will be citywide district council elections in Hong Kong. China had pushed for the elections to go forward under all circumstances. Riot police will guard all polling stations.

Weeks ago the "pro-dem" candidates, who supported the rioters, were still poised to win more seats than they had held before the protests. But they now fear that the general public will punish them for the mayhem they have caused and will choose establishment candidates :

Chinese University political scientist Ivan Choy Chi-keung said while the turnout could set another record, the overall situation was more unpredictable than before.

"The pan-democrats could have won a landslide victory if the elections had been held in the summer, when the protests erupted," Choy said. "But after the recent clashes at two universities, undecided voters may be worried about public order and be discouraged from voting.

He was referring to fiery battles protesters fought with police outside Chinese University on November 12, followed by more confrontations outside Polytechnic University last week.

"It will be difficult for the camp to win more than half of the seats, as some originally envisaged," Choy said.

The Hong Kong government has conceded none of the protesters' "five demands". The only thing that the protesters have won is the passing of legislation by the U.S. Congress :

The House of Representatives on Wednesday followed the lead of the Senate in overwhelmingly approving two pieces of legislation: The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which requires the president to annually review the favourable trading status that the US gives to Hong Kong, threatening to revoke it and impose penalties against officials if freedoms are determined to have been quashed; and the Protect Hong Kong Act, which will block the sale of tear gas and other policing items.

The former, although largely symbolic, could alter Washington's relationship with Hong Kong and Beijing.

US President Donald Trump has a straightforward choice on legislation passed on to him by the United States Congress supporting the protests that have engulfed Hong Kong – approve or veto. Coming amid tough bargaining on his trade war with China, he may be tempted to make his decision part of the negotiations.
...
But Beijing sees such measures as striking at the heart of Chinese sovereignty. Radical protesters could be spurred to greater violence. Unspecified countermeasures are promised should Trump give his approval.
...
But the trade war, violence and legislation have damaged business sentiment in Hong Kong. Approval or not, pessimism and uncertainty have already been deepened. There can be no winners.

Trump wants the trade deal with China and will therefore likely veto the bill :

Speaking on the "Fox & Friends" morning program, the president said that he was balancing competing priorities in the U.S.-China relationship.

"We have to stand with Hong Kong, but I'm also standing with President Xi [Jinping], he's a friend of mine. He's an incredible guy, but we have to stand I'd like to see them work it out, okay?" the president said. "I stand with freedom, I stand with all of the things that I want to do, but we are also in the process of making one of the largest trade deals in history. And if we could do that, it would be great."

A veto would only have a temporary impact as the law has passed the House and Senate by veto proof majorities.

The idea behind the protests and the rioters In Hong Kong was all along to provoke another Tian An Men incident . This has been quite obvious since the start of the protest. It now gets publicly acknowledged:

BBC Newsnight @BBCNewsnight - 11:00 UTC · Nov 19, 2019

"Some of the protesters seem to have an objective to provoke a military confrontation with China. They seem to want a Tiananmen Square outcome as success."

Fmr Foreign Sec @Jeremy_Hunt says he is "concerned with the tactics" with some of #HongKong's protesters

Had China moved troops to Hong Kong, or allowed more force to be used against the protesters, the U.S. would have used that to press its allies to put strong sanctions on China. The protesters' violence was designed to achieve that outcome. The plan was part of the larger U.S. strategy of decoupling from China .

The plan failed because China was too smart to give the U.S. what it wanted. Now it is Trump who is under pressure. He needs the trade deal with China because the current trade war is doing harm to the U.S. economy and endangers his reelection.

Which is probably the real reason why the protests have died down.

Posted by b on November 22, 2019 at 19:02 UTC | Permalink

---

AK74 , Nov 23 2019 6:48 utc | 61

Here's a handy piece of advice for non-American nations around the world: Whenever some American starts running its mouth about crusading for Freedom, Democracy, Human Rights, or similar propaganda slogans, get ready to defend your nation. These slogans are merely the American version of the White Man's Burden and Western Civilizing Mission.

They are a clear and present threat that the American predator is slouching towards you.

Jen , Nov 22 2019 19:49 utc | 8

Interesting that in The Atlantic magazine article B links to (at "That was a mistake"), the writer Suzanne Sataline followed a rioter all the way through PolyU without saying why she had to do so. Had she been found by police, she would surely have been arrested and charged with assisting in terrorist-styled activities.

Next time The Atlantic sends her on an overseas assignment, perhaps somewhere in the Middle East, Africa or Latin America, she might not be so lucky. Somehow the fate of Marie Colvin in Syria or Lebanon comes to mind. I would not be surprised though if Sataline has never heard of Colvin.

james , Nov 22 2019 19:51 utc | 9

@4 nathan and @ 7 clue... thanks... i did read confessions of an economic hitman which goes into similar terrain..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confessions_of_an_Economic_Hit_Man

Mao , Nov 22 2019 19:59 utc | 10

The U.S. wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Pakistan have cost American taxpayers $6.4 trillion since they began in 2001. That total is $2 trillion more than all federal government spending during the recently completed fiscal year. The report, from Watson Institute of International and Public Affairs at Brown University, also finds that more than 801,000 people have died as a direct result of fighting.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/20/us-spent-6point4-trillion-on-middle-east-wars-since-2001-study.html

Mao , Nov 22 2019 20:04 utc | 11

"I think China needs to stop interfering in the internal affairs of the United States because our treatment of Hong Kong is an internal matter," says @MarcoRubio.

https://twitter.com/SquawkCNBC/status/1197511188092985345

b , Nov 22 2019 20:17 utc | 12

Hong Kong's opposition unites with Washington hardliners to 'preserve the US's own political and economic interests'

While claiming to fight for "self-determination," Hong Kong opposition leaders are collaborating with regime-change neoconservatives in Washington to "preserve the US's own political and economic interests." A new DC lobbying front has become their base of operations.

The Grayzone piece linked above misses the real man behind the lobbying. Andrew Duncan who is a main sponsor of Senator Marco Rubio who is the main promoter on the hill for "activist" and U.S. darling Joshua Wong. Duncan is also one of the producers (financiers) of a film about Wong.

Watchdog group files complaint in shadowy gift to super PAC aiding Marco Rubio

An election watchdog organization filed a complaint Friday with the Federal Election Commission over a $500,000 donation to a super political action committee aiding Marco Rubio from a mystery firm headed by a New York investor.
...
The complaint from the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, seeks an investigation into IGX LLC for masking the donation and to determine whether the Conservative Solutions PAC was aware of the origins of the contribution. The actual donor, Andrew Duncan, of Brooklyn, New York, acknowledged to the Associated Press earlier this month that he had routed his contribution through IGX, a business entity registered last year in Delaware.

Laguerre , Nov 22 2019 21:07 utc | 17

If the violence in the demonstrations is being pushed by the US, as suggested by b (and I agree), it doesn't matter very much how popular the demos are. Apart from the need not to look absurdly out of tune.

This is not the first time that I've compared the Hong Kong demos to the Gilets Jaunes in France. The model is identical. Groups separate from the popular demonstrations commit violence; no-one knows who they are. Black-masked unknown individuals.

In Hong Kong, it looks like university students were enthused to join in.

In Paris we had it again last Saturday, but it won't last, as most of the Gilets Jaunes are against the violence. We ran into a group that night; they didn't seem very violent, more like copycats. Their more violent fellows had just destroyed a war monument.

The French always deny that it could be a foreign intervention, but it's so similar to what has happened in Hong Kong.

Jackrabbit , Nov 22 2019 21:13 utc | 18

b @12

Insightful. Thanks!

jayc , Nov 22 2019 21:14 utc | 19

The cognitive dissonance has been overwhelming these past months. "Pro-democracy protesters" who use black bloc tactics of arson and vandalism.

"Students yearning for freedom" who organize Molotov cocktail factories. Complaints of excessive "police brutality" when by objective international standards the police were remarkably constrained. "Hong Kong is a repressive police state" says Joshua Wong, and yet it is consistently near the top of the list in the Cato Institute world freedom index.

The protesters are "fighting for democracy" even though Hong Kong is democratic, and demand a "universal suffrage" that in practice very few jurisdictions, least of all their beloved US/UK, enjoy. Add a dollop of uninformed virtue-signalling from the usual clueless western cheerleaders, and it has been a festival of delusion which somehow ends with the image of a petrol-bomb-wielding black bloc protester as the new face of "freedom" (as seen on twitter).

Jackrabbit , Nov 22 2019 21:19 utc | 21

Laguerre @17: so similar ... violent

I disagree. Gillets Jaunes protest are throughout the country. And GJ are not trying to maintain any sort of special status like HK protesters. GJ have not been violent. Its those that are trying to discredit the GJ that are violent.!!

d dan , Nov 22 2019 21:52 utc | 26

The author (b) writes: "Had China moved troops to Hong Kong, or allowed more force to be used against the protesters, the U.S. would have used that to press its allies to put strong sanctions on China."

Ironically, China already moved its troops to the street of Hong Kong this week - to help to clean the street and repair the damages done by the rioters! I know it is anti-climax, and a big let down for all the Chinese haters like Marco Rubio, Nancy Pelosi, Peter Navarro, Steve Bannon and many others.

Michael Droy , Nov 22 2019 22:17 utc | 29

Excellent as per usual.

The funny thing is that a little bit of effort and the whole thing becomes apparent even through the traditional media reports. Recall that early media reports said there were 1.7 million protesters "according to the organiser's estimates". Once you remember that, then every time you hear millions is a hint to look up the Police estimate (150k) and estimates of maximum numbers in space available - also 150k or thereabouts.

More stories hint of high protester numbers but don't mention numbers -- so check the accompanying pictures and videos - we a few thousand (ie well down on ever factual early numbers) and more recently just a few hundred. Police violence - yet every picture or video show large numbers of police acting very very peaceably (compare Paris). HK democracy - yet all the pictures recently have been exclusively of masked blackshirts and if you dig deep most of the violence has been blackshirt on passers by.

There must be picture editors who are stunned by the reports they run. And obviously the story they are all looking for is the China overreaction that was never going to happen.

The whole thing runs in parallel with the obvious Ujghur 1 million in prison lie (it would be equivalent to every male aged 16-29) where the only witnesses to speak to western journalists have been fed to the press in Istanbul. We all know that Chinese muslims in Istanbul are going to or already in ISIS. James Le Mesurier doing a little extra press feeding in his spare time.

nietzsche1510 , Nov 22 2019 23:15 utc | 33

in 1997, the year Great Britain consumed her concession of Hong Kong, the colony, now mainland proper, was counting for 40% of China´s GDP. today hardly 2%. a major factor of the unrest.

Godfree Roberts , Nov 22 2019 23:23 utc | 34

"They seem to want a Tiananmen Square outcome as success."

The Tiananmen Square outcome was–media accounts to the contrary –- that the kids all left the square safely by 7:20 am, just as all the HK demonstrators are unharmed.

There was a riot led by professional thugs elsewhere in Beijing, in Chang'An Avenue, but that was a different matter entirely and one with an interesting sequel. The leader of that riot was exfiltrated to the UK by MI6 and subsequently convicted of robbing and murdering an elderly Londoner. Sweet.

brian , Nov 22 2019 23:40 utc | 35

' 44 year old man was drenched with gasoline '

he is 57: 'Lee Chi-cheung, 57, was left fighting for his life after the attack, which occurred on November 11 after a dispute with a group of masked people who had vandalised an MTR station in Ma On Shan in Hong Kong's New Territories.; https://www.asiaone.com/asia/wife-hong-kong-man-who-was-set-fire-tells-heartbreak

A User , Nov 22 2019 23:40 utc | 36

The decision to crowd hundreds of members of the hard core into a siege situation at PolyU is more than a mistake it will be catastrophic for a movement which is largely peopled by members of the bourgeoisie. Although if it follows the form of many other similar resistance efforts it is likely that any proletariat members participating found themselves on the front lines during confrontation because they had the balls to be there once push came to a crack on the melon with a baton.

People whose ultimate goal is a comfortable life in a the USA which best meets their needs without necessarily concerning themselves with the needs of everybody else, are incredibly vulnerable once arrested.

The best outcome for PRC will be a situation where they have intelligence of what moves resistance may be planning in the future, combined with some ability to control the resistance.

Now that the most violent of the protesters have stuffed themselves into one spot in a way that makes being arrested as they leave the scene they vandalised a reasonable act by police in the eyes of Hongkong citizens and, for that matter, the world, we can be certain many of the arrestees will be 'turned' by the police and intelligence services.

As for that essential ingredient of any resistance movement, solidarity, the atlantic article b linked to denigrates many of those still stuck inside PolyU as "well-meaning, unlucky naifs who didn't know the geography and didn't have the guile or foresight to negotiate, bargain, lie, or sneak their way out." that elitist summation of the courageous is likely to have been engendered in the writer by her sources (prolly introduced by amerikan 'friends') who did escape.

Smart proletarian fighters abandoned inside PolyU and desperate bourgeois resisters now facing the disappointment of their families caused by the realisation that their actions have made their future prospects a lot grimmer will cause many to rationalise that they were betrayed & led up the garden path by a selfish leadership. In those circs helping the police is less a betrayal than a reasonable reaction to movement indifference towards them, they will decide.

Perhaps this was a definite police strategy from the start, utilizing some of the vandals already arrested at earlier riots. That would mean that some of the escapees were not solely agents of usuk, some were permitted to escape by the police so they wouldn't have to explain away yet another arrest to their comrades.

Usually it takes a few years before a resistance movement becomes too infiltrated to fulfill its objectives (eg the IRA), if the PRC has managed to do this to a movement which initially had so much popular support, within the space of a couple of months, this a massive win.

Tom , Nov 23 2019 0:37 utc | 40

See Jeff. J. Brown, Confucius, Laozi and Buddha are humbly winning against the imperial West, in troubled Hong Kong. , posted at China Rising back in July. He resides in HK, speaks Chinese, and apparently got it exactly right.

Posted by: Tom | Nov 23 2019 0:37 utc | 40

Kiza , Nov 23 2019 0:50 utc | 41

I can only try to imagine what the Chinese police do to the Filipino mercenaries who make up the core of the US sponsored "protesters" with Molotovs when they catch them. I can certainly understand why they are desperately trying to escape through the sewer pipes of the University etc. Even the dumbest Hong-Kongers have finally cottoned it that they are the big losers of this "democratic revolution".

The Chinese are not really as smart as we thought, are they, or such riots would have never happened (where were the parents of all these kids used by the US organizers?). But credit goes to the smart Chinese leadership for sitting out all the violence of the US-sponsored "peaceful protests" and thus preventing the organizers from involving the rest of the West in the war on China. The organizers will not give up, will try another day another way.

But the Chinese authorities must study the Russian experience with prevention , to avoid the huge economic losses. This is a big but Pyrrhic Chinese victory over US. The Return on Investment to the riot organizers was not too bad, for couple tens of million dollars they set back the Hong Kong economy by billions and 5-10 years.

Many young Chinese rioters burned their own jobs with their Molotovs , the typical achievement of the professional ideologues - getting the young people to do damaging things to themselves.

psychohistorian , Nov 23 2019 2:07 utc | 44

@ Kiza in #39 who wrote
"
This is a big but Pyrrhic Chinese victory over US. The Return on Investment to the riot organizers was not too bad, for couple tens of million dollars they set back the Hong Kong economy by billions and 5-10 years. Many young Chinese rioters burned their own jobs with their Molotovs, the typical achievement of the professional ideologues - getting the young people to do damaging things to themselves.
"
Thanks for your thoughts. China has won in two ways, IMO
1. It will speed the reintegration of HK into the China political economy because it further destroyed the HK of British rule.
2. It is a wake up call to Taiwan about their reliance on and fealty to the West....what benefits are there and at what cost?

Clueless Joe , Nov 23 2019 2:15 utc | 45

I agree with Psychohistorian. Considering the now ridiculously low, and increasingly lower, share of Hong Kong in China's economy, wrecking Hong Kong economy like it just happened was a Pyrrhic move from the protesters. Hurting HK's economy doesn't hurt China much, actually, it might just boost a little bit more mainland China and weaken the independent-minded HK a bit more.

As long as the situation ends up returning to normal and things stay quiet afterwards, I would nearly wonder if some Chinese agents didn't help create that mess in Hong Kong, because Beijing surely doesn't need a booming HK with special status anymore.

William Kierath , Nov 23 2019 3:08 utc | 49

I think your reasoning is far too complex, and I here in Australia, (a Serial Email-er to the National Broadcaster "The ABC") emailed some months ago my impression the Government in Beijing would sit on its hands and watch the show across the moat from Shenzhen 35 Klms away, which it sees as the replacement for Hong Kong?

I don't think the Chinese have forgotten the Opium Wars and the arrogance of the Poms which occupied Hong Kong from 1841 to 1997 with a short intermission in which the Japs took residence. So I believe they just watched Hong Kong destroy itself, and didn't care who was behind it and as a result would be in a far more powerful position when they expose the British and the US for their part in this exercise.

There never was going to be a Tienanmen event as I predicted several months ago about which the idiots in the ABC salivated and all sorts of stuff was written about the impending "Invasion" of the "Democratic" Island where these over indulged brats had their Hissy-Fit.

Hong Kong never in its History has ever had "Democracy" as it was a servile "Stateless Outpost" dictated by Buckingham Palace via the "Foreign Office" and the Resident Governor!
<<<<<<<<<<<< So suck it up! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Ma Laoshi , Nov 23 2019 3:48 utc | 50

I feel these terms "pro-dem" and "pan-democratic" in HK politics should not be allowed to stand uncontested. Sure, the government in mainland China is not democratic (refreshingly, at least it doesn't pretend to be).

But the Beijing-friendly parties in Hong Kong contest the local elections under exactly the same (flawed) rules as every other party; so it seems to me they're all equally democratic. Rather, the pan-dem (pandemic?!) bloc in Hong Kong is pro-American -- that's the real difference.

It's already long, long ago that I noticed the same sleight of hand in Serbia, where MSM conflated "democratic" with "pro-EU".

Hoarsewhisperer , Nov 23 2019 3:54 utc | 51

It's funny, in a silly kind of way, that the US Congress has decided to "own" the Hong Kong riots by recognising them as 'legitimate'. The protesters shot themselves in the foot when they rejected Carrie Lam's offer to convene a summit at which protest reps and HK Govt reps could negotiate their differences - without pre-conditions.

She subsequently sounded the plot's death knell the day she announced that her government won't recognise ANY of the protesters' infantile supplementary demands and declared violent masked protesters to be illegal and illegitimate.
...
A week or so ago ABC.net.au's reporter in Hong Kong said that the protests were confined to a very small area representing Hong Kong's "financial heartland." He stated that two blocks from the Media Circus/protests it's business-as-usual in the rest of Hong Kong. I haven't heard this claim made by any other MSM 'news' source...

Peter AU1 , Nov 23 2019 4:16 utc | 52

Earlier I thought China was too soft on the rioters but they have played it well. Like Russia separated moderate rebels from jihadis in Syria, China separated the regime change rioters from the genuine protestors in Hong Kong.

Piotr Berman , Nov 23 2019 4:44 utc | 54

"Hong Kong is a repressive police state" says Joshua Wong, and yet it is consistently near the top of the list in the Cato Institute world freedom index.

Posted by: jayc | Nov 22 2019 21:14 utc | 19

In the past, I thought that Hong Kong was dominated by a narrow rich oligarchy with rules that kept the input from hoi-polloi to the minimum, which meant low taxes for business and the rich etc. From the point of view of Cato Institute it is the definition of paradise, but the life in paradise may have its discontent.

Compare with Chile that has exemplary record of "property rights" since Pinochet era with a constitution that makes it very hard to change, and yet, the locals are not happy and neither Russian nor Bolivarian agitators were identfied.

Or Colombia, another shiny bastion of democracy, allowing very wide spectrum of relationship between bosses and workers (assassinations of uppity organizers included). I would be curious if systematic and widespread murder in the defense of freedom merits downgrading in Cato Institute world freedom index.

Den Lille Abe , Nov 23 2019 6:13 utc | 57

I agree completely with what many other commenters have written, the whole rigmarole was just an US attempt to instigate a "Colour Revolution". Modus Operandi fits perfectly with what has been done in many other places. It is about time the US tastes its own soup....And we dont even have to supply them weapons, they have got plenty

psychohistorian , Nov 23 2019 6:51 utc | 62

One last response to King Lear is the link to the posting containing the quote I provided above from Xinhuanet

I suggest you go look at the picture of the delegates to this meeting and tell us here at MoA that all of them are deluded about the path China is on.

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-11/23/c_138576426.htm

And only you know the real picture of the geo-political world, right?.....grin

uncle tungsten , Nov 23 2019 7:59 utc | 67

Clueless Joe #43

As long as the situation ends up returning to normal and things stay quiet afterwards, I would nearly wonder if some Chinese agents didn't help create that mess in Hong Kong, because Beijing surely doesn't need a booming HK with special status anymore.

Yep, and I would think that the Chinese leadership took exactly that calculated risk to neutralise the HK status and snuff out some fifth column saboteurs. Beats disappearing them and all that untidy stuff.

As for any comparison with the Gillet Jaunes by other contributors, I do not see that at all. I agree people are in the streets but the GJ are in solidarity with their fellow citizens whereas the HK rioters are murderous thugs pissing on their fellows. The role of the police forces are entirely opposite with the HK police exercising phenomenal constraint. The HK rioters could learn something if they followed the Maoist history of struggle or even the history of the west. Losers and creatures of the USUK private finance fascisti.

Joost , Nov 23 2019 8:50 utc | 70

I wonder if this PolyU seige was meant to be some sort of Odessa style Tienanmen event. I mean, what can you do with 8000 molotov cocktails without getting roasted in the process? Common sense prevailed on both sides.

Rioters who left the scene and surrendered just chickened out. They love a good riot but did not sign up to get themselves identified by their dental records. It would not even surprise me if there were any snipers out there waiting to shoot protesters running for their lives fleeing a burning building. MSM would have a field day.

When that failed, Trump being Trump claimed credit ( Psychohistorian #55)

A User , Nov 23 2019 9:10 utc | 71

Peterau@ Posted by: Peter AU1 | Nov 23 2019 7:34 utc | 67

Fair enough chap; I rarely click on linked nyms because they tend to reveal blatant agendas which are most often a disappointment.
Without getting into a serious debate about it, I have come to the conclusion that when Xi runs the Zhou Enlai 'completely uninterested in intervention' line which he has been sticking to since the kick-off off the latest attempt by usuk to take advantage of the people of Hongkong (despite anyone who can think, asking themselves that if the englanders really cared that much about their Honkers subjects, WTF didn't they give 'em all brit passports when they were asked to), he seems least credible.

This is a bloke who runs a line much closer to the old school, 'rich do what rich do', line that his parents promulgated, than he ever has to either Zhou's or Mao's unapologetic socialism stance - (although it must be emphasized that there is a vast difference in both means and goals between the act which wealthy Chinese merchants in China pulled and the sociopathic, anti-humanist line that modern usury based capitalism spruiks) unfortunately neither advocate for the humanist, everybody deserves a fair shake of the stick mantra, which is the only line that can possibly lead to the continuing existence of human beings.

michaelj72 , Nov 23 2019 9:29 utc | 73

hong kong is just a small piece of the puzzle, a tiny bit of the apple in the big strudel which is the US hurry hurry rush, particularly since obama and clinton, to 'pivot to Asia' and try to 'contain' once again a rising superpower, China.

china is pretty clearly the new next up and coming world empire, (anyone really see any other competition against the US? and don't count on europe to offer much resistance to much of anything that the US wants/demands either, though there are notable exceptions, like Nord Stream)

peter lee/chinahand tells me something I didn't yet know, about the china chicken hawks:

https://twitter.com/chinahand/status/1198018591548989441

"....donnie came into office w/ aspirations as a china dealmaker/korea peacemaker. but his political weakness forced him to pivot to milsec his best base of support. & the China hawks took over literally every lever of policy. From Schriver at the Pentagon to Pottinger at the NSC to the purge of Thornton at State. Now that China hawks run the policy apparatus, China threat is entrenched as the Beltway consensus and the indispensable political accessory for Dems & GOP alike, Donnie's outlived his usefulness...."

so while the US has wasted at least $6 trillion since 2001 on a futile and endless series of north african/middle eastern wars of aggression (and blowing lots of things up, just like in those hollywood movies), China and built and built and invested its trillions in productivity. Hong kong is important in the chess game, but really just as a sideshow and irritant

Mark T , Nov 23 2019 11:55 utc | 77

The problem for the US has been that unlike previous trade competitors, Japan, Korea and Germany, there is no standing UIS army in China, so they don't have to do as they are told. Now even though HK has shrunk from 25% of Chinese GDP at handover to less than 3% now, it remains strategically important, especially as China builds out its capital markets.

As such, threatening the separate economic status of HK is a pretty powerful stick which the Neo cons have just given themselves. In my opinion it is no coincidence that what began as a peaceful protest over the extradition treaty (whipped up by the tycoons and the triads who have most to lose) turned into an antifa style textbook color revolution immediately after Rubio et al had launched the bill in the summer. Given that prior to two weeks ago most members of the House would have struggled to find Hong Kong on a map it was mightily helpful that the protesters decided to 'spontaneously" switch to telegenic firebombs and tactics to ensure 24/7 news coverage on C(IA)NN in the days leading up to the vote.

The WP and NYT as well as the FT and Economist all did their bit of course, as did all the breathless 'embedded reporters'. Result, the US has just awarded itself the right to meddle in the political affairs of Hong Kong including specifically setting a timetable for universal suffrage on the LegCo. This is technically not a big deal as the people of HK were supposed to get that in 2015, but, (and get this) the so called pro democracy purists refused to accept it unless they also got the right to both nominate and select the chief executive as well, something that was not being offered. Bottom line, tycoons have what they want, the State Department has what it wants and while the Taiwanese would like to keep the pot boiling for their elections in January, most of the vested interests are done now so the propaganda machine can move on.

SteveK9 , Nov 23 2019 14:26 utc | 81

Here are some interesting takes on the origins of the HK protests: This has an unfortunate title. It has nothing to do with Africans. It is referring to the fact that there are always locals that benefit from being part of a colony.

http://www.unz.com/ishamir/house-niggers-mutiny/ These are focused on the very human response to a loss in status, as well as the problems of living in a economic entity controlled by oligarchs.

http://www.unz.com/avltchek/some-in-hong-kong-feel-frustrated-as-their-city-is-losing-to-mainland-china/

https://spandrell.com/2019/08/25/hong-kong-and-the-perils-of-nativism/

vk , Nov 23 2019 16:27 utc | 84

@ Posted by: Bardi | Nov 23 2019 15:21 utc | 82

The spirit of the "One country, two systems" deal is that HK should remain capitalist until 2047. It is possible for a capitalist society to also be a dictatorship (Fascist Italy, Third Reich, the military dictatorships of Latin America of the 1950s-1980s, Thailand etc. etc.), so, even if Beijing deprives the people of HK (which is a city, not a country) of directly choosing its leadership, the 1C2S social contract remains intact.

Capitalism doesn't equal democracy.

--//--

Posted by: Ts'yew T'aw-Loh | Nov 23 2019 14:01 utc | 80

Well, if that's the brilliant conclusion this "Zhōu Shùrén" came after carefully analysing 3,000+ years of Chinese History, then he's wrong.

S , Nov 23 2019 16:40 utc | 85

@vk #84: You should familiarize yourself with who Lu Xun is.

vk , Nov 23 2019 16:51 utc | 86

@ Posted by: S | Nov 23 2019 16:40 utc | 85

Lu Xun grew up (and died) during the "Century of Shame". That period was exceptional, not the rule, in Chinese history. In that context, I understand his stance. But that's definitely not what China is today.

Sure you could teach his works to the people of HK, but they could as easily interpret his opus on the reverse: that the HK are the new "Chinese", and thus must liberate themselves from the "other" -- Beijing. So, I don't know what lessons, beyond the specific historical period the writer lived in, you could take in modern geopolitics.

If you want not only to understand the social world, but to change it in a scientific, rational way, Marxism is the only way to go nowadays.

bevin , Nov 23 2019 17:10 utc | 87

..As for any comparison with the Gillet Jaunes by other contributors, I do not see that at all. I agree people are in the streets but the GJ are in solidarity with their fellow citizens whereas the HK rioters are murderous thugs pissing on their fellows. The role of the police forces are entirely opposite with the HK police exercising phenomenal constraint.
Uncle Tungsten @67
I agree there aren't many who view the GJ in that way, but one of them, a regular visitor with good info from the Middle East, is so invested with Macron, and always has been, that he refuses to see that the GJ are exactly what they seem to be- a genuine grassroots provincial movement with conservative attitudes. By which I mean that they want to conserve the welfare state features that have made France a relatively civilised society. Macron, on the other hand, is a gung ho market reformer who can't wait to smash the unions, privatise the railways, restore the profit motive to the healthcare system and generally make the rich happy. Macron is a groupy of and an eager collaborator with the oligarchs. In fact he is, as the behaviour of his police forces and the relentless force used against demonstrators confirms, an authoritarian in the French tradition which gave rise to fascism and a conscious inheritor of the mantle of Petain and those who collaborated with the Nazis to preserve 'order and hierarchy.' The last French election was a contest between two schools of fascist and Macron won.

snake , Nov 23 2019 18:26 utc | 89

claims UAW and Israel behind Iraq protests Humm Is there a central "start a protest, riot or invasion task group somewhere .. Where are these fake or overtaken protest and coup-de-riot plots planned? Where is the play book? Who funds them and why? Is it possible these RIPOFFs are private interest planned, state funded and private contractor executed? Who writes the reports about them..
Who studies them (what schools what people in those schools teaches this kind of stuff). How can copies of reports about riots, protests and invasions that were planned by outsider third parties be obtained.. ??

Studying reported results by those who planned the protest or the riot, invasion or whatever would or could reveal the methods and give strong indicators about the true source of each new riot, invasion, protest or false flag [RIPOFF]

Where do they start.. (seems like the young people mostly..) but I do not know
How long does it take to get a riot or protest organized ?
How much money does it take to get a riot or protest organized?
How many experts does it take to get the riot or protest organized?
did the same people that planned the riots in Hong Kong also plan the riots or protests in Iraq and Lebanon/

psychohistorian , Nov 23 2019 19:06 utc | 93

More about China calling out the US for meddling from Reuters this morning

"
BEIJING (Reuters) - The United States is the world's biggest source of instability and its politicians are going around the world baselessly smearing China, the Chinese government's top diplomat said on Saturday in a stinging attack at a G20 meeting in Japan.

Meeting Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok on the sidelines of a G20 foreign ministers meeting in the Japanese city of Nagoya, Chinese State Councillor Wang Yi did not hold back in his criticism of the United States.

"The United States is broadly engaged in unilateralism and protectionism, and is damaging multilateralism and the multilateral trading system. It has already become the world's biggest destabilizing factor," China's Foreign Ministry cited Wang as saying.
The United States has, for political purposes, used the machine of state to suppress legitimate Chinese businesses and has groundlessly laid charges against them, which is an act of bullying, he added.

"Certain U.S. politicians have smeared China everywhere in the world, but have not produced any evidence."

The United States has also used its domestic law to "crudely interfere" in China's internal affairs, trying to damage "one country, two systems" and Hong Kong's stability and prosperity, he added.

"

Goldie , Nov 24 2019 4:22 utc | 99

Foreigner in Hong Kong has had enough of the rioters.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1194486618633035776

[Nov 22, 2019] When they passed the "Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019" by unanimous consent, the U.S. Senate essentially doused our relationship with China with kerosene and set it on fire

Nov 22, 2019 | www.moonofalabama.org

blues , Nov 20 2019 22:49 utc | 17

Well...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ //
Zero Hedge: US Relations With China Were Just Destroyed, And Nothing Will Ever Be The Same Again

When they passed the "Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019" by unanimous consent, the U.S. Senate essentially doused our relationship with China with kerosene and set it on fire. The following comes from Zero Hedge

In a widely anticipated move, just after 6pm ET on Tuesday, the Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan bill, S.1838, showing support for pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong by requiring an annual review of whether the city is sufficiently autonomous from Beijing to justify its special trading status. In doing so, the Senate has delivered a warning to China against a violent suppression of the demonstrations, a stark contrast to President Donald Trump's near-silence on the issue, the result of a behind the scenes agreement whereby China would allow the S&P to rise indefinitely as long as Trump kept his mouth shut.
// ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

=/ As Bloomberg notes, the House unanimously passed a similar bill last month, but slight differences mean both chambers still have to pass the same version before sending it to the president. /=

Sending it to the president, huh?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ //
[My own comment]

15 hours ago [near midnight last night] I said:

I think there is some possibility that the Chinese government will announce something rather drastic in about seven hours. All cargo ships and planes will turn around 180 and head back to China. Wal-Mart will close. Amazon will go dark.

It's possible.
// ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So... When the congressional fools send this unanimous bill(!) to Trump, will he sign it. If he does, does the US economy collapse instantly? If he doesn't do they impeach him?

Or... Does he not sign it, then they immediately override, then the economy collapses utterly while they are busy trying to impeach him?

What are they thinking???

---

Robert Snefjella , Nov 21 2019 1:37 utc | 37

Posted by: blues | Nov 20 2019 22:49 utc | 17

Re the unanimous vote by US Senate - "Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019".

As you noted this seems to put Trump into a real bind re ongoing trade agreement soap opera with China. Damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

The American political establishment has made any trade deal with China more unlikely. Which probably removes a trade deal with China from Trump's list of accomplishments in the 2020 elections.
Thus the "Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019" would seem to be directed against Trump.

But how really desperate is Trump for a trade deal with China? In trying to re-industrialize the United States, maybe not so much.

And now he can blame the political establishment for American economic problems related to the lack of a China trade deal.

Antoinetta III , Nov 21 2019 2:22 utc | 38

Casey @ 13

I don't think this would work as Trump would reject the trade. He would love to see the Democrats' slime and corruption trotted out in public. Meanwhile he is basically immunized from anything that may come out of a Senate trial as he has already been trashed to a saturation point.

And, since after three years of this BS they still haven't come up with any real evidence against Trump, he would have little to worry about.

The Democrats have far more to lose than Trump; his attitude towards a Senate trial would likely be: "Bring it on. Make my day, assholes."

Antoinetta III

Copeland , Nov 21 2019 2:36 utc | 39

The idealization of Trump that pictures him as some kind of silver bullet that could penetrate the heart of corruption is a bizaare fantasy. It stands at odds with the reality of the man. A crook he is at the very least. But it is what the two Parties agree upon, the criminality in which they find common cause, that is the most horrifying thing.

From truthdig : House Democrats Hand Trump 'Authoritarian' Surveillance Powers . And RT reports that this includes a couple of remarkable dems, the idealistic newcomers we hear so much about. It will be a long time before we are rid of the succubus of blanket surveillance. The grotesque empire is to be held together at all cost.

Ralph Nader: We Have a Congress of Cowards

[Oct 10, 2019] Apple removes app that Hong Kong protesters used to track police movements after it used for vandalism, attacks on officers

Notable quotes:

"... "The app displays police locations and we have verified with the Hong Kong Cybersecurity and Technology Crime Bureau that the app has been used to target and ambush police, threaten public safety, and criminals have used it to victimize residents in areas where they know there is no law enforcement," the company said in a statement. ..."

Oct 10, 2019 | www.rt.com

The maker of the iPhone has removed an app that allowed rioters in Hong Kong track where police are located after reports that it was used to ambush officers and vandalize communities where law enforcement was not present. Following the suit of other companies taking sides in ongoing tensions in China's autonomous city, Apple allowed HKmap.live to appear in its app store. The 'noble' goal of helping rioters praised in the media has brought the opposite result.

"The app displays police locations and we have verified with the Hong Kong Cybersecurity and Technology Crime Bureau that the app has been used to target and ambush police, threaten public safety, and criminals have used it to victimize residents in areas where they know there is no law enforcement," the company said in a statement.

[Oct 10, 2019] Why is Apple guiding Hong Kong thugs US corporations face choice between virtue-signaling and business by Helen Buyniski

Notable quotes:

"... "Is Apple guiding Hong Kong thugs?" the Chinese People's Daily newspaper wondered in an op-ed published on Wednesday. Beijing tore into the trillion-dollar company for offering HKmap.live, a map app that allows users to report and track police activity, warning the app "facilitates illegal behavior" and that Apple is hurting its reputation among Chinese consumers by "mixing business with politics and commercial activity with illegal activities." " ..."

"... This recklessness will cause much trouble for Apple ," the People's Daily declared, advising the tech firm to " think deeply ." ..."

"... Hong Kong's cheerleaders are rapidly finding out they may have bitten off more than they can chew. It's rarely a good idea, as a global business, to alienate 1.4 billion people living in the world's second-largest economy. ..."

"... More importantly, most Americans don't want a side of politics when they buy a smartphone or go to a basketball game. ..."

Oct 10, 2019 | www.rt.com

Beijing is angry at Apple for allowing a police-tracking map used by Hong Kong protesters in its App Store. Pressure grows on US companies doing business in China to take a side, as virtue-signaling clashes with serving customers. "Is Apple guiding Hong Kong thugs?" the Chinese People's Daily newspaper wondered in an op-ed published on Wednesday. Beijing tore into the trillion-dollar company for offering HKmap.live, a map app that allows users to report and track police activity, warning the app "facilitates illegal behavior" and that Apple is hurting its reputation among Chinese consumers by "mixing business with politics and commercial activity with illegal activities." "

This recklessness will cause much trouble for Apple ," the People's Daily declared, advising the tech firm to " think deeply ."

The majority of Apple's products are manufactured in China, and those that aren't are assembled in Texas from Chinese parts. China is the second-largest market for Apple products, and CEO Tim Cook expects it will soon overtake the US as number one.

According to HKmap.live's developers, Apple initially rejected the app during a reviewing process, but reconsidered following an appeal. It allows users to report not only the locations and movement of police, but also the use of tear gas and other protester-specific features. The protests, which began in May over a now-shelved extradition bill, have grown quite violent, with some rioters turning on ordinary citizens who merely express solidarity with the mainland.

It's not as if Apple has a track record of defying China's wishes – the company does not include the Taiwan flag emoji on its Chinese devices, and this week has gone further by hiding the flag from users in Hong Kong and Macau. China does not recognize Taiwan as a separate country.

In the latest version of iOS, users in Hong Kong no longer have access to the Taiwan flag () on the emoji keyboard https://t.co/EDnlSsFyYF pic.twitter.com/DbvFR0O8By

-- Emojipedia (@Emojipedia) October 7, 2019

Nor do people look to Apple as their moral guiding light. The Foxconn factories used by the company in China have become infamous after a wave of worker suicides, so much that Apple had "suicide nets" installed to stop the employees from jumping to their deaths.

So where did this sudden urge to stand up for rioters that have become the darlings of the West come from? Apple joins a lengthening list of American corporate entities – including the makers of adult cartoon 'South Park', the manager of NBA team the Houston Rockets, and Vans shoes – who've piled on China following the outbreak of the protests during the summer.

Virtue-signaling is almost expected of American companies in the Trump era. Celebrities who don't speak out against the president are assumed to be secretly harboring pro-Trump sympathies, for example. China probably seems like an easier target than the president – Beijing is halfway around the world and currently embroiled in a trade war with the US.

Hong Kong's cheerleaders are rapidly finding out they may have bitten off more than they can chew. It's rarely a good idea, as a global business, to alienate 1.4 billion people living in the world's second-largest economy. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who initially spoke up for Rockets manager Daryl Morey's "freedom of expression" after he tweeted in support of the protests, has modified his statement to include understanding that there are "consequences" to such freedoms and is scrambling to reach an understanding with China after the nation's largest state-run TV station dropped NBA games in retaliation.

Look for Apple to do something similar if the government controlling its manufacturing and its second-largest market decides to punish its insolence.

More importantly, most Americans don't want a side of politics when they buy a smartphone or go to a basketball game. The vast majority of consumers – those who aren't on Twitter shrieking over the latest revelation that a CEO attended a Trump fundraiser – are not interested in a company's ability to virtue signal. They want a product that works, not one that tells them what to think.

By Helen Buyniski , RT

[Oct 10, 2019] Glorifying rioters China blasts France and EU for hypocrisy after they call for restraint in Hong Kong

Any opposition to the government now quickly became a tool of geopolitical struggle

Oct 10, 2019 | www.rt.com

China’s embassy in France has slammed the country’s reaction to protests in Hong Kong, calling it hypocritical and arguing France should show empathy as China did when Paris was trying to cope with Yellow Vests.

The diplomatic mission was commenting on a statement issued by the European Union, and swiftly repeated by the French Foreign Ministry last week, after Hong Kong police used live ammunition against a protester in self-defense for the first time in four months of demonstrations.

[Oct 09, 2019] Instruments of democracy Hong Kong police raid protesters, seize body armor, petrol bomb materials (PHOTOS) -- RT World News

Oct 09, 2019 | www.rt.com

Hong Kong police have seized weapons, armor and materials used to create Molotov cocktails, which they said belonged to radical groups among the protesters labeled 'pro-democracy' by western media. According to the police, on Monday and Tuesday they targeted 48 locations throughout the city that they suspected were connected with violent protesters, who have been waging street battles against the police force for several months.

The police arrested 51 people, including seven women, who were aged between 15 and 44, and charged them with various crimes related to the rioting.

... ... ...

The authorities published photos of the items they discovered during the raid, which include several suits of body armor, various melee weapons as well as chemicals and glass bottles used in the manufacturing of petrol bombs – a weapon routinely deployed by the protesters to cause chaos in Hong Kong.

... ... ...

Mass anti-government protests first gripped the Chinese city in March, when thousands took to the streets to protest an extradition bill that they deemed an attack on Hong Kong's autonomy under the so-called "one country, two systems" arrangement. The bill has since been revoked, but the protest movement's demands have continued to grow and it has become more violent in its approach.

... ... ...

Peaceful protest demonstrations in Hong Kong, which have been the prime focus for Western media coverage, take place against the backdrop of vandalism, harassment of businesses deemed loyal to the central government and outright rioting.

[Oct 03, 2019] Beijing is convinced that Hong Kong's elites and a substantial part of the public do not support the demonstrators and that what truly ails the territory are economic problems rather than political ones -- in particular, a combination of stagnant incomes and rising rents.

Oct 03, 2019 | economistsview.typepad.com

Joe , October 02, 2019 at 09:07 AM

'This time is different', says Xi.
This is a safe site.
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/china/2019-09-30/how-china-sees-hong-kong-crisis

..according to two Chinese scholars who have connections to regime insiders and who requested anonymity to discuss the thinking of policymakers in Beijing, China's response has been rooted not in anxiety but in confidence.

Beijing is convinced that Hong Kong's elites and a substantial part of the public do not support the demonstrators and that what truly ails the territory are economic problems rather than political ones -- in particular, a combination of stagnant incomes and rising rents. Beijing also believes that, despite the appearance of disorder, its grip on Hong Kong society remains firm. The Chinese Communist Party has long cultivated the territory's business elites (the so-called tycoons) by offering them favorable economic access to the mainland. The party also maintains a long-standing loyal cadre of underground members in the territory. And China has forged ties with the Hong Kong labor movement and some sections of its criminal underground. Finally, Beijing believes that many ordinary citizens are fearful of change and tired of the disruption caused by the demonstrations.

Beijing therefore thinks that its local allies will stand firm and that the demonstrations will gradually lose public support and eventually die out. As the demonstrations shrink, some frustrated activists will engage in further violence, and that in turn will accelerate the movement's decline. Meanwhile, Beijing is turning its attention to economic development projects that it believes will address some of the underlying grievances that led many people to take to the streets in the first place.

This view of the situation is held by those at the very top of the regime in Beijing, as evidenced by recent remarks made by Chinese President Xi Jinping, some of which have not been previously reported. In a speech Xi delivered in early September to a new class of rising political stars at the Central Party School in Beijing, he rejected the suggestion of some officials that China should declare a state of emergency in Hong Kong and send in the People's Liberation Army. "That would be going down a political road of no return," Xi said. "The central government will exercise the most patience and restraint and allow the [regional government] and the local police force to resolve the crisis." In separate remarks that Xi made around the same time, he spelled out what he sees as the proper way to proceed: "Economic development is the only golden key to resolving all sorts of problems facing Hong Kong today."

ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS, MANY QUESTIONS
Chinese decision-makers are hardly surprised that Hong Kong is chafing under their rule. Beijing believes it has treated Hong Kong with a light hand and has supported the territory's economy in many ways, especially by granting it special access to the mainland's stocks and currency markets, exempting it from the taxes and fees that other Chinese provinces and municipalities pay the central government, and guaranteeing a reliable supply of water, electricity, gas, and food. Even so, Beijing considers disaffection among Hong Kong's residents a natural outgrowth of the territory's colonial British past and also a result of the continuing influence of Western values. Indeed, during the 1984 negotiations between China and the United Kingdom over Hong Kong's future, the Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping suggested following the approach of "one country, two systems" for 50 years precisely to give people in Hong Kong plenty of time to get used to the Chinese political system.

But "one country, two systems" was never intended to result in Hong Kong spinning out of China's control. Under the Basic Law that China crafted as Hong Kong's "mini-constitution," Beijing retained the right to prevent any challenge to what it considered its core security interests. The law empowered Beijing to determine if and when Hong Kongers could directly elect the territory's leadership, allowed Beijing to veto laws passed by the Hong Kong Legislative Council, and granted China the right to make final interpretations of the Basic Law. And there would be no question about who had a monopoly of force. During the negotiations with the United Kingdom, Deng publicly rebuked a top Chinese defense official -- General Geng Biao, who at the time was a patron of a rising young official named Xi Jinping -- for suggesting that there might not be any need to put troops in Hong Kong. Deng insisted that a Chinese garrison was necessary to symbolize Chinese sovereignty.

Statements made by U.S. politicians in support of the recent demonstrations only confirm Beijing's belief that Washington seeks to inflame radical sentiments in Hong Kong.
At first, Hong Kongers seemed to accept their new role as citizens of a rising China. In 1997, in a tracking poll of Hong Kong residents regularly conducted by researchers at the University of Hong Kong, 47 percent of respondents identified themselves as "proud" citizens of China. But things went downhill from there. In 2012, the Hong Kong government tried to introduce "patriotic education" in elementary and middle schools, but the proposed curriculum ran into a storm of local opposition and had to be withdrawn. In 2014, the 79-day Umbrella Movement brought hundreds of thousands of citizens into the streets to protest Beijing's refusal to allow direct elections for the chief executive. And as authoritarianism has intensified under Xi's rule, events such as the 2015 kidnapping of five Hong Kong–based publishers to stand trial in the mainland further soured Hong Kong opinion. By this past June, only 27 percent of respondents to the tracking poll described themselves as "proud" to be citizens of China. This year's demonstrations started as a protest against a proposed law that would have allowed Hong Kongers suspected of criminal wrongdoing to be extradited to the mainland but then developed into a broad-based expression of discontent over the lack of democratic accountability, police brutality, and, most fundamentally, what was perceived as a mainland assault on Hong Kong's unique identity.

Still, Chinese leaders do not blame themselves for these shifts in public opinion. Rather, they believe that Western powers, especially the United States, have sought to drive a wedge between Hong Kong and the mainland. Statements made by U.S. politicians in support of the recent demonstrations only confirm Beijing's belief that Washington seeks to inflame radical sentiments in Hong Kong. As Xi explained in his speech in September:
---

The Communist party conveniently discovered truth when Xi cam to power.

I doubt it, I think a thousand year history of this stuff is playing out and it has nothing to do with East vs West. I think Xi faces this stuff in many provinces, though not as bad. Xi is deliberately playing the 'This time is different', and old Commie trick.

anne -> Joe... , October 02, 2019 at 09:32 AM

'This time is different', says --.

-- is deliberately playing the 'This time is different', and old Commie trick.

[ The supposed quote is false, of course.

A thoroughly racist comment, but the sneering use of the term "Commie" is intended to mask the racism. ]

[Sep 28, 2019] Media biased Hong Kong reporting

Foreign new coverage in modern western societies is controlled by intelligence agencies. There are no exceptions.

Notable quotes:

"... At this stage, any one who still believes in the western propaganda about China is simply too brain-washed and not too smart for any cure. Excuse me, I should say "too dumb for any cure". ..."

"... For example, Nathan Rich's recent video shows how media biased reporting of Hong Kong compare with Ukraine riots. The contrast can't be anymore stark: ..."

"... All these so-called anti communist slant against countries, I suspect, have its origins in the Vatican. People seem to forget that they should bear false witness https://www.youtube.com/embed/yUGPIeE9kMc?feature=oembed ..."

Sep 28, 2019 | www.unz.com

---

nsa , says: September 28, 2019 at 11:17 am GMT

@d dan " ..media biased Hong Kong reporting ."
How would American cops react to punks tossing Molotov Cocktails at them? Arson is a felony but there would be no need for a trial just a coroner.

d dan , says: September 27, 2019 at 4:12 pm GMT

@Godfree Roberts "The weird result of this enormous, expensive effort is that, while we were busy lying to ourselves about China "

At this stage, any one who still believes in the western propaganda about China is simply too brain-washed and not too smart for any cure. Excuse me, I should say "too dumb for any cure".

For example, Nathan Rich's recent video shows how media biased reporting of Hong Kong compare with Ukraine riots. The contrast can't be anymore stark:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/-2Rr8hZK2aQ?feature=oembed

Godfree Roberts , says: September 27, 2019 at 10:57 pm GMT

@Tusk "Radio Free Asia reports .". RFA is a US Government propaganda outlet. 100% WMD, 24×7.

Ber , says: September 28, 2019 at 2:19 am GMT

@Godfree Roberts Here is a good analysis of how the main stream media (MSM) gang up to give propaganda, and how I wish they have objective comments about China or any country they do not like.

All these so-called anti communist slant against countries, I suspect, have its origins in the Vatican. People seem to forget that they should bear false witness

https://www.youtube.com/embed/yUGPIeE9kMc?feature=oembed

[Sep 24, 2019] Wong also urged Taiwan's government to let Hong Kong protesters seek political asylum

This is a standard play in any color revolution. Possibility of emigrate is hanging like a carrot to make protest more numerous and more violent. Kind of the reward for foot solves (who are often students and have illusions as for their ability to move up the food chain after the emigration) for their participation in the in color revolution.

The role of Taiwanese security agencies in riots still needs to be investigated... Hong Cong protest changes the result of presidential elections in Taiwan and that probably was their main role, as attempt to undermine sovereignty of China over Hong Cong in the long run are doomed to be a failure. Taiwan now has renewed geopolitical importance for the USA and efforts to distance it from China will multiply. So the main price might be the result of Taiwan presidential elections.

In this case protesters were just pawns in a larger game.

Notable quotes:

"... the United States is waging a campaign to force China into a corner and inflict major geopolitical defeats. ..."

"... The United States already is entangled in the dispute over Taiwan’s political status. Under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, Washington made a commitment to provide Taipei with “defensive” weaponry and to regard any coercive moves by Beijing as a threat to the peace of East Asia. Under the Trump administration, U.S. policy has become even more supportive of Taiwan’s de facto independence. American officials complained about the decision of the Solomon Islands to recognize Beijing instead of Taipei and threatened to reconsider aid to that country. ..."

"... Even more significant, for the first time since Washington severed formal diplomatic ties with Taipei and switched them to Beijing in 1979, high-level U.S. security officials, including former national security adviser John Bolton, have met with their Taiwanese counterparts . The Trump administration has also approved an $8 billion arms sale that includes F-16 fighters . Beijing protests all U.S. weapons sales to Taipei, but the reaction this time seems especially angry. ..."

"... o doubt that swaying the upcoming Taiwan election was one of the goals of the "protest" apparatus and its backers. Tsai was looking weak until the "protests." ... ..."

"... sub-title: and especially avoid any manifestations of meddling. Not sure how that can be accomplished, my understanding is that NED et al are up to their eyeballs in meddling, taxpayer funded, and Chinese govt is well aware of that. ..."

"... "Chinese leaders also suspect that the United States is fomenting much of the trouble in Hong Kong. It is tempting to dismiss such accusations as nothing more than typical propaganda and scapegoating on the part of a beleaguered communist regime." ..."

"... Well, thank goodness one of the articles Mr. Carpenter linked to mentioned the U.S. government's National Endowment for Democracy, which distributed over $400,000 to three groups in Hong Kong last year. ..."

Sep 23, 2019 | www.theamericanconservative.com

“We hope that before Communist China’s National Day on Oct. 1, our friends in Taiwan can express their support for Hong Kong through street protests,” Wong said at a news conference on September 3. "A lot of people in the past have said 'today Hong Kong and tomorrow Taiwan.' But I think the most ideal thing we'd say is 'Taiwan today, tomorrow Hong Kong.' Hong Kong can be like Taiwan, a place for freedom and democracy." Advertisement

Such sentiments by themselves are enough to enrage Beijing. But Wong also urged Taiwan's government to let Hong Kong protesters seek political asylum. Worse from Beijing's standpoint, he made those statements not in Hong Kong or some neutral location, but in Taipei following meetings with Taiwan's governing, pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Communist Chinese leaders are likely to interpret such a venue as further evidence of a Hong Kong-Taiwanese political alliance against the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Beijing’s persistent attempts to undermine Hong Kong’s political autonomy under its “one county, two systems” arrangement has caused Taiwanese attitudes to turn emphatically against such a formula for their island. Most Taiwanese were never enthusiastic about that proposal, but the proposed Hong Kong extradition law (just now withdrawn) that would have enabled Chinese authorities to try Hong Kong-based political dissidents in mainland courts has soured Taiwanese public opinion even more. A poll that Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council published in late July found that 88.7 percent of respondents rejected one country, two systems, up from 75.4 per cent in a January survey.

The Hong Kong democracy campaign is strengthening hardline, anti-PRC factions in Taiwan. Incumbent President Tsai appeared to be in deep political trouble earlier this year. Taiwan’s continuing economic malaise had undermined her presidency, and the DPP suffered huge losses in November 2018 local elections. Indeed, the losses were so severe that Tsai had to quit her post as party chair. She also faced a strong primary challenge for the DPP’s presidential nomination from her onetime prime minister, James Lai.

But Tsai has shrewdly exploited public anger at Beijing’s crude attempts to undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy to rebuild her domestic political support. “As long as I am here, I will stand firm to defend Taiwan’s sovereignty,” Tsai pledged in July. “As long as I am here, you would not have to fear, because we will not become another Hong Kong.” That message resonated with voters, and not only did she defeat Lai, but her fortunes against the opposition Kuomintang Party in the upcoming general election appear far more favorable than they did a few months ago.

Is America Prodding Taiwan Towards Conflict With China? How China Weaponizes Mass Migration Against Hong Kong

The Hong Kong developments have created a political nightmare for the Kuomintang. The party’s nominee, Han Kuo-yu, the maverick populist mayor of Kaohsiung, had long advocated closer relations with the mainland. To that end, he sought to resume the policy that the last Kuomintang president, Ma Jing-jeou, pursued from 2008 to 2016. Earlier this year, Han visited China and had cordial meetings with Communist Party officials. He has always seemed highly favorable to the PRC’s one country, two systems arrangement for Taiwan as well as Hong Kong. Both the Chinese government and pro-Beijing media outlets in Taiwan (the so-called red media) were decidedly enthusiastic about Han’s candidacy against more moderate opponents in the Kuomintang Party’s primary election this summer.

But the popularity of the Hong Kong pro-democracy demonstrations among Taiwanese voters has thrown Han on the defensive, and he is beating a very fast retreat from his previous position. In a desperate attempt to rebut allegations that he would embrace an appeasement policy toward Beijing, Han even asserted that, if he is elected president, Taiwan would only accept China’s one country, two systems proposal “over my dead body.” It is not clear how credible his eleventh-hour political transformation is with Taiwanese voters.

Chinese leaders also suspect that the United States is fomenting much of the trouble in Hong Kong.

... ... ...

As much as Americans are understandably pleased with the democratic factions in Hong Kong and Taiwan, Washington must temper its enthusiasm—and especially avoid any manifestations of meddling. We must not give PRC leaders reason to believe that the United States is waging a campaign to force China into a corner and inflict major geopolitical defeats. Caution in both capitals is imperative. The next few months, perhaps even the next few weeks, may determine whether East Asia remains at peace.

The United States already is entangled in the dispute over Taiwan’s political status. Under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, Washington made a commitment to provide Taipei with “defensive” weaponry and to regard any coercive moves by Beijing as a threat to the peace of East Asia. Under the Trump administration, U.S. policy has become even more supportive of Taiwan’s de facto independence. American officials complained about the decision of the Solomon Islands to recognize Beijing instead of Taipei and threatened to reconsider aid to that country.

Even more significant, for the first time since Washington severed formal diplomatic ties with Taipei and switched them to Beijing in 1979, high-level U.S. security officials, including former national security adviser John Bolton, have met with their Taiwanese counterparts . The Trump administration has also approved an $8 billion arms sale that includes F-16 fighters . Beijing protests all U.S. weapons sales to Taipei, but the reaction this time seems especially angry.

Ted Galen Carpenter, a senior fellow in security studies at the Cato Institute and a contributing editor at , is the author of 13 books, including his latest, Gullible Superpower: U.S. Support for Bogus Foreign Democratic Movements , and more than 800 articles on international affairs.

---

tweets21 • 9 hours ago

US foreign policy has never been our strong suit. We change government every 4 years or 8, meaning the State Department has a lot of turnover and is politically influenced to the political doctrine in vogue, for any elected party. My personal best current day example is North Korea. NK fears if they sign on with the US, their leaders fate will follow that of Saddam and Gaddafi. Friends one day , next we turn on them. Even invade.

Reality is we have zero influence with Beijing, or Moscow. China has their hands full for sure consuming Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

Steve Smith • 4 hours ago

Wow---so Ted Galen Carpenter is going full propagandist now. N o doubt that swaying the upcoming Taiwan election was one of the goals of the "protest" apparatus and its backers. Tsai was looking weak until the "protests." ...

Taras77 • 3 hours ago

sub-title: and especially avoid any manifestations of meddling. Not sure how that can be accomplished, my understanding is that NED et al are up to their eyeballs in meddling, taxpayer funded, and Chinese govt is well aware of that.

May Loo • an hour ago

The mainland Chinese government expects acquiescence to its one China policy. Too bad Hong Kong's Chinese people and the Taiwanese already have their own identities. Not.

cka2nd • an hour ago

"Chinese leaders also suspect that the United States is fomenting much of the trouble in Hong Kong. It is tempting to dismiss such accusations as nothing more than typical propaganda and scapegoating on the part of a beleaguered communist regime."

Well, thank goodness one of the articles Mr. Carpenter linked to mentioned the U.S. government's National Endowment for Democracy, which distributed over $400,000 to three groups in Hong Kong last year. Said agency was the subject of an article here at TAC only a year or so ago, which can be found at https://www.theamericancons... .

Readers of this report might find it of worth, and might consider the other countries in which the NED "promotes" "democracy."

[Sep 18, 2019] Unhinged Neocon Ogress Applebaum on Board of NGO Stoking Hong Kong Unrest by Tony Cartalucci

Sep 10, 2019 | russia-insider.com

( Tony Cartalucci - NEO ) - The US continues to deny any involvement in ongoing unrest in China's special administrative region of Hong Kong.

However, even a casual look at US headlines or comments made by US politicians makes it clear the unrest not only suits US interests, but is spurred on almost exclusively by them.

The paradoxical duality of nearly open support of the unrest and denial of that support has led to headlines like the South China Morning Post's, " Mike Pompeo rebukes China's 'ludicrous' claim US is behind Hong Kong protests ." The article claims:

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said it is "ludicrous" for China to claim the United States is behind the escalating protests in Hong Kong.

Pompeo rebuked Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, who had claimed violent clashes in the city prompted by opposition to the Hong Kong government's controversial extradition bill were "the work of the US".

However, even US policymakers have all but admitted that the US is funnelling millions of dollars into Hong Kong specifically to support "programs" there. The Hudson Institute in an article titled, " China Tries to Blame US for Hong Kong Protests ," would admit:

A Chinese state-run newspaper's claim that the United States is helping pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong is only partially inaccurate, a top foreign policy expert said Monday.

Michael Pillsbury, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, told Fox News National Security Analyst KT McFarland the U.S. holds some influence over political matters in the region.

The article would then quote Pillsbury as saying:

We have a large consulate there that's in charge of taking care of the Hong Kong Policy Act passed by Congress to insure democracy in Hong Kong, and we have also funded millions of dollars of programs through the National Endowment for Democracy [NED] so in that sense the Chinese accusation is not totally false.

A visit to the NED's website reveals an entire section of declared funding for Hong Kong specifically. The wording for program titles and their descriptions is intentionally ambiguous to give those like US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo plausible deniability.

However, deeper research reveals NED recipients are literally leading the protests.

The South China Morning Post in its article, " Hong Kong protests: heavy jail sentences for rioting will not solve city's political crisis, former Civil Human Rights Front convenor says ," would report:

Johnson Yeung Ching-yin, from the Civil Human Rights Front, was among 49 people arrested during Sunday's protest – deemed illegal as it had not received police approval – in Central and Western district on Hong Kong Island.

The article would omit mention of Johnson Yeung Ching-yin's status as an NED fellow. His profile is - at the time of this writing - still accessible on the NED's official website , and the supposed NGO he works for in turn works hand-in-hand with US and UK-based fronts involved in supporting Hong Kong's current unrest and a much wider anti-Beijing political agenda.

Johnson Yeung Ching-yin also co-authored an op-ed in the Washington Post with Joshua Wong titled, " As you read this, Hong Kong has locked one of us away ."

[Sep 16, 2019] Hong cong rightwing 'protesters' are extremely aggressive. Looks like they try to score the points for emigratin to Taiwan.

Sep 16, 2019 | www.moonofalabama.org

jayc , Sep 15 2019 19:04 utc | 24

SCMP Hong Kong @SCMPHongKong - 13:47 UTC · Sep 15, 2019
A video going viral online shows a middle-aged man being beaten up by protesters this afternoon. He was later found lying injured at Gloucester Road. Paramedics treated him; he was conscious vid

There were several such incidents today. These rightwing 'protesters' are extremely aggressive. The true utility of the HK protests was articulated by former US envoy to HK and Taiwan Stephen Young in the Asia TImes this week, declaring that the "one country, two systems" framework was now "dead" since "Beijing has reneged on its pledges to introduce local autonomy and democracy to Hong Kong." He claims it is already too late for HK - "But the lesson for Taiwan's 23 million citizens is different. Build your defences, solidify your relations with your essential security partner, America, and make it clear you will fight for your freedom."

This is an incorrect and self-serving analysis. China has not reneged on any pledges or undermined the Basic Law, despite claims to the contrary. Much like "Russian aggression" became a key narrative thread in Ukraine despite little actual evidence of such aggression, the alleged "brutal authoritarian" activity on behalf of the Chinese government will continue as "the" story in Hong Kong even if it hasn't actually happened.

A big provocation has been promised by the protesters to spoil the October 1 celebration of 70 years of PRC. Then focus will switch to Taiwan and its election in January. The Americans hope the nationalist anti-PRC forces win, helped by the hysteria generated over HK, and then the program of militarizing the island to serve as a fount of tension in the region will begin in earnest with an explicit rejection of Taiwan's status as a part of China.

arby , Sep 15 2019 20:02 utc | 28

Jaye @24

IMO the Honk Kong thing is backfiring a bit on the empire.
These very loud calls for Trump and England to come to their aid and liberate them is not what the evil empire had in mind.

[Sep 12, 2019] If Wishes Were Horses: Nina Khrushcheva's Regime-Change Dream.

Notable quotes:

"... A kreakl is a Russian liberal, often the child or grandchild of Soviet-era intellectuals who believed they knew better than anyone else how the country should be run. ..."

"... "Continuing street protests in Hong Kong and Moscow have no doubt spooked the authoritarian duo of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Moscow protests, the largest in many years, must be keeping Mr. Putin up at night, or they wouldn't be dispersed with such unabated brutality." ..."

"... "This loss of nuclear competence is being cited by nuclear and national security experts in both the U.S. and in Europe's nuclear weapons states as a threat to their military nuclear programs. The White House cited this nuclear nexus in a May memo instructing Rick Perry, the Secretary of Energy, to force utilities to buy power from unprofitable nuclear and coal plants. The memo states that the "entire US nuclear enterprise" including nuclear weapons and naval propulsion, "depends on a robust civilian nuclear industry." ..."

Sep 12, 2019 | thenewkremlinstooge.wordpress.com

Nina Khrushcheva is a kreakl. We use that word here a lot, and perhaps not all the readers know what it means. It is a portmanteau of "Creative Class", but makes use of the letter 'k', because the letter 'c' in Russian has a soft 's' sound, so we use the hard 'k'. The Creative Class, or so they styled themselves, were the intelligentsia of Soviet times; the free-thinking liberals who were convinced Russia's best course lay in accommodating the west no matter its demands, in hope that it would then bless Russia with its secrets for prosperity and all the fruits of the American Dream.

A kreakl is a Russian liberal, often the child or grandchild of Soviet-era intellectuals who believed they knew better than anyone else how the country should be run. They express their disapproval of the current government in the most contemptuous way, interpret its defense of family values as homophobia, and consider its leadership – uniformly described by the west as 'authoritarian' – to be stifling their freedom. My position is that their often privileged upbringing insulates them from appreciating the value of hard work, and lets them sneer at patriotism, as they often consider themselves global citizens with a worldly grasp of foreign affairs far greater that of their groveling, sweaty countrymen. Their university educations allow them to rub shoulders with other pampered scions of post-Soviet affluence, and even worse are those who are sent abroad to attend western universities, where they internalize the notion that everyone in America and the UK lives like Skip and Buffy and their other college friends.

Not everyone who attends university or college turns out a snobbish brat, of course, and in Russia, at least, not everyone who gets the benefit of a superior education comes from wealth. A significant number are on scholarships, as both my nieces were. Some western students are in university or college on scholarships as well, and there are a good many in both places who are higher-education students because it was their parents dream that they would be, and they saved all their lives to make it happen.

But many of the Russian loudmouths are those who learned at their daddy's knee that he coulda been a contendah, if only the money-grubbing, soulless monsters in the government hadn't kept him down – could have been wealthy if it were not for the money pit of communism, could have taken a leadership role which would have moved the country forward had the leader who usurped power not filled all the seats with his cronies and sycophants.

Khrushcheva is somewhat an exception to the rule there, because her grandpa actually was the leader of the Soviet Union – First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Nikita Khrushchev. It was he who oversaw the transfer of Crimea to the Ukrainian SSR in 1954, the same year the Soviet Union applied to join NATO . Some references consider Khrushchev her grandfather, and some her great-grandfather; it's complicated. Julia – Khrushcheva's mother – was the daughter of Leonid, who was a fighter pilot in World War II and the son of Khrushchev. When he was shot down in the war and did not return, Khrushchev adopted Julia. Nina Khrushcheva is therefore his biological great-granddaughter, but his adoptive granddaughter.

Now, she's Professor of International Affairs at The New School, New York, USA, and a Senior Fellow of the World Policy Institute, New York. As you might imagine, The New School is a hotbed of liberal intellectualism; as its Wiki entry announces, " dedicated to academic freedom and intellectual inquiry and a home for progressive thinkers". So let's see what a liberal and progressive thinker thinks about the current state of affairs vis-a-vis Russia and China, and their western opponents.

You sort of get an early feel for it from the title: " Putin and Xi are Gambling with their Countries' Futures ". I sort of suspected, even before I read it, that it was not going to be a story about what a great job Putin and Xi are doing as leaders of their respective countries.

Just before we get into that a little deeper – what is the purpose of an 'Opinion' section in a newspaper? If it was 'Facts', then it would be news, because the reporter could substantiate it. As I best understand it, people read newspapers to learn about news – things that happened, to who, and where, when and why, documented by someone who either saw them happen, interviewed someone who did, or otherwise has researched the issue. 'Opinion' sections, then, allow partisans for various philosophies to present their conclusions as if they were facts, or to introduce disputed incidents from a standpoint which implies they are resolved and that the author's view represents fact.

Well, hey; here's an example, in the first paragraph – "Continuing street protests in Hong Kong and Moscow have no doubt spooked the authoritarian duo of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Moscow protests, the largest in many years, must be keeping Mr. Putin up at night, or they wouldn't be dispersed with such unabated brutality."

I suppose they have their fingers on the world's pulse at The New School, but I haven't seen any indication at all, anywhere, that either Mr. Putin or Mr. Xi are 'spooked' about anything. The protests in Hong Kong appear to be instigated at the urging of the USA – as usual – with reports that the protesters are receiving western funding , and photographs showing protest leaders apparently meeting with the US Consul-General . Nonetheless, despite the aggressive violence displayed by the protesters, who are certainly not peaceful, the issue seems to be mostly confined to Hong Kong, and there have been no indications I have seen that Beijing is 'spooked' about it at all. In fact, the position of the Chinese government seems fairly reasonable – it does not want to see Chinese criminals escape justice by fleeing to Hong Kong.

As to whether either protests are representative of a large number of people, it is difficult to say: organizers of the Hong Kong protests claim almost 2 million, while the police – responsible for crowd control – say there were no more than a tenth of that number. And if the Moscow protests really were the largest in years, those hoping to see Putin overthrown might want to keep quiet about that; organizers claim about 50,000 people, and organizers usually overestimate the crowd for their own reasons. Moscow is a city of over 13 million just within the city limits. So the massive crowd represents less than half of one percent of the city's population. Polling of the protest crowd suggested more than half of them were from outside Moscow, where who is on the city council is no concern of theirs, since they cannot vote. And in an echo of the iconic Tahrir Square protests, an element of the 'Arab Spring' – probably the first mass demonstrations managed by social media – the Moscow protests appear to be managed and directed via social media links, where it is possible to exercise disproportionate influence on a targeted crowd of restless youth who have little or no personal investment in the country, and just want to be part of what's cool.

Let's move on. According to Khrushcheva, the protests are 'being dispersed with unabated brutality'. That so? Show me. Bear in mind that all these protests are unauthorized, and those participating in them are breaking the law and in breach of the public peace. Flash violence is an objective of the demonstrations, because otherwise their numbers are insignificant, and if they play it by the book nobody pays them any mind. I've seen loads of pictures of the protesters in Moscow being hauled away to the paddywagons, and nobody is bloody or has their clothing ripped. Here are some examples (thanks, Moscow Exile).

None of those adolescents looks old enough to vote. A video clip of a Chinese policeman using his beanbag gun to disperse protesters has been edited to omit the part where he was swarmed by protesters who were punching him. No citizens who are in high dudgeon at what they are being told is 'unabated brutality' would tolerate unauthorized protests by young hooligans in their own towns for a second, and would scorn any suggestion that they are pursuing noble goals such as freedom and democracy. Fellow demonstrators in these photos seem far more interested in capturing every bit of the action on their phones than in assisting their captured co-demonstrators.

By way of contrast, check out this clip of US police officers in New Jersey arresting a young woman on the beach because there was alcohol – apparently unopened – on the same beach blanket, which she claimed belonged to her aunt. A pretty small-potatoes issue, you would think, compared with the fearless defense of freedom and democracy. Yet the police officers, viewed here on their own body cameras, throw her to the ground and punch her in front of her child although she is obviously not drunk and their breathalyzer test does not register any alcohol on her breath. Bystanders gratuitously and repeatedly advise her, "Stop resisting". People who complain about the way the girl is being handled are told, "Back off, or you'll be locked up, too". For what? Which of these looks like a police state, to you? Nina Lvovna? I'm talking to you.

The demonstrations, we are told, are a poignant sign of Putin's declining popularity. Yes, poor old chap. In fact, Putin's approval rating in 2019 was 64%; it was 70% in 2000, nearly 20 years ago. Just for info, Donald Trump, the Leader Of The Free World, had an approval rating with his own voters of 44% in 2018, and Macron was even worse at 26%. I guess a little Macron goes a long way – his current approval rating is only 28%. His fortunes have not improved much, you might say. Boris Johnson has not yet even properly taken the reins in the UK, but his people do not appear optimistic; about 35% speculate he is or will be a capable leader , while only 23% rate him more honest than most politicians. Enjoy those, BoJo; they represent a zenith born of unreasonable hope – The Economist describes these ratings as 'surprisingly high'. In 2018, the Netherlands' Mark Rutte had only 10% approval – and that was the highest of the ministers – while 34% disapproved. Apparently about half just didn't care.

Look; Khrushcheva is talking out her ass. There just is no way to sugar-coat it. In 2015, Vladimir Putin was the most popular leader in the world with national voters. I daresay he is now, as well; with the state of the world, I find it hard to imagine any other leader has an approval rating higher than 64%. But feel free to look. Polling agencies carefully parse their questions so as to push the results in the direction they'd like to see, but when the question is reduced to a basic "Do you trust Putin? Yes or No?", his approval rating goes higher than it is right now. Please note, that's the reference supplied by Khrushcheva to substantiate her statement that fewer and fewer Russians now conflate their nation with its leader.

I don't personally recall Putin ever saying he hoped Trump would improve relations with Russia, although it would not be an unreasonable wish had he said it. I think he was probably glad Hillary Clinton did not win, considering her shrill Russophobic rhetoric and fondness for military solutions to all problems, but Khrushcheva makes him sound like a doddering old fool who barely knows what century he is living in. I think Russia always hoped for better relations with America, because when any country's relations with America are very bad, that country would be wise to prepare for war. Because that's how America solves its problems with other countries. Washington already had a go at strangling Russia economically, and it failed spectacularly, and we're getting down to the bottom of the toolbox.

Next, Khrushcheva informs us that Russia is in as weak a position to defeat the USA in a nuclear war as it was when it was the USSR. That's true, in a roundabout way. For one, there would be no victors or defeated in a nuclear war. It would quickly escalate to a full-on exchange, and much of the planet would become uninhabitable. For another, Russia was always in a pretty good position to wax America's ass in a nuclear exchange and it still is. Russia still has about 6,800 nuclear weapons to the USA's 6,500 , and has continued to modernize and update its nuclear arsenal through the years. A Russian strike would be concentrated on a country about a third its size. If I were a betting man, I wouldn't like those odds. Mind you, if I were a free-thinking liberal professor who did not have a clue what I was talking about, I would laugh at the odds – ignorance seasoned with a superiority complex tends to make you act that way. Just as well that betting men mostly run the world, and not jackhole liberal professors.

The recent explosion at what was believed to be development of a new nuclear weapon in Russia is assessed by Khrushcheva to be a clear sign of incompetence, which is quite a diagnosis considering no investigation has even started yet. Somehow she missed the dramatic explosion of Elon Musk's SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, together with its multi-million-dollar satellite payload, back in 2016. Oh, never mind – Musk quickly explained that it was 'an anomaly'. Well, that clears it all up. Must have; the US government has continued to throw money at Musk as if he were embarrassingly naked or something, and nobody seems prepared to suggest it was incompetent. While we're on that subject, the whole reason SpaceX even exists is because the USA continues to use Russian RD-180 rockets developed in the 1960s to launch its satellites and space packages into orbit, because it doesn't have anything better. I'd be careful where I tossed that 'incompetent' word around. Cheer up, though the news isn't all bad: just a bit more than a year ago, the most advanced commercial reactor designs from Europe and the United States just delivered their first megawatt-hours of electricity within one day of each other. Oh, wait. It is bad news. Because that took place in China . You know, that place where Xi in his unabated brutality is trampling upon the fair face of democracy. In fact, according to nuclear energy consultant Mycle Schneider, principal author of the annual World Nuclear Industry Status Report, "The Chinese have a very large workforce that they move from one project to another, so their skills are actually getting better, whereas European and North American companies haven't completed reactors in decades".

Is that bad? Gee; it might be. "This loss of nuclear competence is being cited by nuclear and national security experts in both the U.S. and in Europe's nuclear weapons states as a threat to their military nuclear programs. The White House cited this nuclear nexus in a May memo instructing Rick Perry, the Secretary of Energy, to force utilities to buy power from unprofitable nuclear and coal plants. The memo states that the "entire US nuclear enterprise" including nuclear weapons and naval propulsion, "depends on a robust civilian nuclear industry." You see, Ninushka, competence in nuclear weapons is directly related to competence in nuclear engineering as a whole.

I hope she knows more about Russia than she does about China – in a single paragraph she has the Chinese government threatening to send in the army to crush protests, and standing aside while thugs beat up protesters – and both are bad. And of course, this threatened action/inaction had to have been sanctioned by Xi's government. Why? Well, because everyone in Hong Kong knows it. Much of the rest of her reasoning – free thinking, I guess I should call it – on China is what Xi 'might be contemplating' or 'could be considering'. Supported by nothing, apparently, except the liberal free-thinker's gift of clairvoyance.

Hong Kong was always Chinese. The Qing dynasty ceded it to the British Empire in the Treaty of Nanjing, and it became a British Crown Colony. Britain was back for Kowloon in 1860, and leased what came to be known as The New Territories for 99 years, ending in 1997. Time's up. The people of Hong Kong are Chinese; it's not like they are some different and precious race that China aims to extinguish. I was there a decade after it returned to Chinese control, and it was largely independent; it had its own flag, the British street names were retained, and you can probably still stop on Gloucester Road and buy a Jaguar, if you have that kind of money. To a very large degree, China left it alone and minded its own business, but like I said; it's Chinese. These ridiculous western attempts to split it off and make an independent nation of it are only making trouble for the people of Hong Kong and, as usual, appeal mostly to students who have never run anything much bigger than a bake sale, and 'free-thinking liberals'.

The New Kremlin Stooge

China is not 'isolated diplomatically'. Beijing is host city to 167 foreign embassies . There are only 10 more in Washington, which considers itself the Center of the Universe. Lately China has been spreading itself a little, muscling into Latin America , right in Uncle Sam's backyard. Foreign Direct Investment into China increased 3.6 percent year-on-year to $78.8 billion USD in January-July 2019, and has increased steadily since that time, when it fell dramatically owing to Trump's trade war. That has proved far more disastrous to the USA than to China, which is rapidly sourcing its imports from other suppliers and establishing new trading relationships which exclude the United States, probably for the long term. "China is isolated diplomatically" is precisely the sort of inane bibble-babble liberal free-thinkers tell each other because they want to believe it is true. It is not. Similarly – and, I would have thought, obviously – China is also not 'increasingly regarded as an international pariah'. That's another place she's thinking of.

There is nothing Russia or China could do to please the United States and its increasingly lunatic governing administration, short of plucking out its eye and offering it for a bauble, like Benton Wolf in The Age of Miracles. The type of 'reforms' demanded by the US State Department suggest its current state is delusion, since they are patently designed to weaken the government and empower dissident groups – is that the essence of democracy? It sure as fuck is not. You can kind of tell by the way Washington pounces on its own dissident groups like Mike Pompeo on a jelly roll; the FBI investigated the Occupy Wall Street movement as a terrorist threat. Russia got a prescient preview of the kind of treatment it could expect from the west when it applied to join NATO, as I mentioned at the beginning of this post. The acceptance of the Soviet Union "would be incompatible with its democratic and defensive aims."

So as most ordinary thinkers could have told you would happen, America's hold-my-beer-and-watch-this hillbilly moves to split Russia and China apart have succeeded in driving them closer together; the world's manufacturing and commercial giant and a major energy producer – a great mix, unless you are the enemy. The rest of the world is kind of watching America with its pants around its ankles, wondering what it will do next. It failed to wreck the Russian economy, failed to depose and replace Bashar al-Assad in Syria, failed to depose and replace Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, and it will fail to prevent a Sino-Russian axis which will reshape global trade to its own advantage at the expense of America. Because whenever it has an opportunity to seize upon a lucid moment, to turn away from its destructive course, it chooses instead to bullshit itself some more. To whisper what it wishes were true into its own ear.

And if wishes were horses, beggars would ride.

[Sep 12, 2019] The comments to WSWS article on HK are **well worth** reading

Sep 12, 2019 | thenewkremlinstooge.wordpress.com

NOrthern Star September 9, 2019 at 3:59 pm

HK article gets at the nascent conflicting conflagrations wrt objectives .what is to be cast into the fire and what is to be taken as a new HK socioeconomic script.
The comments are **well worth** reading ,some of which mirror comments on HK by Stooges.
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/09/09/pers-s09.html

[Sep 12, 2019] Carrie Lam chose to play it like Yanukovych, and to give the protesters what they asked for.

Sep 12, 2019 | thenewkremlinstooge.wordpress.com

Jen September 6, 2019 at 3:40 am

If Carrie Lam had half a brain, she could always threaten to bring back the extradition bill with a new provision that people who damage essential infrastructure like railway lines and roads, and who target police with rocks, laser beams and grenades shot from portable grenade launchers will be extradited to Beijing to stand trial for their misdeeds, if the protesters keep changing and ramping up their demands.

Mark Chapman September 6, 2019 at 2:57 pm

Carrie Lam chose to play it like Yanukovych, and to give the protesters what they asked for. That resulted in Yanukovych running for his life, and Lam might well find herself in the same situation if the police don't get a handle on the hoodlums that are smashing the place up and hurling stones and Molotov cocktails. Appeasing protesters only makes them feel empowered, and that empowerment causes them to wonder why they should be satisfied with only what they originally demanded. That's a natural effect, and this is not a natural protest, but a destabilization effort instigated and nurtured by foreign interests. So the protesters' demands are just going to grow and grow, because the goal is either a violent clash with the police or complete government capitulation. China is not going to let the latter happen.

Lam has said already that there will be no negotiation with groups that destroy public property, but protesters have vowed not to give an inch. The ball is in Lam's court, and if she does not harden up and present a credible defense, she will be removed either by China or by the protesters. Hong Kong is not going to become a democratic independent country – China is not going to let it be snatched away under their noses. Firm action right now might be able to get the situation under control with a minimum of violence, but if it goes on much longer, people are going to be killed And there is zero the west could do to stop it, as it is a domestic Chinese matter, so their continued egging on of the protesters shows how little it cares for their lives.

[Sep 12, 2019] Full 10-minute video of middle-aged and elderly commuters fighting with protesters, the incident that led to the Prince Edward MTR station staff calling in police over the August / September weekend to subdue and arrest protesters, some of whom attempted to evade arrest by changing clothes:

Sep 12, 2019 | thenewkremlinstooge.wordpress.com

---

Jen September 3, 2019 at 6:26 pm

WSWS,org's reporting on the Hong Kong protests has been dismal and ideologically biased. To my knowledge, the protesters' demands have never covered working conditions, housing conditions and the tremendous social inequalities (said to be the highest in the world). They have never covered the state of a tax haven economy used and abused by billionaires in mainland China to minimise their tax obligations to Beijing or to send money to other overseas tax havens through registering their offspring or other people as Hong Kong residents, resulting in money being poured into property speculation which itself has led to sky-high property prices and the inability of ordinary people to afford to buy or rent homes of a suitable space at reasonable prices.

The protesters' initial demands were to withdraw the extradition bill, to force Carrie Lam to resign as Chief Executive and to force her government to investigate what they claimed was police violence – in spite of the fact that most of the violence and sabotage (which has now extended to fighting with commuters and throwing things at them, vandalising MTR stations and throwing rocks and objects onto train lines) has been committed by protesters themselves – and (as if as a last thought) demanding universal suffrage.

Photos and videos of protesters throwing rods onto a train line, and damaging ticket machines at MTR stations:
https://mothership.sg/2019/09/hong-kong-protesters-train-tracks/

Full 10-minute video of middle-aged and elderly commuters fighting with protesters, the incident that led to the Prince Edward MTR station staff calling in police over the August / September weekend to subdue and arrest protesters, some of whom attempted to evade arrest by changing clothes:

Northern Star September 4, 2019 at 2:46 pm

Yes You are correct in that wsws appears to be not on its game in its analysis of the HK situation,as was noted in some of the comments to the article. Addressing fundamental economic disparities in HK does not seem to feature in the agenda of the protesters.

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2120366/poverty-hong-kong-hits-7-year-high-one-five-people
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-11-19/one-in-five-people-in-hong-kong-were-living-in-poverty

As you know,Lam has done a volte-face on the extradition bill:
https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/04/asia/hong-kong-carrie-lam-extradition-bill-intl-hnk/index.html

But it's not clear if that in itself will extinguish the protesters' fires of various complaints.

I've yet to see a cogent analysis of the dynamic interplay-with the potential for lethal conflict- between:

The HK protesters
The Super elite HK billionaires
The Super elite mainland billionaire class
The mainland population as a whole

Mark Chapman September 4, 2019 at 5:06 pm

Can't wait to see the Chinese headline: "Safe in Hong Kong, Chinese Accused Murderer Wei Tu Lukky says, 'Thanks for the Democracy, Students!" Of course you'll never see it, because no western paper would ever print it. As far as the west is concerned, it really is all about freedom and democracy. Like no such things as extradition treaties exist between democracies. Canada and the United States have an extradition treaty – aren't they democracies? Aren't they free?

https://internationalextraditionblog.com/2011/04/12/canada-extradition-treaty-with-the-united-states/

What it boils down to is that westerners like Bill Browder do not want to be snatched when they are passing through Hong Kong International Airport, and extradited to China. Westerners do not particularly care otherwise about the rule of law in China, but the usual troublemakers sense an opportunity to destabilize and create a problem for China. If China soft-pedals it, as they have done, it quickly gets out of hand to the point where they are dealing with rioters rather than protesters, smashing and destroying in an orgy of violence. Had they cracked down hard in the beginning and kicked out all western journalists reporting on the issue, the 'protests' would have been strangled in the cradle, and while the west would have gotten a little mileage out of the brutal Chinese authoritarianism, it would have been nowhere near as bad as it is now.

The 'student leaders' of the 'protests', Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow, are 22. I suppose there might be a place somewhere in which 22-year-olds don't feel like they know everything, but I've never heard of it. With political unit chief of the US Consulate Julie Eadeh stroking them and telling them she's never seen anyone so brave, they can barely keep the grins off their faces and fancy they really are somebody important. Lam did indeed flip on the extradition issue, but it's too late for that now. She is going to learn the Yanukovych lesson all over again – appeasing protesters, especially when it is part of a destabilization program, only leads to more demands and more protests.

The Chinese government perhaps thought to go slow and not give the western media any money shots to make a big issue of. That might have worked, if this was a genuine one-issue protest. But it isn't – as i just pointed out, extradition treaties have nothing to do with democracy and freedom, and if a bunch of students think they are going to have their own country to play Independence Doctor in, they have a big surprise coming. Remember when Poroshenko was justified in doing whatever he wanted, including taking students right out of the university parking lot and putting them on a bus to Army training, because he was 'protecting his country'? Well, the Chinese government sees itself as having the same rights where a small group of students is causing a major problem, and is blatantly violating public order in an attempt to win western approbation; it is plainly not legal to throw stones and gas bombs at the police and smash up public infrastructure.

You can't give people whatever they want when they are acting like hooligans – it only makes them think of more things they want. And that's just what is happening here. If they are not very careful, the entire Lam government is going to be replaced overnight with hardliners, and then heads will roll.

Jen September 4, 2019 at 9:36 pm

Withdrawing the extradition bill is an easy move because Lam can always reintroduce it later (perhaps in a changed form) though perhaps when that happens, the guy who killed his pregnant girlfriend in Taiwan on St Valentine's Day in 2018, and used all her bank cards to clear his own debts will have already gone free and for all we know have left Hong Kong.

Also by withdrawing the bill, Lam takes some of the wind out of the sails of the protest movement. If the protesters are not happy over the withdrawal and ratchet up their demands that Lam and her entire government resign, then Beijing knows this is a Color Revolution protest movement and might start to press Hong Kong to expel British and American consular staff stationed in the territory and shut down British and American NGOs and think-tanks using whatever the laws of Hong Kong permit Lam to use against them. Lam may not be able to stop the protests from escalating but she can slow them down by cutting off their funding, advice and support.

[Sep 12, 2019] Only neoliberal governments can crush protests with absolute impunity

Sep 12, 2019 | thenewkremlinstooge.wordpress.com

Mark Chapman September 2, 2019 at 12:06 pm

Yes, it's curious that western governments are justified in using whatever force they feel is necessary to put down anti-government protests, or just to keep order in general – reports abound of ordinary people not doing anything wrong meeting up with a mean cop who decides to slam them around a little in the process of establishing their identity, and the aversion of the American police to bystanders filming them is well-known. But in certain countries – and sometimes just certain governments in those countries – dispersal of protesters or those posing as peaceful protesters is always 'brutal'. So it is in Hong Kong, where 'pro-democracy protesters' – which is a label used to justify pretty much any behavior – throw stones and gas bombs at police and destroy public property (rioting by another, more palatable name). Nothing Saakashvili did to put down protests was ever described by western media as 'brutal' in my recollection.

[Sep 11, 2019] Hong Kong protesters cozy up to US, ask to 'liberate' city amid ongoing violence (VIDEOS) -- RT World News

Images removed...

Notable quotes:

"... Footage from the city also documented flagrant acts of vandalism targeting the infrastructure and public transportation. In one video, a staircase was spray-painted with an inspiring message, "fight for freedom," accompanied by a swastika. ..."

"... The protesters – many of them masked and armed with metal rods and clubs – also erected street barricades, which were then set ablaze. Police used tear gas to disperse the unruly crowds. ..."

"... Videos – not always publicized by the mainstream media – also show aftermath of vandalism as anti-government unrest enters its 14th week. ..."

"... Beijing has repeatedly accused Washington of fueling the political turmoil, a claim that became more difficult to refute after a senior American diplomat was seen meeting with protest leaders. ..."

"... With their direct appeal to Trump, it appears that many of the protesters are not interested in negotiating directly with the government. Hong Kong had already officially withdrawn the controversial extradition bill with China that sparked the unrest. ..."

Sep 11, 2019 | www.rt.com

Hong Kong protesters rallied in their thousands and clashed with police in fresh unrest. They even called on Washington to "liberate" them from Chinese rule, suggesting some may now view the US as their patron. Thousands of demonstrators marched to the US Consulate in Hong Kong on Sunday, in what they said was an appeal to President Donald Trump to intervene in the weeks-long political turmoil. Videos of the rally show protesters waving American flags as they sing the US national anthem and play 'The Star Spangled Banner' through the speakers on their phones.

© Courtesy Andre Vltchek

People also carried banners, urging Trump to "liberate" Hong Kong. American lawmakers are currently mulling the so-called 'Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act'. The legislation would require Washington to annually assess Hong Kong's level of autonomy from Beijing and react with economic countermeasures if self-rule is compromised.

//www.youtube.com/embed/fugZvuyR9GU

Some signs of protest used to drum up support for the cause have raised questions about the factual accuracy of the messaging. According to the Global Times, a banner attached to an overpass erroneously claimed that "China owes America $1 trillion."

#HK radical protesters fail to get the facts right on a banner which states that "China owes US$1 trillion." Here is a free lesson: As of May, the US owes China about $1.11 trillion, not the other way round. #香港 pic.twitter.com/hky6WCDJqA

-- Global Times (@globaltimesnews) September 8, 2019

Footage from the city also documented flagrant acts of vandalism targeting the infrastructure and public transportation. In one video, a staircase was spray-painted with an inspiring message, "fight for freedom," accompanied by a swastika.

© Courtesy Andre Vltchek

The protesters – many of them masked and armed with metal rods and clubs – also erected street barricades, which were then set ablaze. Police used tear gas to disperse the unruly crowds.

© Courtesy Andre Vltchek

Videos – not always publicized by the mainstream media – also show aftermath of vandalism as anti-government unrest enters its 14th week.

© Courtesy Andre Vltchek

Beijing has repeatedly accused Washington of fueling the political turmoil, a claim that became more difficult to refute after a senior American diplomat was seen meeting with protest leaders.

With their direct appeal to Trump, it appears that many of the protesters are not interested in negotiating directly with the government. Hong Kong had already officially withdrawn the controversial extradition bill with China that sparked the unrest.

Also on rt.com

[Sep 11, 2019] Color revolutionaries of the world, unite! Hong Kong protest leader pictured with White Helmets boss -- RT World News

Sep 11, 2019 | www.rt.com

Hong Kong protest figurehead Joshua Wong, who has been rocking up to 'pro-democracy' meetings with various Western officials in recent weeks, has been spotted hanging out with the chairman of the White Helmets in Berlin. Wong attended the 'Bild 100' summer party in Berlin this week, where he seems to have bumped into White Helmets boss Raed Al Saleh. That's a tad awkward, since the Syrian first-responders group operates solely in areas controlled by anti-government fighters and has been heavily suspected of links to Al Qaeda and US-sponsored jihadist militias – a fact that did not go unnoticed on Twitter.

To prove that he's not a pawn of the US intelligence ... Joshua Wong met with Al Qaeda's medic team, the White Helmets. 😀 My God, what a stupid world we live in #HongKongProtests #StandWithHongKong https://t.co/M9DkVgdctc

-- Economics Geopolitics Tech (@EconGeopolTech) September 10, 2019

The White Helmets is a dead giveaway that this is a Propaganda Construct.

-- Martin Larner (@MartinLarner) September 10, 2019

There was another familiar face in the snaps, too: Mayor of Kiev Vitaly Klitschko, who was, for a time, himself a Western favorite when Ukraine was in Washington's regime-change crosshairs.

Can't make this up #CIA #NED mascott Joshua Wong in Berlin next to Klitschko 😂🤦‍♂️🤪 https://t.co/EAWZqt6uRX

-- amin dada (@kambrone64) September 9, 2019

But Wong has had some questionable high-level meetings, too. He also met German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas at the event – with that tete-a-tete quickly slammed by Beijing.

These meetings come on the heels of photos showing Wong speaking to Julie Eadeh, an official from the US consulate general in Hong Kong, which raised more suspicions that Washington had a hand in the recent violent anti-China protests

[Sep 11, 2019] Beijing Has Proof Of Foreign Intervention In HK Unrest, Summons German Ambassador

Notable quotes:

"... Watch for persons disguised as Red Chinese troops attacking the local Hong Kong radio station. ..."

"... A lot of countries are getting involved. Last Sunday there were many protesters who didn't even speak Cantonese! They were Mandarin speakers from Taiwan and when the crowd shouted to "Run away" (from the approaching police) they just stood and looked confused. Obviously the western MSM hasn't bothered to mention the point. They want you to think it is still HK students. BS!! ..."

"... German government is actually working for US and CIA. Nevermind the fact that German elites are supporting EU breaking away from USA and detest Trump. ..."

"... Your dislike of China blinds you to simple facts like Germany is a vassal of usa that is still under ww2 military occupation . Small domestic differences are allowed in all politics to give the illusion of choice. But tyranny gets a vote everytime. Democracy is a buzzword that died a long time ago in all countries. ..."

"... German government is actually working for US and CIA ..."

Sep 11, 2019 | www.zerohedge.com

Beijing and other as critics of Joshua Wong have alleged he's being used as a foreign agent to do the West's bidding in Hong Kong.

---

Herodotus , 20 minutes ago link

Watch for persons disguised as Red Chinese troops attacking the local Hong Kong radio station.

NA X-15 , 18 minutes ago link

Only it will be the PLA - they don't allow imposters. Nazi Wehrmacht historical reference noticed....

EuroPox , 19 minutes ago link

A lot of countries are getting involved. Last Sunday there were many protesters who didn't even speak Cantonese! They were Mandarin speakers from Taiwan and when the crowd shouted to "Run away" (from the approaching police) they just stood and looked confused. Obviously the western MSM hasn't bothered to mention the point. They want you to think it is still HK students. BS!!

bismillah , 23 minutes ago link

All one needs to do is look at the fake protesters, the signs, the violent behaviors, the top leaders' contacts in the US consulate, the White Hats, and elsewhere, and it is clear and obvious who leads, funds and directs the destructive rioting scum bags.

The PRC needs to close the US and all EU consulates, terminate the HK-SAR, bring in a hundred thousand tough well-disciplined PLA soldiers who will in an hour put a stop to this US-directed garbage.

BritBob , 29 minutes ago link

Foreign Intervention in Democracy

China insisted that Hong Kong be removed from the UN's list of territories that needed to be decolonised prior to hand-over by the UK. Now China along with Russia, Cuba, Syria and Iran are members of the UN decolonisation committee that is meant to assist territories to decolonise. How strange democracy is.

The militant, unconstitutional and ineffective committee.

Falklands – UN C24 Committee (2 pgs):

https://www.academia.edu/11274445/Falklands_-_UN_C24_Committe e

Thebighouse , 32 minutes ago link

God Bless Freedom. God Bless Hong Kong.

onewayticket2 , 37 minutes ago link

Joseph Misfud and Agent Steele could not be reached for comment

Heavenstorm , 40 minutes ago link

So according to the irrational narrative of the China Media now, German government is actually working for US and CIA. Nevermind the fact that German elites are supporting EU breaking away from USA and detest Trump.

The Chinese Journalists must have received detailed fake news training from CNN and NBC

pablozz , 31 minutes ago link

Your dislike of China blinds you to simple facts like Germany is a vassal of usa that is still under ww2 military occupation . Small domestic differences are allowed in all politics to give the illusion of choice. But tyranny gets a vote everytime. Democracy is a buzzword that died a long time ago in all countries.

inhibi , 26 minutes ago link

Your love of China blinds you to the facts that EU and US are bastions of freedom, and not every single incident is a ******* conspiracy of the US and EU.

Also, I think you need to look up the word 'vassal'. Wrong time period & context.

kowalli , 26 minutes ago link

German government is actually working for US and CIA

[Sep 10, 2019] China, Hong Kong and Taiwan - Frank Ching - Sic Semper Tyrannis

Notable quotes:

"... The reaction to what's going on in Hong Kong that I've seen, amongst the educated Taiwanese classes, is that most are horrified by it, perceiving it as a spasm of nihilist, ignorant Hong Kong youth manipulated by cynical outside forces. ..."

"... If the US intelligence agencies believe that Taiwan will throw in support for Hong Kong following a protest like this, it should think again. People in Taiwan have become far more skeptical of the US-Taiwan relationship, since the Sunflower Movement. ..."

"... In Hong Kong the U.S. is making the usual mistake of betting on the extreme rightwing, libertarians and fascists. ..."

"... The rioting students have already lost much of the wider support they had at the beginning of this operations. They will soon be seen as the nihilist idiots who only care about themselves that they truly are. The people of Hong Kong who care about Hong Kong will fight them down. ..."

"... I disagree with your characterization of the rioting students as nihilist idiots. Many probably believe (with justification) that the liberties they currently enjoy are at stake if HK's system of self-governance is eroded away to nothing. However, you raise a good point about the Chinese leadership being provoked into another Tiananmen. The PNAC crowd must be frustrated with the widespread public perception of China as *just* a manipulative trade competitor/pseudo adversary. A very public bloodbath in HK is just what they need to promote China to Axis of Evil status. ..."

"... Most Chinese, I expect, just want to get on with their lives rather than agitate about the CCP. ..."

Sep 10, 2019 | turcopolier.typepad.com

---

Pacifica Advocate , 09 September 2019 at 11:01 AM

The reaction to what's going on in Hong Kong that I've seen, amongst the educated Taiwanese classes, is that most are horrified by it, perceiving it as a spasm of nihilist, ignorant Hong Kong youth manipulated by cynical outside forces.

Remember that support for Tsai Yingwen & her coalition remains somewhere in the 20 to 30% range--that is, very much near the same range that Chen Shuibian was afflicted with, before he was prosecuted and sent off to prison for corruption.

If the US intelligence agencies believe that Taiwan will throw in support for Hong Kong following a protest like this, it should think again. People in Taiwan have become far more skeptical of the US-Taiwan relationship, since the Sunflower Movement.

Yes--there will be a period of chaos, as the majority slowly explains to the unruly outliers that no, their ideas are not useful. Yes, as in Hong Kong, that period may last a period that US/uk authorities may find untenable.

But no: none of this will result in a China-NATO war. None of this will result in a hard, black line running between the Koreas, Taiwan, and Japan. None of this will stop the Philippines from continuing their gravitation westward ("Eastward", for you Euroyanks.)

Taiwan, I predict, will be the second-to-last stalwart holdout against US hegemony in East Asia--with Japan being the last.

blue peacock said in reply to Pacifica Advocate... , 09 September 2019 at 07:59 PM

I get a different perspective from Taiwanese business people who I speak with regularly. They are uniform in their disgust and fear of CCP. What they seem most concerned about is that the US will abandon them when push comes to shove.

They are watching what's happening in HK with much interest and are privately very sympathetic to the aims of the people of HK to be independent of CCP rule.

different clue , 09 September 2019 at 01:46 PM

I will guess that you are living in Taiwan, otherwise how would you be able to see the reaction among the educated Taiwanese classes?

I would have to read up on the names of the people and movements you have given us before I could know anything about them.

I had not heard, way back here in Great Lakestan, that US intelligence agencies were thinking about whether Taiwan would "support" Hong Kong or not, though I suppose the US intelligence agencies try to think about every possible thing. It seems more likely to me that the agencies would be thinking about how Taiwan does or does not plan to welcome the ChiCom regime when it looks their way and says " okay, you're next".

So, the "majority" will explain to the unruly outliers how useless their ideas are? In what sense is a pack of ChiCom Regime-Lords a "majority"? A "majority" of what or whom?

I hope you are correct that there will be no China-NATO war. American hegemony is fading and I hope the slow fade-out leaves America intact as a free country. I hope America can break free from the International Forcey-Free-TradeRape system.

Yes, as one hegemony fades away . . . another rises. Since Taiwan is largely Han-majority, I believe, I suppose Taiwan will fare better under Great Han Lebensraumist ChiCom rule than Tibet or Sinjiang or Inner Mongolia or or or . . .

And maybe Taiwan will find Chinese hegemony more enjoyable than the American kind. And aren't you the lucky lad? You may get to find out within your own lifetime.

As Angel-Eyes said to the Colonel with gangrene: " I wish you luck."

b , 09 September 2019 at 03:08 PM

Come on Pat.

You predicted the immediate introduction of Chinese troops in Hong Kong how many month back? Where are they?

China does not care about Hong Kong. It will not be provoked into another NED/CIA arranged Tianamen.

In Hong Kong the U.S. is making the usual mistake of betting on the extreme rightwing, libertarians and fascists.

The rioting students have already lost much of the wider support they had at the beginning of this operations. They will soon be seen as the nihilist idiots who only care about themselves that they truly are. The people of Hong Kong who care about Hong Kong will fight them down.

blue peacock said in reply to b ... , 09 September 2019 at 08:02 PM

"..betting on the extreme rightwing, libertarians and fascists."

Ha! Ha! Everyone that is not Communist.

Amir -> blue peacock... , 10 September 2019 at 09:14 AM

There is alas a consistency in our ruling elite's modus operandi: just look at DC's support for Taliban, liver-eating Al Nusra (Al Qaeda) in Syria, slave-trader Jihadists in Libya & above all, genocidal Salafists in Yemen, Boston-marathon-bombing Chechens & above all Saudi terror-financing Clown Prince ⚙️Mohammad Bone Saw⚙️: it is telling that you are more concerned about a dead ideology as opposed to an expanding current dangerous movement.

Barbara Ann said in reply to b ... , 10 September 2019 at 09:41 AM

b

I disagree with your characterization of the rioting students as nihilist idiots. Many probably believe (with justification) that the liberties they currently enjoy are at stake if HK's system of self-governance is eroded away to nothing. However, you raise a good point about the Chinese leadership being provoked into another Tiananmen. The PNAC crowd must be frustrated with the widespread public perception of China as *just* a manipulative trade competitor/pseudo adversary. A very public bloodbath in HK is just what they need to promote China to Axis of Evil status.

Mr Wong and his comrades would be well advised to treat support from an American administration still full of neocons with a great deal of suspicion. I don't doubt that people like Bolton would willingly goad them into escalating the confrontation until the PLA is forced to crush them. They may do so anyway. But if the risk of contagion is low an example can be made of HK without violence. If major disruption continues businesses will be forced to relocate. HK could simply be allowed to rot as this happens, pour encourager les autres.

turcopolier , 09 September 2019 at 03:52 PM

b

I did not. Chinese troops were massing on the HK border in August. There was a general strike and that was a possible flash point. I predicted that China would inevitably crush the rebellion in Hong Kong. I stand by that. Your anti-Americanism is showing again,

fredw , 09 September 2019 at 05:22 PM

"China does not care about Hong Kong."

Obviously they do care. As the quoted article noted, they are the ones who provoked this situation. Students (and others) did not just rush out into the streets on a whim. They have not endured police state violence and arrests in pursuit of being "nihilist idiots".

Their chances seem slim. The question that I don't see asked or answered is "Why hasn't this been put down already?" That seems the only plausible end to it. The Chinese government certainly has the capability.

Holding back is not an effect of any strictness about rules or morals. Not having done it can only mean that they see costs or dangers that they are not (yet) willing to face.

Personally I think that the (the government) and powerful people with China derive a LOT of money and power from the perception of Hong Kong as a rule-of-law environment. But I have seen very little discussion of the motives for holding off. The costs of holding off are obvious. The reasons for doing so must be massive.

walrus , 09 September 2019 at 06:07 PM

There are indications elsewhere on the web that China will try and quarantine HK and let it slowly die. Provided this can be achieved there is no need for military action. As for overseas chinese attitudes, I didn't see any support for HK when I was in Singapore last month and demonstrations by Chinese students in Australia seem to be neatly divided into pro and anti HK camps. Most Chinese, I expect, just want to get on with their lives rather than agitate about the CCP.

[Sep 10, 2019] It s all about Gene Sharp and seeping neoliberal regime change using Western logistical support, money, NGO and intelligence agencies and MSM as the leverage

Highly recommended!

What democracy they are talking about? Democracy for whom? This Harvard political prostitutes are talking about democracy for oligarchs which was the nest result of EuroMaydan and the ability of Western companies to buy assets for pennies on the dollar without the control of national government like happen in xUSSR space after dissolution of the USSR, which in retrospect can be classified as a color revolution too, supported by financial injection, logistical support and propaganda campaign in major Western MSM.

What Harvard honchos probably does not understand or does not wish to understand is that neoliberalism as a social system lost its attraction and is in irreversible decline. The ideology of neoliberalism collapsed much like Bolsheviks' ideology. As Politician like Joe Boden which still preach neoliberalism are widely viewed as corrupt or senile (or both) hypocrites.

The "Collective West" still demonstrates formidable intelligence agencies skills (especially the USA and GB), but the key question is: "What they are fighting for?"

They are fighting for neoliberalism which is a lost case. Which looks like KGB successes after WWIII. They won many battles and lost the Cold war.

Not that Bolsheviks in the USSR was healthy or vibrant. Economics was a deep stagnation, alcoholism among working class was rampant, the standard of living of the majority of population slides each year, much like is the case with neoliberalism after, say, 1991. Hidden unemployment in the USSR was high -- at least in high teens if not higher. Like in the USA now good jobs were almost impossible to obtain without "extra help". Medical services while free were dismal, especially dental -- which were horrible. Hospitals were poor as church rats as most money went to MIC. Actually, like in the USA now, MIC helped to strangulate the economy and contributed to the collapse. It was co a corrupt and decaying , led by completely degenerated leadership. To put the person of the level of Gorbachov level of political talent lead such a huge and complex country was an obvious suicide.

But the facts speak for themselves: what people usually get as the result of any color revolution is the typical for any county which lost the war: dramatic drop of the standard of living due to economic rape of the country.

While far form being perfect the Chinese regime at least managed to lift the standard of living of the majority of the population and provide employment. After regime change China will experience the same economic rape as the USSR under Yeltsin regime. So in no way Hong Cong revolution can be viewed a progressive phenomenon despite all the warts of neoliberalism with Chenese characteristics in mainland China (actually this is a variant of NEP that Gorbachov tried to implement in the USSR, but was to politically incompetent to succeed)

Aug 31, 2019 | Chris Fraser @ChrisFraser_HKU • Aug 27 \z

Replying to @edennnnnn_ @AMFChina @lihkg_forum

A related resource that deserves wide circulation:

Why nonviolent resistance beats violent force in effecting social, political change – Harvard Gazette

CHENOWETH: I think it really boils down to four different things. The first is a large and diverse participation that's sustained.

The second thing is that [the movement] needs to elicit loyalty shifts among security forces in particular, but also other elites. Security forces are important because they ultimately are the agents of repression, and their actions largely decide how violent the confrontation with -- and reaction to -- the nonviolent campaign is going to be in the end. But there are other security elites, economic and business elites, state media. There are lots of different pillars that support the status quo, and if they can be disrupted or coerced into noncooperation, then that's a decisive factor.

The third thing is that the campaigns need to be able to have more than just protests; there needs to be a lot of variation in the methods they use.

The fourth thing is that when campaigns are repressed -- which is basically inevitable for those calling for major changes -- they don't either descend into chaos or opt for using violence themselves. If campaigns allow their repression to throw the movement into total disarray or they use it as a pretext to militarize their campaign, then they're essentially co-signing what the regime wants -- for the resisters to play on its own playing field. And they're probably going to get totally crushed.

Wai Sing-Rin @waisingrin • Aug 27

Replying to @ChrisFraser_HKU @edennnnnn_ and 2 others

Anyone who watched the lone frontliner (w translator) sees the frontliners are headed for disaster. They're fighting just to fight with no plans nor objectives.
They see themselves as heroes protecting the HK they love. No doubt their sincerity, but there are 300 of them left.

[Sep 09, 2019] Hong Cong and Maydan: the more the merrier

Notable quotes:

"... Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong rearrested based on bail violations, which supporters claim represents political persecution. After being released on bail last week, Wong published an op-ed in the New York Times declaring the protests as the "front line" in a hybrid war vs the PRC, and travelled to Taiwan where he urged the government there to join forces with HK activists in open conflict against Beijing. In both forums, Wong hinted a major provocation was in the works to disrupt the October 1st celebration of the PRC's 70th anniversary. ..."

"... That is, just as the Maidan protesters, knowingly or not, demanded that the IMF impose an austerity program on them, the Hong Kong protesters demand sanctions and the withdrawal of preferential trading deals. The Maidan protests have been deliberately seeded as a correlating event to the HK protests, with numerous public screenings in HK of the contentious "Winter On Fire" documentary. This comparison first appeared in online journals such as Quartz many weeks ago, and appears to be one of the originating "memes" promoted by the PR people working behind the scenes. ..."

"... Wow those hongkong protesters are not even shy about their call for regime change by Trump against China/Hongkong ..."

Sep 09, 2019 | www.moonofalabama.org

robjira , Sep 8 2019 18:20 utc | 35

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I saw this on Muslim Brotherhood Media I mean Qatari State Media I mean al Jazeera re: Hong Kong and thought to myself, "these scumbags can't really mean to try the same sheise they pulled in Ukraine...?" Like that has turned out to be such a resounding success...

The sooner the 50 states secede from that cesspool in Maryland and try something different, the better.

I agree, b; the panic amongst US military planners is indeed setting in; all the resources wasted in developing dubious-quality weapons systems has been made plain for all the world to see with the rapid (and highly cost-effective) counter-measures both Russia and China (and now Iran) have been able to put into serial production (pretty sure this ain't an RC video)

jayc , Sep 8 2019 20:00 utc | 40

Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong rearrested based on bail violations, which supporters claim represents political persecution. After being released on bail last week, Wong published an op-ed in the New York Times declaring the protests as the "front line" in a hybrid war vs the PRC, and travelled to Taiwan where he urged the government there to join forces with HK activists in open conflict against Beijing. In both forums, Wong hinted a major provocation was in the works to disrupt the October 1st celebration of the PRC's 70th anniversary.

Meanwhile, "thousands of people converged at a park in central Hong Kong, chanting 'Resist Beijing, Liberate Hong Kong.' Many of them, clad in black shirts and wearing masks, waved American flags and carried posters that read 'President Trump, please liberate Hong Kong Protesters urged Washington to pass a bill, known as the Hong Kong Democratic and Human Rights Act, to support their cause. The bill proposes sanctions against Hong Kong and Chinese officials found to suppress democracy and human rights in the city, and could also affect Hong Kong's preferential trade status with the U.S."
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/hong-kong-protests-us-embassy-1.5275142

That is, just as the Maidan protesters, knowingly or not, demanded that the IMF impose an austerity program on them, the Hong Kong protesters demand sanctions and the withdrawal of preferential trading deals. The Maidan protests have been deliberately seeded as a correlating event to the HK protests, with numerous public screenings in HK of the contentious "Winter On Fire" documentary. This comparison first appeared in online journals such as Quartz many weeks ago, and appears to be one of the originating "memes" promoted by the PR people working behind the scenes.

AuGold , Sep 8 2019 21:01 utc | 46 Zanon , Sep 8 2019 21:04 utc | 47

Wow those hongkong protesters are not even shy about their call for regime change by Trump against China/Hongkong:

Hong Kong protesters cozy up to US, ask to 'liberate' city amid ongoing violence (VIDEOS)
https://www.rt.com/news/468361-us-hong-kong-protesters-meddling/

Scary with such ignorant people.

dh , Sep 8 2019 21:14 utc | 48

@47 What do they expect Donald to do? Send in the 6th Fleet?

No Union Jacks being waved this week. I guess they've given up on Britain.

[Sep 08, 2019] Behind Hong Kong's chaos lie deep-seated social problems

Sep 08, 2019 | economistsview.typepad.com

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anne , September 07, 2019 at 09:00 AM

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-09/07/c_138374167.htm

September 7, 2019

Behind Hong Kong's chaos lie deep-seated social problems
"Seclusion brings no development opportunity for Hong Kong," said economist Lau Pui-King. "Some youngsters don't understand that Hong Kong would be even worse if it is secluded from the Chinese mainland."
"To come out of the current economic difficulty, Hong Kong needs to be linked with the Chinese mainland much closer and more effectively," she said.

HONG KONG -- Kwong loves the pure adrenaline rush he gets when he takes his motorcycle out on the weekends to light up his lackluster life.

The 35-year-old lives with his parents in an old and cramped apartment in the New Territories of Hong Kong. He has a girlfriend but is hesitant to get married and start a family.

"The rent is so high, and there is no way I can afford an apartment," said Kwong, who earns 15,000 HK dollars (1,950 U.S. dollars) a month. Renting a 30-square meter one-bedroom apartment would cost him about two-thirds of his salary.

"Future? I don't think much about it, just passing each day as it is," he said.

Kwong's words reflect the grievances among many people in Hong Kong, particularly the young. Many vented their discontent in prolonged streets protests that have rocked Hong Kong since June.

The demonstrations, which started over two planned amendments to Hong Kong's ordinances concerning fugitive offenders, widened and turned violent over the past months.

"After more than two months of social unrest, it is obvious to many that discontentment extends far beyond the bill," said Carrie Lam, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), referring to the now-withdrawn amendments.

To Lam, the discontent covers political, economic and social issues, including the often-mentioned problems relating to housing and land supply, income distribution, social justice and mobility and opportunities, for the public to be fully engaged in the HKSAR government's decision-making.

"We can discuss all these issues in our new dialogue platform," she said.

UNAFFORDABLE HOUSES

For nine straight years, housing in Hong Kong has been ranked as the least affordable in the world. Homes in the city got further out of reach for most residents, according to Demographia, an urban planning policy consultancy. The city's median property price climbed to 7.16 million HK dollars in 2019, or 20.9 times the median household income in 2018, up from 19.4 times from a year earlier.

In the latest case of house transaction, an apartment of 353 square feet (about 33 square meters) at Mong Kok in central Kowloon was sold at 5.2 million HK dollars in September, according to the registered data from Centaline Property Agency Limited.

For those fortunate enough to have bought an apartment, many have to spend a large part of their monthly income on a mortgage. For those who have not bought any property yet, it is common to spend more than 10,000 HK dollars in rent, while saving every penny up for a multi-million HK dollar down payment.

From 2004 to 2018, the property price increased by 4.4 fold, while income stagnated, statistics show. From 2008 to 2017, average real wage growth in Hong Kong was merely 0.1 percent, according to a global wage report by the International Labor Organization. Homeownership dropped from 53 percent to 48.9 percent from 2003 to 2018.

Efforts of the HKSAR government to increase land supply to stem home prices from soaring also went futile amid endless quarrels. Of Hong Kong's total 1,100 square kilometers of land area, only 24.3 percent has been developed, with land for residential use accounting for a mere 6.9 percent, according to data from the HKSAR government.

Social worker Jack Wong, 29, lives in an apartment bought by his parents. "I'm lucky. Most of my friends still have to share apartments with their parents. My cousin has been married for seven years, but he is still saving for his down payment, so he has to live at his parents' house," he said.

"The older generation changed from having nothing to having something. We, the younger generation, thought we had something, but it turns out we have nothing," he said.

MIDDLE CLASS' ANXIETY

While young people complain about having few opportunities for upward mobility, Hong Kong's middle class, which should have long been stalwarts of the society, are under great economic pressure and in fear of falling behind.

It is not easy to be middle class in Hong Kong, one of the world's most expensive cities. To join the rank, a household needs to earn at least 55,000 HK dollars, or 7,000 U.S. dollars, a month, according to Paul Yip Siu-fai, a senior lecturer at the University of Hong Kong. About 10 percent of the households in the city are up to the rank.

Earning that much can be counted as rich in many parts of the world. But in Hong Kong, the money is still tight if you have a child to raise and elderly to support.

Housing is the biggest burden for the average middle-class resident. The cost of having a child is another headache in Hong Kong, where pricey extra-curricular activities and private tutoring are considered necessary to win in the fierce competition.

Fears of descending to the low-income group are real for the middle class. Many think they belong to the middle class only in education and cultural identity, but their living conditions are not much better than the impoverished, said Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, former secretary for transport and housing of the HKSAR government.

Civil servants and teachers, who earn much more than the average income, are traditionally considered middle class. But Cheung found out in a survey that many of them could not afford to have their own apartment, with some even living in the narrow rooms of partitioned apartments.

"We don't belong to the low-income group, but we could just rent an apartment now," said Lee, a teacher at a secondary school in Hong Kong.

Lee and her husband earned nearly 1.3 million HK dollars a year, but a 50-square meter apartment is the best they could rent now for a five-member family. She preferred not to give her full name as she feels her situation is embarrassing.

"We want to save more money to buy a house near prestigious elementary schools for our kids," Lee said. "If our kids can't go to a good school, it'll be very tough in the future."

CHANGING ECONOMIC STRUCTURE

In the 1970s, nearly half of Hong Kong's labor force were industrial workers when manufacturing thrived in Hong Kong. During the 1980s, Hong Kong's finance, shipping, trade and logistics and service industries started to boom.

Since then, the economic landscape began to change amid subsequent industrial upgrading.

Due to the hollowing out of the manufacturing industry, the wealth gap in Hong Kong widened and the class division worsened. Despite the prosperity of finance, trade and tourism in recent years, more than 1.37 million people are living below the poverty line in Hong Kong, home to more than 7 million.

Working career options are now limited, leaving little hope for the youngsters to move up the social ranks.

As a result, Hong Kong's social class has largely been solidified in the 21st century, with the richest people dominated by property developers and their families.

The Gini coefficient, which measures the inequality of income distribution, reached a new high of 0.539 in 2016, far above the warning level of 0.4, according to data by the HKSAR government's Census and Statistics Department. The greater the number toward one, the more unequal in income distribution.

Though the HKSAR government tried to narrow the wealth gap, many people in Hong Kong said they are not sharing the fruits of economic prosperity, the young and those low-income groups in particular.

STAGNATING POLITICAL BARRIERS

What makes the deep-seated problems in Hong Kong such a hard nut to crack? The reason is complicated, according to observers, partly due to the containment in the current political structure that leads to governance difficulty, partly due to a doctrinaire implementation of the principle of "small government, big market," or laissez faire, and most importantly due to the opposition's "say no for none's sake" that stirs political confrontation and sends Hong Kong into a dilemma of discussions without decisions, or making decisions without execution.

Over the past 22 years, the successive HKSAR governments have tried many times to tackle these problems by rolling out affordable housing programs and narrowing the rich-poor gap.

For example, to make houses more affordable, Tung Chee-hwa, the first HKSAR chief executive, proposed in 1997 to build at least 85,000 flats every year in the public and private sectors, raise the homeownership rate to 70 percent in 10 years and reduce the average waiting time for public rental housing to three years.

Such plans, however, went aborted as home prices plunged in Hong Kong amid the Asian financial crisis in 1998.

"Since Hong Kong's return, many economic and livelihood issues would not be as politicized as they are now, should the HKSAR government have introduced more policies and better social security arrangements to address those problems," said Tian Feilong, a law expert of the "one country, two systems" center with the Beijing-based Beihang University.

To carry out major policies or push forward major bills, the HKSAR government needs to garner the support of two-thirds majority at the Legislative Council (LegCo).

The HKSAR government's previous motions, be it economic policies or fiscal appropriations, were impeded by the opposition time and again at the LegCo, regardless of the interests of the majority of Hong Kong residents and the long-term development of the society.

The HKSAR government sought in 2012 to establish the Innovation and Technology Bureau to ride the global wave of innovative startups, diversify its economic structure and bring more opportunities for young people. Such efforts, however, were obstructed by the opposition at the LegCo in defiance of repeated calls by the public. After three years, the proposal to create the bureau was finally passed by the LegCo.

In another case, a Hong Kong resident, incited by the opposition, appealed in 2010 for a judicial review of the construction plan of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. Though the HKSAR government won the lawsuit after more than a year of court proceedings, 6.5 billion HK dollars of taxpayers' money had been wasted in the increased construction costs of the bridge's Hong Kong section due to the delay.

As time passed, problems remained unsolved, so did public discontent.

Repeated political bickering stalled Hong Kong's social progress amid the sparring, and the opposition created a false target and blamed the Chinese mainland for those deep-seated problems.

Lau Pui-King, an economist in Hong Kong, snubbed the opposition's resistance of or even antagonism to the Chinese mainland, saying such thinking of secluding Hong Kong from the entire country could end nowhere but push the city down an abyss.

"Seclusion brings no development opportunity for Hong Kong," Lau said. "Some youngsters don't understand that Hong Kong would be even worse if it is secluded from the Chinese mainland."

"To come out of the current economic difficulty, Hong Kong needs to be linked with the Chinese mainland much closer and more effectively," she said.

Plp -> anne... , September 07, 2019 at 09:27 AM

Thank you

The protesters class profiles ?

Are they college kids like in Venezuela?

Problems may not be well represented by
The profiles of the protesters

IS there a large wage class base of active or at least tacit support

Plp -> Plp... , September 07, 2019 at 09:37 AM

Public housing built and contracted as lease to buy deals

And a George tax funding system

Wage labor factories are going or gone
But starter jobs need to pay well and remain plentiful

Build build build

Make hong kong like Copenhagen

Plp -> Plp... , September 07, 2019 at 09:53 AM

Modern tax and transfer payment systems

Are not remedies uncle milty recommended for his beloved city state
De facto capitalist class dictatorships

[Sep 08, 2019] Hands Off Hong Kong. The Cry That Seldom Is Heard

Notable quotes:

"... First, Fu Guohao , a reporter for the Chinese mainland newspaper, Global Times , was attacked, bound and beaten by protesters during their takeover of the Hong Kong International Airport. When police and rescuers tried to free him, the protesters blocked them and also attempted to block the ambulance that eventually bore him off to the hospital. The photos and videos of this ugly sequence were seen by netizens across the globe even though given scant attention in Western media. Where were the stalwart defenders of the press in the US as this happened? As one example, DemocracyNow! (DN!) was completely silent as was the rest of the U.S. mainstream media. ..."

"... And that photo with the protest leaders is just a snap shot of the ample evidence of the hand of the U.S. government and its subsidiaries in the Hong Kong events. Perhaps the best documentation of the U.S. "black hand" is to be found in Dan Cohen's superb article of August 17 in The Greyzone entitled, "Behind a made-for-TV Hong Kong protest narrative, Washington is backing nativism and mob violence." ..."

"... On both sides anti-interventionism takes an especially hard hit when it comes to major competitors of the US, powers that could actually stand in the way of US global hegemony, like Russia or China. In fact on its August 12 program, DN! managed a story taking a swipe at Russia right next to the one on Hong Kong – and DN! was in the forefront of advancing the now debunked and disgraced Russiagate Conspiracy Theory. ..."

Sep 05, 2019 | www.antiwar.com

Through the summer the world has watched as protests shook Hong Kong. As early as April they began as peaceful demonstrations which peaked in early June, with hundreds of thousands, in protest of an extradition bill. That bill would have allowed Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region of China, to return criminals to Taiwan, mainland China or Macau for crimes committed there – after approval by multiple layers of the Hong Kong judiciary. In the wake of those enormous nonviolent demonstrations, Carrie Lam, CEO of Hong Kong, "suspended" consideration of the extradition bill, a face-saving ploy. To make sure she was understood, she declared it "dead." The large rallies, an undeniable expression of the peaceful will of a large segment of the Hong Kong population had won an impressive victory. The unpopular extradition bill was slain.

But that was not the end of the story. A smaller segment continued the protests. (The Hong Kong police at one point estimated 4,000 hard core protesters.) They pressed on with other demands, beginning with a demand that the bill be "withdrawn," not simply "suspended." To this writer death by "suspension" is every bit as terminal as death by "withdrawal." As this piece is sent to press, news comes that Corrie Lam has now formally withdrawn the bill .

As the summer passed, two iconic photos presented us with two human faces that captured two crucial features of the ongoing protests; they were not shown widely in the West.

First, Fu Guohao , a reporter for the Chinese mainland newspaper, Global Times , was attacked, bound and beaten by protesters during their takeover of the Hong Kong International Airport. When police and rescuers tried to free him, the protesters blocked them and also attempted to block the ambulance that eventually bore him off to the hospital. The photos and videos of this ugly sequence were seen by netizens across the globe even though given scant attention in Western media. Where were the stalwart defenders of the press in the US as this happened? As one example, DemocracyNow! (DN!) was completely silent as was the rest of the U.S. mainstream media.

Fu's beating came after many weeks when the protesters threw up barriers to stop traffic; blocked closure of subway doors, in defiance of commuters and police, to shut down mass transit; sacked and vandalized the HK legislature building; assaulted bystanders who disagreed with them; attacked the police with Molotov cocktails; and stormed and defaced police stations. Fu's ordeal and all these actions shown in photos on Hong Kong's South China Morning Post, a paper leaning to the side of protesters, gave the lie to the image of these "democracy activists" as young Ghandis of East Asia. (The South China Morning Post is based in Hong Kong and its readership is concentrated there so it has to have some reasonable fidelity in reporting events; otherwise it loses credibility – and circulation. Similarly, much as the New York Times abhorred Occupy Wall Street, it could not fail to report on it.)

Which brings us to the second photo, much more important to U.S. citizens, that of a "Political Counselor" at the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong who in August was pictured meeting with, Joshua Long and Nathan Law, at a hotel there. The official was formerly a State Dept functionary in the Middle East – in Jerusalem, Riyadh, Beirut, Baghdad and Doha, certainly not an area lacking in imperial intrigues and regime change ops. That photo graphically contradicted the contention that there is no US "black hand," as China calls it, in the Hong Kong riots. In fact, here the "black hand" was caught red-handed, leading Chen Weihua, a very perceptive China Daily columnist, to tweet the picture with the comment: "This is very very embarrassing. a US diplomat in Hong Kong, was caught meeting HK protest leaders. It would be hard to imagine the US reaction if a Chinese diplomat were meeting leaders of Occupy Wall Street, Black Lives Matter or Never Trump protesters."

And that photo with the protest leaders is just a snap shot of the ample evidence of the hand of the U.S. government and its subsidiaries in the Hong Kong events. Perhaps the best documentation of the U.S. "black hand" is to be found in Dan Cohen's superb article of August 17 in The Greyzone entitled, "Behind a made-for-TV Hong Kong protest narrative, Washington is backing nativism and mob violence." The article by Cohen deserves careful reading; it leaves little doubt that there is a very deep involvement of the US in the Hong Kong riots. Of special interest is the detailed role and funding , amounting to over $1.3 million, in Hong Kong alone in recent years, of the U.S. National Endowment for Democracy (NED), ever on the prowl for new regime change opportunities.

Perhaps most important, the leaders of the "leaderless" protests have met with major US political figures such as John Bolton, Vice President Pence, Secretary Pompeo, Senator Marco Rubio, Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel, Nancy Pelosi and others, all of whom have heartily endorsed their efforts. This is not to deny that the protests were home grown at the outset in response to what was widely perceived as a legitimate grievance. But it would be equally absurd to deny that the U.S. is fishing in troubled Hong Kong waters to advance its anti-China crusade and regime change ambitions.

That said, where is the U.S. peace movement on the question of Hong Kong?

Let us be clear. One can sympathize with the demand of many citizens of Hong Kong to end the extradition bill or even the other four demands: an inquiry into police handling of their protests; the retraction of a government characterization of the demonstrations as riots; an amnesty for arrested protesters; and universal suffrage. (The first three all grow out of violence of the protests, be it noted.) But that is the business of the citizens of Hong Kong and all the rest of China. It is not the business of the U.S. government. Peace activists in the US should be hard at work documenting and denouncing the US government's meddling in Hong Kong, which could set us on the road to war with China, potentially a nuclear war. And that is a mission for which we in the U.S. are uniquely suited since, at least in theory, we have some control over our government.

So, we should expect to hear the cry, "US Government, Hands Off Hong Kong"? Sadly, with a few principled exceptions it is nowhere to be heard on either the left or right.

Let's take DemocracyNow! (DN!) as one example, a prominent one on the "progressive" end of the spectrum. From April through August 28, there have been 25 brief accounts ("headlines" as DN! calls them, each amounting to a few paragraphs) of the events in Hong Kong and 4 features, longer supposedly analytic pieces, on the same topic. Transcripts of the four features are here , here , here and here . There is not a single mention of possible US involvement or the meetings of the various leaders of the protest movement with Pompeo, Bolton, Pence, or the "Political Counselor" of the US Hong Kong consulate.

And this silence on US meddling is true not only of most progressive commentators but also most conservatives.

On the Left when someone cries "Democracy," many forget all their pro-peace sentiment. And similarly on the Right when someone cries "Communism," anti-interventionism too often goes down the tubes. Forgotten is John Quincy Adams's 1823 dictum, endlessly quoted but little honored, "We do not go abroad in search of monsters to destroy." Where does this lapse on the part of activists come from? Is it a deep-seated loyalty to Empire, the result of endless indoctrination? Is it U.S. Exceptionalism, ingrained to the point of unconsciousness? Or is it at bottom a question of who the paymasters are?

On both sides anti-interventionism takes an especially hard hit when it comes to major competitors of the US, powers that could actually stand in the way of US global hegemony, like Russia or China. In fact on its August 12 program, DN! managed a story taking a swipe at Russia right next to the one on Hong Kong – and DN! was in the forefront of advancing the now debunked and disgraced Russiagate Conspiracy Theory. In contrast, the anti-interventionist movement is front and center when it comes to weaker nations, for example Venezuela – and quite properly so. But when one puts this advocacy for weaker nations together with the New Cold War stance on China and Russia, one must ask what is going on here. Does it betoken a sort of imperial paternalism on the part of DN and like-minded outlets? It certainly gains DN!, and others like it, considerable credibility among anti-interventionists which can help win them to a position in favor of DN!'s New Cold War stance. And the masters of Empire certainly understand how valuable such credibility can be at crucial moments when support for their adventures is needed from every quarter.

Fortunately, there are a handful of exceptions to this New Cold War attitude. For example, on the left Popular Resistance has provided a view of the events in Hong Kong and a superb interview with K.J. Noh that go beyond the line of the State Department, the mainstream media and DN! And on the libertarian Right there is the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity and the work of its Executive Director Dan McAdams.

We would all do well to follow the example of these organizations in rejecting a New Cold War mentality which is extremely dangerous, perhaps fatally so. A good beginning for us in the U.S. is to demand of our government, "Hands Off Hong Kong."

John V. Walsh can be reached at [email protected].

[Sep 08, 2019] Hong Kong while having a high per capita income level is highly inequitable in income with economic tensions accentuated by a British-country-style property system.

Notable quotes:

"... Hong Kong while having a high per capita income level is highly inequitable in income with economic tensions accentuated by a British-country-style property system. ..."

"... The parallels in Hong Kong property prices, with those of Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are striking. Singapore has a completely different and relatively equitable property system, so too does neighboring Shenzhen. ..."

"... "The Gini coefficient, which measures the inequality of income distribution, reached a new high of 0.539 in 2016, far above the warning level of 0.4" Pot meet kettle. ..."

"... "China's Gini Coefficient data was reported at 0.467 NA in Dec 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.465 NA for Dec 2016. China's Gini Coefficient data is updated yearly, averaging 0.477 NA from Dec 2003 to 2017, with 15 observations." ..."

"... With a GINI co-efficient of about 0.4, the US has nothing to cheer about. But why not demonize China instead of addressing our own problems first? ..."

Sep 08, 2019 | economistsview.typepad.com

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anne -> anne... , September 07, 2019 at 09:47 AM

Hong Kong is essentially self-governing, administered in much the same way as during the later period of British colonial control. Hong Kong is part of China but completely unlike a Beijing or Shanghai or Shenzhen in terms of governance. Hong Kong while having a high per capita income level is highly inequitable in income with economic tensions accentuated by a British-country-style property system.

The parallels in Hong Kong property prices, with those of Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are striking. Singapore has a completely different and relatively equitable property system, so too does neighboring Shenzhen.

anne -> anne... , September 07, 2019 at 09:49 AM

• January 15, 2018. Real Residential Property Prices for Hong Kong and United Kingdom, 1992-2018 (Indexed to 1992). https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=onx4
• January 15, 2018. Real Residential Property Prices for Australia and Hong Kong, 1992-2018(Indexed to 1992)https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=onIc
• January 15, 2018. Real Residential Property Prices for Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong, 1992-2018(Indexed to 1992) https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=os70

anne -> anne... , September 07, 2019 at 09:53 AM

• January 15, 2018. Real Residential Property Prices for Hong Kong and Singapore, 1998-2018 (Indexed to 1998) https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=onIh
• January 15, 2018. Real Residential Property Prices for China, Hong Kong and Singapore, 2005-2018 (Indexed to 2005)https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=oFCX

[ Notice the stark differences in favor of Shanghai and mainland China. ]

EMichael -> anne... , September 07, 2019 at 10:12 AM

Chinese Communist Party propaganda from the usual source. Yep, Hong Kong has its problems. Control by the CCP will not help them one bit.

"The Gini coefficient, which measures the inequality of income distribution, reached a new high of 0.539 in 2016, far above the warning level of 0.4" Pot meet kettle.

"China's Gini Coefficient data was reported at 0.467 NA in Dec 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.465 NA for Dec 2016. China's Gini Coefficient data is updated yearly, averaging 0.477 NA from Dec 2003 to 2017, with 15 observations."

https://www.ceicdata.com/en/china/resident-income-distribution/gini-coefficient

JohnH -> EMichael... , September 07, 2019 at 01:22 PM

With a GINI co-efficient of about 0.4, the US has nothing to cheer about. But why not demonize China instead of addressing our own problems first?

Plp -> anne... , September 07, 2019 at 10:19 AM

Urban housing is a nightmare where ever. Population density is uncontrolled and lot owners can restrict new housing developments

...The crisis just builds

[Sep 02, 2019] Hong Kong and the Audacity of the U.S. Part of a Destabilization War with China - Global ResearchGlobal Research - Centre for

Sep 02, 2019 | www.globalresearch.ca

Hong Kong and the Audacity of the U.S. Part of a "Destabilization War" with China By Peter Koenig Global Research, August 26, 2019 Region: Asia Theme: Intelligence

People often ask and hint at the similarities between the Hong Kong protests and the French Yellow Vests. The former started on 31 March and are approaching their 19 ^th week – the Yellow Vests (YV) have celebrated last weekend their 40 ^th week of protests. As of recently some voices of Macron-infiltrates into the YV movement – or Fifth Columnists – have suggested that the YVs may support the Hong Kong protesters in solidarity for freedom .

Well, that didn't go down well with the highly educated and well informed YV. Many of them actually felt insulted by the Macronites – ' for whom does this guy [Macron] take us? ' – And right they are. There is not a shred of comparison between the two movements, except that they are protests – but for widely different reasons, and serving widely different agendas. The YV can in no way be associated with the Hong Kong "protests" – which are equal to US funded Color Revolutions.

We, the YV leaders said, are fighting against an ever more totalitarian French government that is ever more stealing our legitimate income in the form of all sorts of taxes and keeps a minimum wage on which ever-more French families cannot survive. Life is unaffordable on a regular workers pension. The Macron Government is creating poverty, by shifting the financial resources – the few that are left, from the bottom to the top. – That's what we are fighting and protesting against. We want a fundamental change in the French economic structure and the French leadership. You see, all of this has nothing to do with the Washington funded Hong Protests that are directed on Washington's behalf by Hong Kongers against the Government of Mainland China.

It couldn't be clearer. The French Yellow Vests know what they are fighting for. The Hong Kong protesters, most of them, follow a few leaders under false pretenses against their country, against Beijing. Granted, many of the protesters are pro-westerners, they sing the US National Anthem, and wave the British flag – the flag of their former colonialists.

Actually, funding to destabilize Hong Kong in the future has already started at the latest in 1994, 3 years before the official Handover of Hong Kong by the UK to the Beijing Government. Way before the official date of returning Hong Kong in 1997 to the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), the US built up a network of Fifth Columnists in Hong Kong.

Washington pours millions into creating unrest in Hong Kong, similarly as in Ukraine, when the US State Department financed the preparation of the 2014 coup at least 5 years ahead at the tune of US$ 5 billion, according to Victoria Nuland's, Deputy Secretary of State, own admission, directly and through NED, the National Endowment for Democracy, an "NGO" which it isn't. It is rather the extended or soft arm of the CIA, receiving hundreds of millions of dollars from the State Department for their 'regime changing' activities around the globe.

In 1991, The Washington Post quoted a NED founder, Allen Weinstein , as saying

"a lot of what we do today was done covertly 25 years ago by the CIA" .

Couldn't have been said better. We see the results all over the world.

Precisely this has happened in Hong Kong and is going on until this day – and probably way beyond. The US will not let go. Especially now that most people who have at least a limited understanding on how these western manipulations work, comprehend and see for themselves who is sowing the unrests. Take the 22-year-old student and western hero of the 2014 Umbrella Revolution, Joshua Wong , trained programmed and funded by the US State Department / NED / CIA. He is again a main player in the current protest movement. Wong is the on-the-ground boy for the local media tycoon, Jimmy Lai , who has spent millions of his own money in the 2014 "Occupy Central" protests (Umbrella Revolution).

The oligarch uses his funds widely to finance protest leaders and protest groups. He also created his own National Party, with significant xenophobic connotations. Yet Mr. Lai is very close to the Trump Administration and met, along with many of his protest leaders, with the US envoy in Hong Kong, as well as with National Security Advisor John Bolton – and other US officials. On July 8, Mr. Jimmy Lai met US Vice President Mike Pence at the White House.

What Is Happening in Hong Kong?

Lai has full support of the US Government to fire-on and promote these protest groups. Yet, if asked, the protesters have no precise plan or strategy of what they want. The island is largely divided. By far not all protesters want to separate from the mainland. They feel Chinese and express their disgust with Jimmy Lai's radical anti-Beijing propaganda. They call him a traitor.

Mr. Lai was born in 1948 in mainland China, in an impoverished family in Canton. He was educated to fifth grade level and smuggled to Hong Kong in a small boat at age 13. In HK he worked as a child laborer in a garment factory at about the equivalent of US$ 8 per month. In 1975 he bought a bankrupt garment factory for a pittance and created Giordano, producing sweaters and other clothing for mostly US clients, like J.C. Penny, Montgomery Ward and others. Mr. Lai today is openly criticized even by his own people as a conspirator behind the violence of the HK riots, or protests, as he prefers to call them.

The protests started with a 'controversial' extradition law – which, by the way, exists between most States in the United States, as well as between nations in Europe and to a large extent internationally. Therefore, this is nothing unusual. Yet, its importance was blown out of proportion by the western media and by Mr. Lai's own local media to distort the picture. A minority, of course, would like their full independence from China which is totally against the agreement signed between the UK and Beijing at the so-called 1997 Handover.

A few days ago, the US sent a couple of war ships into China waters at Hong Kong. They had the audacity to ask Beijing to grant them the right to dock at Hong Kong harbor. Beijing, of course, refused and warned Washington – do not meddle in our internal affairs. Of course, Washington has no intention to heed China's advice – they never do. They have been inoculated with the view that the exceptional nation calls the shots. Always. Nobody else should even dare to contradict them. Period.

On July 3, The China Daily pointedly reported

"The ideologues in Western governments never cease in their efforts to engineer unrest against governments that are not to their liking, even though their actions have caused misery and chaos in country after country in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Now they are trying the same trick in China."

The US tactics in Hong Kong, may be combined with Trump's trade war, with the Pentagon's greater presence – mainly new military bases and navy presence in the Indo-Pacific region – Obama's (in)famous Pivot to Asia which prompted Obama to order 60% of the US Navy fleet to the South China Sea.

All of this and more are part of a destabilization war with China. Washington is afraid of China's rising economic power in the world, of China's monetary system, that is based on economic output and on gold, not fiat money like the US Dollar and the Euro and other currencies following the western turbo-capitalist system; and Washington is afraid of losing its dollar hegemony, as the Chinese yuan is gradually taking over the dollar's role as world reserve currency.

Hong Kong was basically stolen by the Brits in 1842 at the heights of the Opium Wars. Under pressure of the British military might, China ceded Hong Kong under the Treaty of Nanking, signed on 29 August 1842. Hong Kong became, thus, a Crown Colony of the British Empire. In 1898, Hong Kong's Governor Chris Patten and Prince Charles agreed on a 99-year lease and pledged to return Hong Kong to China in 1997.

After 155 years of British colonial oppression of the people of Hong Kong, it was time to normalize the status of Hong Kong as what it always should have been, namely an integral territory of China. The "One Country, Two Systems" agreement of 1997, returned Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China, but the parties agreed to leave the capitalist system in place for 50 years. The agreement also stipulated that all intervention and colonial claims on Hong Kong were supposed to end. Full sovereignty was to return to China. What's happening now – US-UK fomented riots to seek independence of the island, is in total disregard of the 1997 Handover Treaty.

The US inspired and funded protests are destined to challenge the HK-China sovereignty clause, by mobilizing public opinion that wants full "freedom" – i.e. independence from China.

The 50 years of the usual abusive capitalist continuation, would allow the imperialist US and UK to maintain economic control over Hong Kong and thereby exert economic influence over the PRC. How wrong they were! – In 1997 Hong Kong's GDP constituted 27% of the PRC's GDP – today that proportion shrunk to a mere 3%. China's rapidly growing level of development, especially the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which the west chose to literally ignore until about a year ago, has become a vital threat to the US corporate world.

What the US and UK – and the rest of the West – is particularly interested in is HK's special banking position in the world. Through Singapore and Hong Kong, Wall Street and key European banks, in cohorts with their not so 'ethically-clean' and often fraudulent HSBC partner, pretend to control and influence Asian economics – and especially attempt to prevent China to take over the Asian financial markets. Hong Kong has the most liberal banking laws, possibly worldwide, where illegal money transactions, money laundering, shady investments in the billions can be carried out and nobody watches. Maintaining HK as long as possible with this special nation status and wielding influence and control over PRC's financial markets is one of the western goals.

But little does the West understand that China and other eastern countries, plus Russia, India, Pakistan, have already largely detached, or are in the process of detaching from the dollar economy and are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Let's face it, the SCO comprises about half of the world's population and controls about one third of the globe's economic output.

Therefore, the SCO members do no longer depend on the western financial markets and monetary manipulations. In fact, Shanghai has in the last decades grown to become China's financial hub with way more importance for China than Hong Kong. So, it is very unlikely that China will crack down on Hong Kong for the protests. There is too much political capital to be lost by interfering. The West and Hong Kong protesters may as well riot themselves into rot.

But if China gets tired of these incessant western provocations and really wants to put an end to them, the PRC could take over Hong Kong in less than 48 hours, abridge the 50 years of western capitalism and make HK a full-fledged province of China, no privileges, no special status, just a part of sovereign China. End of story.

*

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This article was originally published on New Eastern Outlook.

Peter Koenig is an economist and geopolitical analyst. He is also a water resources and environmental specialist. He worked for over 30 years with the World Bank and the World Health Organization around the world in the fields of environment and water. He lectures at universities in the US, Europe and South America. He writes regularly for Global Research; ICH; RT; Sputnik; PressTV; The 21 ^st Century; TeleSUR; The Saker Blog, the New Eastern Outlook (NEO); and other internet sites. He is the author of Implosion – An Economic Thriller about War, Environmental Destruction and Corporate Greed – fiction based on facts and on 30 years of World Bank experience around the globe. He is also a co-author of The World Order and Revolution! – Essays from the Resistance . He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization.

[Sep 02, 2019] Magnitsky act for Hong Cong is in the works

Sep 02, 2019 | turcopolier.typepad.com

"We also explained in detail to the US lawmakers the kind of massive arrests and excessive use of force by our police force, which resulted in the apprehension of a large number of innocent civilians and left quite a number of protesters severely injured.

We also talked about the inhumane treatment to which some of the arrested protesters were allegedly subjected and the "white terror" imposed by the central government on certain business corporations such as Cathay Pacific Airways, where a number of employees, including pilots and a flight attendant, were sacked over incidents related to the anti-extradition bill protests.

Both Republican and Democratic members of the US Congress are pushing for the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act.

One of the most important provisions of the bill is that HKSAR government officials who are found suppressing Hong Kong's democracy, human rights or citizens' freedoms could have their assets in the US frozen and be denied entry to the US.

We agree that the passage of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act through the US Congress will help in our citizens' fight for democracy and in defending our human rights and freedoms." Dennis Kwok

--------------

"Give me liberty or give me death?" This sounds like that sentiment.

Would such an Act do anything material for Hong Kong? Probably not. Trump says that he hopes the CCP will settle the HK matter in a "humane way." IOW he doesn't intend to do anything except use the HK crisis as leverage in his extended bargaining with China.

OTOH, this Act would do a lot for the conscience of the people of the US. We need to do something that is actually selfless since we seem to have lost the knack for standing up for the "little people" in places like Yemen and Palestine against Communist tyranny.

If such an Act were passed (probably over Trump's opposition) or maybe not since he claims to not give a damn about trade with China, then Canada should follow our lead in this. British Columbia is packed full of mainland Chinese who have stashed their wealth there and who look forward to taking refuge in Victoria and/or Vancouver.

Palmerston, that mean old bastard, said that countries do not have friends. They merely have interests. Well, maybe so, but I would say that such an Act would be in our long term spiritual interest. pl

http://www.ejinsight.com/20190902-the-hong-kong-human-rights-and-democracy-act/

Posted at 11:52 AM in China , Chinagate , Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (21)

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Babak Makkinejad ,

Col. Lang

This is another poorly thought piece of legislation from that strategy-free zone called Washington DC.

How far will US go in her containment efforts against China? And to what end, a struggle to be waged for hundreds of years?

robt willmann , 02 September 2019 at 01:54 PM

The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 has been introduced in the U.S. House and Senate.

In the House it is H.R.3289--

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/3289/text

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/3289/all-actions

In the Senate it is S.1838--

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/1838/text

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/1838/all-actions

Fred -> robt willmann... , 02 September 2019 at 02:49 PM

robt,

Thanks for posting the link to the text, it is an interesting piece of legislation.

"an assessment of whether sensitive dual-use items subject to the export control laws of the United States are being --

(A) transshipped through Hong Kong; and (B) used to develop -- (i) the Sharp Eyes, Skynet, Integrated Joint Operations Platform, or other systems of mass surveillance and predictive policing"

As a related topic shouldn't the Congress also look into which US Tech companies are aiding China in the development of systems of "mass surveillance and predictive policing"?

Babak Makkinejad -> turcopolier ... , 02 September 2019 at 03:02 PM

What is the ultimate goal of US policy of Containing China? I fail to see anything in here except opposition to another hyperpower. In my opinion, Democracy and Freedom in China is centuries into the future, if at all. There could a revival of the ideas of Legalists in a few decades but barring that, Democratic China is a pipedream, both for Containment Strategists as well as for Chinese political activists and reformers and thinkers. A very sad case of the Persistence of a rather brutal past. (And I no longer see protection of US jobs as its core purpose.)

I consider CPC as the Red Emperor: no ideology there just organized power structure to run that country, whose economy is supported by 300 million pigs – only an Act of Divine Intervention, a Miracle, could cause the Chinese to become Muslims, let alone Shia.

If I am correct in my surmise, then the most productive way forward would be to learn to live with an un-free, un-just, and un-democratic, and cunning China for many more decades. But then that would be just like living with Saudi Arabia and her friends in Southern Persian Gulf. No country or combinations of countries, in the West, can hope to dominate China at acceptable costs. That is why Kwak's ideas are stupid.

Jack said in reply to Babak Makkinejad... , 02 September 2019 at 06:28 PM

US policy should not be to "Contain China". It should be to destroy the totalitarian CCP.

CK , 02 September 2019 at 02:36 PM

But Yemen is supposedly an existential threat to the USA's good friend KSA, surely the KSA is not communist? ( not all that much of a friend either unless one considers parasites to be friends )
And Palestine is supposedly an existential threat to the USA's great friend Israel. Israel is surely not a communist nation. ( also not that much of a friend unless one considers the Johnathan Pollard types to be friends.)
Russia stopped being communist the instant that most successful agent in place Gorbachev handed over control to Yeltsin, and The PRC has most successfully become a rapacious capitalist nation once Mao and Mrs. departed this mortal coil.
And even DPRNK is easing away from communism thanks to the great admiration the leader there has for the leader here.
I do not see an interest for the USA in sticking its nose into yet another nations family disagreement. But then I haven't seen much value accruing to the USA in its continual intrusion into other folks' affairs since 1881.

Fred , 02 September 2019 at 02:51 PM

Col.,

I agree. Though what Trump is going to do is unpredictable. It would sure be the right thing for the Republic to make such a gesture. It won't hurt him either politically nor in his trade negotiations with China.

Pwalden , 02 September 2019 at 03:09 PM

Maybe the democratically-elected U.S.government should concern itself more with the long-term, or even short-term, material interests of its own people, many of whom are apparently sinking beneath the waves of debt, ill health, addiction and general decline in life expectancy and life chances.

While any U.S. denunciation of the Chinese government over events in Hong Kong is unlikely to affect outcomes there, it will no doubt worsen US-China relations. But that is a feature, not a bug.

Of course, as you say, such a denunciation could be an important distraction to cheer up Americans and to reinforce the Enlightenment myth that Anglo-American values are universal despite plenty of evidence to the contrary.

Thirdeye , 02 September 2019 at 04:29 PM

British Columbia is packed full of mainland Chinese who have stashed their wealth there and who look forward to taking refuge in Victoria and/or Vancouver.

Indeed, and it causes a lot of resentment towards Chinese that is similar to that towards the mainlanders in Hong Kong. The wealth-parking and haven-seeking in both places has driven asset inflation that has affected the locals badly, with the exception of a fortunate few. This has happened at the same time that HK has lost one of its engines of true economic growth, its formerly indispensable role as a trade and financial portal for China. The HK protests seem driven mainly by unfocused resentment of all things mainland and lacking in coherent goals. HK's lack of an extradition treaty with the mainland is one incentive for wealthy mainlanders, especially those who might have been shady in acquiring their wealth, to seek a haven in HK.

Jack , 02 September 2019 at 05:07 PM

Sir

I agree with you.

IMO, CCP is going to crackdown violently on the people of HK who are the modern equivalent of Patrick Henry. This is an example of their resolve. Volunteer drivers rescuing trapped protestors.

https://twitter.com/demosisto/status/1168198855529156608?s=21

The US Congress needs to stand with the good people of HK in their hour of need. There should be consequences for CCP violence. Sanctions on the CCP politburo who have much of their wealth stashed in the west should be an immediate response. The other should be ending US investment in CCP linked entities and preventing the listing of Chinese companies on US exchanges unless they fully comply with accounting and transparency standards that are required of US companies. The US Congress should also recognize Taiwan as an independent country as CCP has reneged on "One Country Two Systems". There can be no "deal" with CCP any longer as they have time and again thumbed their noses before the ink has even dried in their previous agreements including their inclusion in WTO. The time has come to destroy the authoritarian CCP and enable the Chinese people to determine their own destiny.

Former communist countries get the nature of the CCP. IMO, this time the global response to CCP violence will not be benign. CCP cash will not be able to easily buy public opinion this time despite the propaganda of the fifth column.

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3025417/chinese-ambassador-summoned-lithuania-over-deplorable

Trump must know that a strong dollar is the worst situation for CCP with trillions in dollar liabilities. There are reports that some Chinese cities are now rationing meat as pork prices rocket up.

https://twitter.com/baldingsworld/status/1168595734712602625?s=21

When my grandkids say they are scrutinizing all products they purchase to make sure they're not Made in China, I know that sentiment is changing at the margin.

turcopolier , 02 September 2019 at 05:47 PM

pwalden

"the long-term, or even short-term, material interests of its own people, many of whom are apparently sinking beneath the waves of debt, ill health, addiction and general decline in life expectancy and life chances." marxist agitprop. You should move to the peoples' paradise and then you can stand in line at COSTCO stores.

turcopolier , 02 September 2019 at 05:49 PM

Babak

Incredible! Does this attitude have anything to do with US policy toward Iran?

turcopolier , 02 September 2019 at 05:53 PM

babak

Ah, I was rightt. This is about Iran for you.

turcopolier , 02 September 2019 at 05:57 PM

Babak

I can understand why you don't care about TROM. Humans have no inalienable rights in Iran. Onle god has thr Right and it is for men to obey the Khawza to seek salvation.

JJackson , 02 September 2019 at 07:13 PM

pl
Yemen and Palestine against Communist tyranny?
I was not aware that Israel or the Gulfies were Communists.

turcopolier , 02 September 2019 at 07:23 PM

jjackson

What an anti-colonial snob you are! Try not to be overcome by your post-colonial angst. Tyranny is tyranny, whether it be that of Britain, the asshole salafists or the communists.

[Sep 02, 2019] America's Hybrid War against China has Entered a New Phase - Global ResearchGlobal Research - Centre for Research on Globaliz

Sep 02, 2019 | www.globalresearch.ca

America's "Hybrid War" against China has Entered a New Phase China and the Zombies of the Past By Christopher Black Global Research, August 15, 2019 New Eastern Outlook 14 August 2019 Region: Asia , USA Theme: Intelligence , Media Disinformation , US NATO War Agenda

The hybrid war, being conducted against China by the United States and its gaggle of puppet states from the UK to Canada to Australia, has entered a new phase.

The first stage involved the massive shift of US air and naval forces to the Pacific and constant provocations against China in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.

The second stage was the creation of disinformation about China's treatment of minority groups, especially in Tibet and west China.

That this propaganda campaign has been carried out by nations such as the US, Canada and Australia who have the worst human rights records in the world with respect to their indigenous peoples, subjected to centuries of cultural and physical genocide by those governments, and who refuse to protect their minority peoples from physical attacks and discrimination despite their human rights laws, shocks the conscience of any objective observer.

But not content with that, the propaganda was extended to China's economic development, its international trade, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, its Silk and Belt Road Initiative, its development bank, and other facilities and trade initiatives, through which China is accused of trying to control the world; an accusation made by the very nation that threatens economic embargo or worse, nuclear annihilation, to anyone, friend or foe, who resists its attempt to control the world.

The fourth phase is the US attempt to degrade the Chinese economy with punitive "tariffs," essentially an embargo on Chinese goods. That the objective is not better trade deals but to bring China to its knees is the fact that the negative effect of these tariffs on American consumers, farmers and manufacturers is considered secondary to the principal objective.

Last year it moved to a fifth phase, t he kidnapping and illegal detention of Meng Wanzhou, the Chief Financial Officer of China's leading technology company Huawei, in synchronicity with a massive campaign by the USA to force its puppets to drop any dealings with that company. Meng Wanzhou is still held against her will in Canada on US orders. Chinese have been harassed in the US, Australia and Canada.

The latest phase in this hybrid warfare is the insurrection being provoked by the US, UK, Canada and the rest in Hong Kong, using tactics designed to provoke China into suppressing the rioters with force to amplify the anti-Chinese propaganda, or pushing the "protestors" into declaring Hong Kong independent of China and then using force to support them.

Mitch McConnell , an important US senator implicitly threatened just such a scenario in a statement on August 12th stating that the US is warning China not to block the protests and that if they are suppressed trouble will follow. In other words the US is claiming that it will protect the thugs in black shirts, the shirts of fascists. This new phase is very dangerous, as the Chinese government has time and again stated, and has to be handled with intelligence and the strength of the Chinese people.

There is now abundant evidence that the UK and US are the black hand behind the events in Hong Kong. When the Hong Kong Bar association joined in the protests the west claimed that even the lawyers were supporting the protests in an attempt to bring justice to the people. But the leaders of that association are all either UK lawyers or members of law firms based in London, such as Jimmy Chan , head of the so-called Human Civil Rights Front, formed in 2002 with the objective of breaking Honk Kong away from China, such as Kevin Lam , a partner in another London based law firm, and Steve Kwok and Alvin Yeung , members of the anti-China Civic Party who are going to meet with US officials next week.

Taunting the Dragon: Background to US-China Trade War and Hong Kong Protests

Kwok has called for the independence of Hong Kong in other visits, some sponsored by the US National Security Council and has called for the US to invoke its Hong Kong Policy Act, which, among other things mandates the US president to issue an order suspending its treatment of Hong Kong as a separate territory in trade matters. The effect of this would be to damage China's overall trade since a lot of its revenue comes through Hong Kong. The president can invoke the Act if it decides that Hong Kong "is not sufficiently autonomous to justify it being treated separately from China."

In tandem with Kwok's call for the use of that Act, US Senator Ted Cruz has filed a Bill titled the Hong Kong Revaluation Act requiring the president to report on "how China exploits Hong Kong to circumvent the laws of the United States."

But it seems the anti-Chinese propaganda campaign is not having the effect they hoped. The New York Times ran a piece on August 13 stating, "China is waging a disinformation war against the protestors." Embarrassed by US consular officials being caught red-handed meeting with protest leaders in a hotel in Hong Kong last week and blatant statements of support for the protestors from the US, Canada and UK as well attempts to treat Hong Kong as an independent state, the US intelligence services have now been forced to try to counter China's accounts of the facts by declaring anything China says as disinformation.

The US and UK objectives are revealed in this statement from the article,

"Hong Kong, which Britain returned to Chinese rule in 1997, remains outside China's firewall, and thus is sitting along one of the world's most profound online divides. Preserving the city's freedom to live without the mainland's controls has become one of the causes now motivating the protests."

This statement flies in the face of the Basic Law, expressing the agreement between the UK and China when the UK finally agreed to leave Hong Kong. We need to be aware of what the Basic Law says. Promulgated in April 4 1990 but put into effect on July 1, 1997, the date of the hand over of the territory to China, the Preamble states:

"Hong Kong has been part of the territory of China since ancient times; it was occupied by Britain after the Opium War in 1840. On 19 December 1984, the Chinese and British Governments signed the Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong, affirming that the Government of the People's Republic of China will resume the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong with effect from 1 July 1997, thus fulfilling the long-cherished common aspiration of the Chinese people for the recovery of Hong Kong.

Upholding national unity and territorial integrity, maintaining the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, and taking account of its history and realities, the People's Republic of China has decided that upon China's resumption of the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong, a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will be established in accordance with the provisions of Article 31 of the Constitution of the People's Republic of China, and that under the principle of "one country, two systems", the socialist system and policies will not be practised in Hong Kong. The basic policies of the People's Republic of China regarding Hong Kong have been elaborated by the Chinese Government in the Sino-British Joint Declaration.

In accordance with the Constitution of the People's Republic of China, the National People's Congress hereby enacts the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, prescribing the systems to be practised in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, in order to ensure the implementation of the basic policies of the People's Republic of China regarding Hong Kong."

Hong Kong is a part of China. That is the essential fact set out in the Basic Law agreed to by the UK as well as China. It is an administrative region of China. It is not an independent state and never was when Britain seized it through force and occupied it.

So the claim that the protestors are trying to preserve something that never existed, freedom from China's control, since Hong Kong is subject to China's control, is bogus. The fact that China permitted Hong Kong to retain its capitalist system confirms this. The fact that China can impose socialism 50 years after or sooner if certain conditions are met, also confirms this.

The pretexts for the riots, the first being a proposed extradition law between the mainland and Hong Kong which is similar to those that exist between provinces in Canada and states in the USA, the second being the claim that China's insistence on its sovereignty over the territory somehow overrides the limited autonomy granted Hong Kong and threatens that autonomy, are without any foundation.

One could easily split Canada into pieces based on such bogus arguments or again split up the USA, or even the UK as London sees its rule of Ireland, Wales and Scotland being challenged by nationalist groups. And we know very well what violent protests will bring in swift suppression of such forces if the central governments feel threatened, especially by the violence we see used by the black shirts in Hong Kong. We saw what happened in Spain when the Catalans attempted to split from Spain. The leaders of the movement are now in exile. We saw what the US is capable of against demonstrators when it shot them down at Kent State when students were demonstrating peacefully. These things are not forgotten. We know how the British will react to renewed attempts for a united Ireland.

China is facing attacks on several fronts at once and it will require wisdom, endurance and the strength of the Chinese people to defend their revolution and rid themselves of colonial and imperialist domination, once and for all. T hose who carry British and American flags in the protests in Hong Kong, reveal who they are. They are not the future of China. They are the living embodiment of a dead history and dead ideas, zombies of the past.

*

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Christopher Black is an international criminal lawyer based in Toronto. He is known for a number of high-profile war crimes cases and recently published his novel " Beneath the Clouds . He writes essays on international law, politics and world events, especially for the online magazine "New Eastern Outlook." He is a frequent contributor to Global Research.

Featured image is from NEO

[Aug 31, 2019] Hong Cong protester cleraly are adopting Maydan tacktics of escalation of protests: the next step in confrontation (petrol bombs) is so predictable

Where is Nuland when people need her? It is interesting that the USA neoliberals (with help of other Western neoliberal countries) now poisons all protests against government and as such help to de-legitimize them completely and irrevocably by pointing them as CIA/NED stooges.

As China government is to a large extent neoliberal too grievances are easy to amplify and exploit.

As soon as money start flowing to protesters from the US government, NGO and/or controlled oligarchs the protest stops to be a legitimate and became part of the color revolution efforts.

That's a very sad situation.

Notable quotes:

"... Violent protesters continue to throw corrosives and petrol bombs on Central Government Complex, Legislative Council Complex and Police Headquarters," said the police in a statement. "Such acts pose a serious threat to everyone at the scene and breach public peace. ..."

"... Tens of thousands participated in an unauthorized demonstration - many of whom threw objects and gasoline bombs over barriers at the government's headquarters. After initially retreating in response to the crowd control measures, protesters returned to a nearby suburb and set fire to a wall on Hennessy Road in the city's Wan Chai district. this fire has gotten much bigger after 20 minutes. the street is full of dark smoke. ..."

"... Protesters asked US President Donald Trump to take action and help the activists, who originally took to the streets to protest a controversial extradition bill which would have allowed China to bring suspects to the mainland to face trial in PRC courts. ..."

"... It appears the protesters want the military to enter so they can play the martyrs for the cameras. Hong Kong was under colonial rule for years! I guess the Rothschild family wants it back if asking Trump (a Rothschild stooge) to get involved! ..."

"... Fighting against the state is great, in theory, but not if you just want to replace the current power structure with a democracy or some other government. There's no point then. You're just replacing one mafia with another. ..."

"... Yes, most "adults" are still children who believe in the silly fantasy that there is such a thing as a legitimate ruling class. Nothing changes until a critical mass drops the superstition. ..."

"... I wouldn't be surprised if intelligence assets were over there convincing some of these people that this was a possibility. They are always spreading discord around the world. If you're the big guy in the room and you want to instigate a fight, tell the angry little guy you've got his back. ..."

"... I will never understand the logic of venting anger on inanimate objects like walls and buildings. If you're going to do it, do it properly and bring the real masters to heel, it'll never work simply destroying someone's car and bending the odd lamppost. They're probably tucked up in their fortress laughing and waiting for it to cool down so they can return to business as usual. ..."

"... They are getting international news coverage and breaking the information blockade of media. Do you get it now? ..."

"... They want absolutely that China intervene, it's why It's getting heavier. ..."

"... And then what? What's the end game? There is only one-way this can play out that I can see. Violent suppression and mass arrests. It will all be done 'officially' under the facade of Hong Kong authority, so technically no 'foul' ..."

Aug 31, 2019 | www.zerohedge.com

Tens of thousands participated in an unauthorized demonstration - many of whom threw objects and gasoline bombs over barriers at the government's headquarters. After initially retreating in response to the crowd control measures, protesters returned to a nearby suburb and set fire to a wall on Hennessy Road in the city's Wan Chai district.

While others marched back and forth elsewhere in the city, a large crowd wearing helmets and gas masks gathered outside the city government building . Some approached barriers that had been set up to keep protesters away and appeared to throw objects at the police on the other side. Others shone laser lights at the officers.

Police fired tear gas from the other side of the barriers, then brought out a water cannon truck that fired regular water and then colored water at the protesters , staining them and nearby journalists and leaving blue puddles in the street. - AP

Several people were arrested and tossed into police vans.

" Violent protesters continue to throw corrosives and petrol bombs on Central Government Complex, Legislative Council Complex and Police Headquarters," said the police in a statement. "Such acts pose a serious threat to everyone at the scene and breach public peace. " Protesters in Hong Kong returned to the streets in what Bloomberg has called "one of the city's most violent days in its 13th weekend of social unrest," after several top organizers were arrested, including Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow and Andy Chan. Hong Kong police fired tear gas and sprayed protesters with blue dye from pepper-spray filled water cannons, while charging other protesters with shields and batons.

Water cannons fired blue dye pic.twitter.com/U8YAR1PsrQ -- Tiffany May (@nytmay) August 31, 2019

Tens of thousands participated in an unauthorized demonstration - many of whom threw objects and gasoline bombs over barriers at the government's headquarters. After initially retreating in response to the crowd control measures, protesters returned to a nearby suburb and set fire to a wall on Hennessy Road in the city's Wan Chai district. this fire has gotten much bigger after 20 minutes. the street is full of dark smoke.

#hongkongprotests#HongKong Clashes Escalate as Water Cannons, Firebombs Are Used https://t.co/JtIZo9EhGJ @bpolitics pic.twitter.com/pxdhcV0iRc -- Fion Li (@fion_li)

... ... ...

Protesters asked US President Donald Trump to take action and help the activists, who originally took to the streets to protest a controversial extradition bill which would have allowed China to bring suspects to the mainland to face trial in PRC courts.

---

pmc , 2 minutes ago link

It appears the protesters want the military to enter so they can play the martyrs for the cameras. Hong Kong was under colonial rule for years! I guess the Rothschild family wants it back if asking Trump (a Rothschild stooge) to get involved!

American Dissident , 12 minutes ago link

If this crosses the bridge, then it gets real. If its limited to HK, it goes nowhere. The PLA will eventually uncover the CIA perps.

And execute them.

HillaryOdor , 16 minutes ago link

Fighting against the state is great, in theory, but not if you just want to replace the current power structure with a democracy or some other government. There's no point then. You're just replacing one mafia with another.

In practice, fighting the state is almost never useful because there are never enough people who believe in a free society. The state always wins in the end. The prudent thing is to do nothing and live life the best you can.

Fiat Burner , 6 minutes ago link

Yes, most "adults" are still children who believe in the silly fantasy that there is such a thing as a legitimate ruling class. Nothing changes until a critical mass drops the superstition.

Mah_Authoritah , 16 minutes ago link

I didn't realize some of these people are sycophantic Trump worshippers...

I get sick of seeing people look to someone else to save them.

HillaryOdor , 15 minutes ago link

I wouldn't be surprised if intelligence assets were over there convincing some of these people that this was a possibility. They are always spreading discord around the world. If you're the big guy in the room and you want to instigate a fight, tell the angry little guy you've got his back.

ExPat2018 , 24 minutes ago link

According to Americans, gooks don't care about human life.

Thats why they like carpet bombing them with B-52's

bladescott , 19 minutes ago link

You are a special kind of *******... grotesque.

Mah_Authoritah , 17 minutes ago link

A million dead Iraqi's, but no WMD's.

How's that for grotesque?

Brazen Heist II , 14 minutes ago link

Hans Blix is still on the case!

vasilievich , 23 minutes ago link

I was living in Moscow as the Soviet Union was collapsing. The military and the millitarized police went over to the side of the protestors and rebels, and that was decisive. There was some violence and some people were killed, but not nearly as much and as many as there might have been.

One technical note: Never approach armored vehicles with objects in your hands - not even bouquets of flowers. Tanker crews look upon these objects with extreme suspicion. People in Moscow were shot and killed because they offered bouquets to tankers.

Transmedia001 , 31 minutes ago link

... and in mainland China pork prices are skyrocketing, subsidized food prices are rising, 30% of the water is undrinkable, air in all major Chinese cities is unsafe to breathe even by 3rd world standards, and China has stopped reporting the number of protest daily across the country now that it is over 1000 a day.

Hong Kong is the distraction of a dynasty that is quickly collapsing. And let's not forget the trade war, the loss of American companies and the CCP's desperate attempt to keep their intelligence agency Huawei in control 5G. China is collapsing. It's a great show to witness.

Pliskin , 20 minutes ago link

And those protest leaders that were arrested a couple of days ago are in China having their organs harvested，this is a FACT，because I read it here in the comments section a few days ago. Just like I've now read YOUR post，so it must be FACT!

Oh....wait...

'after several top organizers were arrested and then released, including Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow and Andy Chan. '

bloostar , 37 minutes ago link

I will never understand the logic of venting anger on inanimate objects like walls and buildings. If you're going to do it, do it properly and bring the real masters to heel, it'll never work simply destroying someone's car and bending the odd lamppost. They're probably tucked up in their fortress laughing and waiting for it to cool down so they can return to business as usual.

Transmedia001 , 25 minutes ago link

They are getting international news coverage and breaking the information blockade of media. Do you get it now?

JeanTrejean , 40 minutes ago link

They want absolutely that China intervene, it's why It's getting heavier.

quesnay , 25 minutes ago link

And then what? What's the end game? There is only one-way this can play out that I can see. Violent suppression and mass arrests. It will all be done 'officially' under the facade of Hong Kong authority, so technically no 'foul'

HoyeruNew , 41 minutes ago link

so, when was the last time ZH reported on the yellow vests riots?

107cicero , 39 minutes ago link

Don't want to piss off their Anglo/Zionist paymasters.

caconhma , 46 minutes ago link

<Protesters in Hong Kong returned to the streets in what Bloomberg has called " one of the city's most violent days in its 13th weekend of social unrest," after several top organizers were arrested and then released, including Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow and Andy Chan. >

A terrible blunder by Xi. If the Tsarist government in 1905 executed all arrested Bolshevik leaders (Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin, etc.,), there would not be any Bolshevik takeover of Russia in 1917 and the Russian civilization would be still alive today. The world only understands strength and any weakness is not forgiven.

steverino999 , 45 minutes ago link

On a more important note -

Donald Trump will be remembered as a humorous yet sad 4-year blip in the history of America, where the People regrettably admit that this "entertainment age" was responsible for their lack of judgement in 2016, and they learned that they shouldn't play games with something as important to our country's honor and integrity as the office of the Presidency. Fool me twice, shame on me.....

https://i.imgflip.com/1mey9n.jpg

ohm , 38 minutes ago link

something as important to our country's honor and integrity as the office of the Presidency

Honor and integrity in the presidency? Since when?

[Aug 31, 2019] Clever Tactics "Add Oil" to Hong Kong Protests (and not "Hidden Hands" by Lambert Strether

Notable quotes:

"... So, a well-meaning Westerner suggests Gene Sharp's well-known 198 Methods of Non-Violent Action to a HKer, who politely informs him that Sharp's work is already available in Chinese ..."

"... You don't have to wait for your CIA handler to vouchsafe The Sacred Texts. Very sophisticated and tested protest tactics are all available on the Internet, if you research the media coverage of Tahrir Square, los indignados in Spain, the state capital occupations in the United States, Occupy proper, the Carré Rouge in Quebec, and many, many other examples (including the Umbrella movement organic to Hong Kong). It's not all Maidan -- which is on the Internet too, and I don't regard it was useful to forcefit all protests into that model. ..."

"... If they have factories in China now, and they are the invisible hands, I think they (and their factories) would be in trouble already, as in 'now,' and they don't have to worry about being extradited in the future. ..."

"... Me neither. That's a concern. However, there is the idea that "you taught me" that non-violence doesn't work (in 2014), "you" being the Chinese government. There is also the idea that the Mainland is no more agreement-capable than the United States," since they have no intention of adhering to the Basic Law on matters like universal suffrage . If the attitude among a great mass of the protestors is that they have nothing to lose, some sort of Masada-like scenario seems likely. ..."

"... And exactly whose interests would that serve? The interests of the students? The interests of Hong Kong generally? Answering that question will begin to take you down the rabbit hole. ..."

"... Now, it is true that "color revolution" in strong form seems to have lost some credibility, and that, if I may characterize the discourse collectively, we see a strategic retreat to formulations like "I'm sure the protestors have legitimacy," but they're still "manipulated," because, by gawd, that's what the US does. ..."

"... And then we get NGOs (been around for years) and Jimmy Lai (been around for years). Constants, that is, where the protests are a variable (which is why the heavy-breathing GrayZone post about xenohobia doesn't impress me all that much). ..."

"... So will this protest end the way Occupy ended here in "democratic" USA? One has to suspect the secessionist aim that is one of the apparent motives will not be rewarded. ..."

"... US funding and influence was quite well-attested then, for those who were paying attention. Oddly, or not, there seems to be no Victoria Nuland-equivalent for HK. One could argue, of course, that there's an invisible Nuland, but Occam's Razor eliminates that. I never followed Ukraine closely, I admit, partly because Ukraine is fabulously corrupt, and partly because (like Syria) it seemed impossible to separate fact from fiction on the ground. (The only rooting interest I have in Ukraine is their wonderful enormous airplanes.) I think for HK we have a lot more well-attested information. That's what the post is about, in fact. ..."

"... There is video of HKers using 3-person surgical tubing catapults to return to sender tear gas cannisters. I've seen pranksters use these "slingshots" to lob water balloons into unsuspecting civilians, but they are much better suited to return cannisters to the police. ..."

"... I know enough about HK to be a little suspicious of the motives of *some* protestors, but I'm in awe of their inventiveness and raw courage. And believe me, to protest publicly in HK/China requires real physical courage that is not required anywhere in the west, anyone who thinks otherwise is entirely clueless about the nature of the Chinese government and what it is capable of. ..."

"... The fact that neo-con elements in the US are happy about the protests is entirely irrelevant, it really is. Its like saying that when RT had approving articles about Occupy or Black Lives Matter that this proves the Russians were behind it. It really is that stupid and US centric an opinion. ..."

"... But here's the rub. Can you imagine what would happen if this all happened in a western country? Imagine this happening in New York for example. Actually we don't. The authorities came down on the Occupy Wall Street movement like a ton of bricks so we had a taste of what would happen. ..."

"... I am not saying that the Chinese government is right but I can understand their position here. They give Hong Kong a 'special deal' and the rest of China will want their own special deals. ..."

"... Just like the Chinese elites, the U.S. elites don't want to deal with the citizenry, and protest is something that shocks them. ..."

"... What really makes most HK skeptics suspicious is the way the media and the political establishment in the West are constantly slathering the students there with pure, unadulturated praise, while lambasting us skeptics as 'conspiracy theorists'. So comparisons of HK to Maidan are indeed apt. And please contrast the media's treatment of this protest with their (non-)treatment of the gilets jaunes movement in France. On that rare occasion when the MSM did deign to mention the gilets jaunes , they always faithfully accused them of 'racism' and 'anti-semitism'. But note how the HK protesters get pass for using Pepe the Frog as their symbol! ..."

"... The idea of protest is to disrupt the system and generally gum up the works, raising the costs of the offending campaign, hopefully to the point where the material and reputational damage makes the whole thing no longer worth pursuing. This is the end game. ..."

"... To paraphrase Noam Chomsky: Elites want a smoothly-running system of oppression. There is no reason to give them this gift. ..."

"... In general, the techniques described here seem unreliable and dangerous if masking your identity from surveillance is vital. The idea that you are going to identify and precisely target every video camera that can see you, 100% of the time, esp. in a moving and rapidly changing environment, seems extremely naive. Video cameras are small, cheap, inconspicuous, and easy to disguise. All that's needed by the opponent is a single video frame that shows your face clearly. ..."

Aug 30, 2019 | www.nakedcapitalism.com

Let me start out with a sidebar on "add oil" (加油), which you see all over the coverage of the Hong Kong protests: It originated, says the OED , as a cheer at the Macau Grand Prix in the 1960s, meaning "step on the gas" (which is good to know, because I thought that the underlying metaphor was adding cooking oil to a wok preparatory to frying). It translates roughly to " go for it !" Here, an apartment block encourages the protesters by chanting it:

Interestingly, "add oil!" was also used as a cheer by the 2014 Umbrella movement , which should tell you that Hong Kong has considerable experience in running a protest.

Sidebar completed, this post will have a simple thesis: The people of Hong Kong have considerable experience in running protests, and we don't need to multiply invisible entities ("hidden hands") to give an account of what they're doing. For example, it's not necessary to postulate that the participants in the 2019 Hong Kong anti-extradition bill protests consulted CIA handlers on tactics; their tactics are often available, in open source , on the Internet; other tactics are based on Hong Kong material culture , things and situations that come readily to hand and can be adapted by creative people (which the protesters clearly are).

I started thinking about this post when I read this tweet:

Andreas Fulda ‏ @ AMFChina Aug 27 More Copy link to Tweet Embed Tweet

Wow, amazing! This campaign is on fire I was wondering if someone could volunteer and translate the attached 198 methods of nonviolent action into Cantonese? It would be great to share a Cantonese version with @ lihkg_forum Link below is safe! https://www. aeinstein.org/nonviolentacti on/198-methods-of-nonviolent-action/ pic.twitter.com/4kh6ORUnai

So, a well-meaning Westerner suggests Gene Sharp's well-known 198 Methods of Non-Violent Action to a HKer, who politely informs him that Sharp's work is already available in Chinese .

Clearly, #genesharptaughtme is alive and well! (In fact, I remember Black Lives Matter using the same hashtag.)

I am well-aware of Gene Sharp's equivocal role as a defense intellectual -- in strong form, the Godfather of "color revolutions" -- but at this point Sharp's influence is attenuated. Out here in reality, information on non-violent strategy and tactics has gone global, like everything else.

You don't have to wait for your CIA handler to vouchsafe The Sacred Texts. Very sophisticated and tested protest tactics are all available on the Internet, if you research the media coverage of Tahrir Square, los indignados in Spain, the state capital occupations in the United States, Occupy proper, the Carré Rouge in Quebec, and many, many other examples (including the Umbrella movement organic to Hong Kong). It's not all Maidan -- which is on the Internet too, and I don't regard it was useful to forcefit all protests into that model.

So, I'm going to go through a few of the tactics used in the 2019 Hong Kong protests: Umbrellas, Laser Pointers, Lennon Walls, and a Human Chain. For each tactic, I will throw it into the open source bucket, or the material culture bucket; in either case, there need be no "hidden hand." Also, I find protest tactics fascinating in and of themselves; I think a movement is healthy if its tactics are creative, and when they are so no longer, the movement has not long to live. (For example, Black Lives Matter started to disintegrate as a national movement when the college die-ins stopped (and when the liberal Democrats co-opted it by elevating Deray.) To the tactics!

Umbrellas

Umbrellas were already a symbol of protest in Hong Kong, from the Umbrella Movement of 2014. Here we see umbrellas being used to shield protestors from surveillance cameras (although they can also be used as shields against kinetic effects).

In concept, the testudo (tortoise) formation dates to Roman times:

One can indeed see that Maidan protestors using literal shields:

However, I would classify umbrella tactics as deriving from Hong Kong's material culture ; Hong Kong is sub-tropical ; there are typhoons; there is rain, fog, drizzle; and there is also the sun. Massed umbrellas scale easily from the tens to the hundreds; they create a splendid visual effect en masse ; and they are available in any corner shop. So, it is not necessary to postulate an entity translating Maidan's heavy medieval shields to Hong Kong umbrellas; the protestors would have worked out the uses of umbrellas themselves, adapting the tools that come to hand to the existing conditions.

Laser Pointers

Hong Kong, under Mainland influence, is increasingly a surveillance state; it makes sense that HKers would give considerable thought to surveillance, and how to avoid it, in the normal course of events. How much more so protestors:

I would classify the laser pointers tactic open source , since that's how I found out that yes, laser poinerns can knock out surveillance cameras . Again, there's no need to postulate that some unknown entity gave the protesters the idea; anybody with a little creativity and some research skills could come up with it, given the proper incentives (like being arrested, say).

Lennon Walls

Here is a Lennon Wall ("you may say I'm a dreamer") in Hong Kong: Lennon Walls originated in Prague after John Lennon's murder in 1980 : ( The 2014 Umbrella movement also used them .) But these are Lennon Walls with Chinese characteristics:

The idea that one may "post" anything has been actualized with Post-It Notes, giving HK walls a digital, pixelated look:

And the authorities have just begun to tear them down: Reminds me of the NYPD bulldozing the Zucotti Park library, sadly.

I would classify Lennon Walls in both categories: They originated, conceptually, in Prague (so open source ) but they are well adapted for massed protest in the material culture of Hong Kong. (Like massed umbrellas, massed PostIt notes scale easily from the tens to the thousands; they create a splendid visual effect en masse ; and they are available in any corner shop.)

Human Chain

Here is a poster publicizing "the Hong Kong Way," a human chain across Hong Kong: Here is the beautiful result:

I would classify "the Hong Kong Way" as open source , since the idea originated from " the Baltic Way ," where some two million people joined hands to form a human chain across the three Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania

Conclusion

Just to tweak the "It's a color revolution!" crowd, here's an image of HKers watching a movie about Maidan:

I hope I have persuaded you that (a) this Maidan movie is open source "; knowledge of Maidan as a worthy object of study, that (b) by Occam's Razor, it doesn't take a CIA handler to tell this to HKers, and that (c) if the HKers end up building catapults , they will be adapted to Hong Kong's material culture (i.e., probably not medieval in appearance or structure).[1]

NOTES

[1] The HKers may also be sending a message to the authorities: If Maidan is what you want, bring it!

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TooSoonOld , , August 30, 2019 at 5:40 pm

Maciej Cegłowski has written a first-hand account that helped me understand some of the tactics the protesters employ. I see he's written a follow-on piece, too.
https://idlewords.com/2019/08/a_walk_in_hong_kong.htm

MyLessThanPrimeBeef , , August 30, 2019 at 6:46 pm

Another claim is that rich Hong Kongers are behind the protests, fearing extradition.

If they have factories in China now, and they are the invisible hands, I think they (and their factories) would be in trouble already, as in 'now,' and they don't have to worry about being extradited in the future.

I'm doubtful of that claim as well.

PlutoniumKun , , August 31, 2019 at 4:40 am

I've read that claim too, and for the reasons you state and others it doesn't pass the smell test, its simply not credible.

pjay , , August 30, 2019 at 8:11 pm

Ok. I really did not want to post any more comments on Hong Kong, or China for that matter, here at NC. But I am genuinely puzzled, and I have to say concerned, about the way this issue has been framed here. One does not have to accept the argument that *either* (1) the protests are completely spontaneous and genuine; *or* (2) the protests are mainly the product of CIA manipulation of otherwise clueless dupes (a whole lot of them apparently!). This is a false dichotomy. None of the critics of the mainstream Hong Kong narrative that I am familiar with take a position any where close to (2). It is a straw-man position if applied to most reputable "skeptics."

Rather, the argument I have seen most often among these skeptics (including some commenters here) is that, while the protests *were* authentic and directed at real issues of concern to protesters, there have also been efforts on the part of Western agents to manipulate this situation. This included support of particular, strategically significant leaders and groups and, of course, control of the Western media narrative. We have pictures and stories in even the mainstream press of US officials and representatives of western NGOs meeting with such individuals. Hell, we have US politicians bragging about it. These connections are pretty clear, whether or not HKers can find Gene Sharp's work on the internet.

https://thegrayzone.com/2019/08/17/hong-kong-protest-washington-nativism-violence/

I have no doubt that many HKers are opposed to mainland rule, so China hands here need not lecture me condescendingly on that issue. On the other hand, I have no doubt that Chinese officials are justified in suspecting covert action by the CIA to stir things up even more (though a lot of the activity is actually pretty overt). Looking at the postwar actions of the US and its allies all over the world, including China in the past, they would have to be idiots not to. And they are not idiots.

RubyDog , , August 30, 2019 at 8:56 pm

Good post. As usual, reality is far more complex and not reducible to simplistic either/or narratives. Protest, rebellion, and unrest are endemic in Chinese (and world) history. In a globalized and interconnected modern world, of course there is widespread awareness and cross fertilization of movements. The "West" did not start this fire, though no doubt they are doing some fanning of the flames.

What worries me is that I do not understand the endgame of the protesters. If you are facing a power far greater than your own, guerilla tactics are in order, but you have to know when to declare victory and back off for awhile. They seem to want to keep pushing and pushing until another Tienanmen may become inevitable.

Anon , , August 30, 2019 at 11:02 pm

The HK protesters recognize that they have enough bodies to literally bring parts of the city to a halt. Soon the authorities will realize that they don't have enough police to maintain order and some sort of compromise will be in order.

Imagine if 200 cars stopped on an LA freeway. Traffic would be halted for hours before enough tow trucks could be put in service. Bodies in the street (cars on the freeway) can be enough to stop "business as usual".

Lambert Strether Post author , , August 31, 2019 at 3:03 am

> I do not understand the endgame of the protesters

Me neither. That's a concern. However, there is the idea that "you taught me" that non-violence doesn't work (in 2014), "you" being the Chinese government. There is also the idea that the Mainland is no more agreement-capable than the United States," since they have no intention of adhering to the Basic Law on matters like universal suffrage . If the attitude among a great mass of the protestors is that they have nothing to lose, some sort of Masada-like scenario seems likely.

As for the rest of the comment, meh. It's simultaneously an initial withdrawal of the debunked "color revolution" theory, and a mushy reformulation of same in different terms ("no doubt that Chinese officials are justified in suspecting covert action by the CIA"). Either you believe that the Hong Kong protests are organic in origin and execution, or you don't. See my comment here .

Harry , , August 31, 2019 at 6:05 am

My sympathy for the HK protesters is somewhat impaired by their antipathy for mainlanders and mainlander immigration to HK. Its worth reading Carl Zha on Tiananmen. I thought i knew what happened in Tiananmen, but it turned out i didn't.

Lambert Strether Post author , , August 31, 2019 at 6:10 am

I'm a bit leery of Chongqing native Carl Zha and his sudden elevation. Let's remember that the Mainland is just as sophisticated in its information campaigns as the US. For example, a claim that he has revealed what really happened, as we say, at Tien An Man, without an explanation what his views are is a red flag to me. (In the worse case scenario, disinformation is infesting the NC comments section.) No, I'm not going to "just listen to the YouTube" because I don't have time to devote to it, as opposed to reading a transcript quickly.

Also, weird flex on "immigration."

PlutoniumKun , , August 31, 2019 at 8:52 am

I've just come across Zha once or twice and I certainly would not consider him a reliable source. The 'official' narrative around Tiannanman in China (as taught to Chinese people) has changed more than once, his seems to match the current version. This doesn't mean he is lying or wrong, I'm just suspicious about anyone who claims to know the 'truth' about such a chaotic and charged event, and some of the things he has written is simply not a reflection of what Chinese people I know think about it.

Its worth pointing out of course that almost all the evidence suggests that the Chinese intelligence penetration of the US has been far more competent than vice versa. The narrative that somehow the CIA was behind Tiananmen (which even MoA has pushed) and the current protests simply strains all credulity. There is no doubt they would provide any help they could to anti-government movements within China, but there is no evidence that they've done anything more than promote a few fringe dissidents.

harry , , August 31, 2019 at 11:56 am

Zha (to my recollection) did not suggest the CIA was behind Tiananmen. He did suggest that the amount of violence and the cause of the violence was not as reported in the West. There was little corroboration though. That said, he had quite an interesting take on the lone man with shopping bag stopping tank column. Perhaps it is common knowledge but he suggested that event took place on the day after Tiananmen, when the tanks were trying to head back to base. Just cos he said that don't make it true of course. But it did make me ask how i know what i think i know.

Harry , , August 31, 2019 at 12:11 pm

I apologize for not outlining his views. I thought it better to just suggest him as a possible reference and allow people to come to their own conclusions. I came across him cos I follow Mark Ames on twitter. I know of Ames cos I spent time in Moscow in the 90s. So I considered it a good recommendation -- but hardly foolproof. Zha suggests that students in Tienamin set a bus on fire in the square (of heavenly peace?) which unfortunately contained a number of PLA soldiers who were burned alive. I have no way of knowing whether this account is true. However he also suggested the iconic man in front of tank column took place on the following day. Which was news to me, and seemed quite plausible when you consider the interaction. But I have no reason to believe this anymore than I should believe the BBC or CNN. Its just that where I have listened to the BBC on subjects I am personally familiar with, they have occasionally been rather "economical" with inconvenient truths. Mr Zha has the advantage of Ames recommendation, a clean slate, and an interesting but unproven assertion.

His take on HK protests is that they have become rather violent, with the aim being to prompt a violent response from the Chinese authorities.

HKers appear to view themselves as distinct from mainlanders, and do not seem to welcome mainland immigration. Fascinating to see british colonial flags brandished when telling Mandarin speakers to "go home". But even here I am relying on the translations applied by the makers of the videos. I dont speak Cantonese or Mandarin.

Seamus Padraig , , August 31, 2019 at 7:19 am

They seem to want to keep pushing and pushing until another Tienanmen may become inevitable.

And exactly whose interests would that serve? The interests of the students? The interests of Hong Kong generally? Answering that question will begin to take you down the rabbit hole.

Plenue , , August 30, 2019 at 9:28 pm

(2) seems to be Olga's position. She's repeatedly demonstrated a disregard for 'gullible youth'.

Lambert Strether Post author , , August 31, 2019 at 2:54 am

> But I am genuinely puzzled, and I have to say concerned, about the way this issue has been framed here. One does not have to accept the argument that *either* (1) the protests are completely spontaneous and genuine; *or* (2) the protests are mainly the product of CIA manipulation of otherwise clueless dupes (a whole lot of them apparently!). This is a false dichotomy. None of the critics of the mainstream Hong Kong narrative that I am familiar with take a position any where close to (2). It is a straw-man position if applied to most reputable "skeptics."

Nonsense. If you say that the HK protests were a "color revolution," which was the original claim ( following Moon of Alabama here , with the most frequent analogy being Ukraine, #2 ("clueless dupes") is exactly what you're saying.

So, I'm not "straw manning" at all, but replying directly to a criticism expressed here. Please follow the site more closely before you mischaracterize what I wrote.

Now, it is true that "color revolution" in strong form seems to have lost some credibility, and that, if I may characterize the discourse collectively, we see a strategic retreat to formulations like "I'm sure the protestors have legitimacy," but they're still "manipulated," because, by gawd, that's what the US does.

And then we get NGOs (been around for years) and Jimmy Lai (been around for years). Constants, that is, where the protests are a variable (which is why the heavy-breathing GrayZone post about xenohobia doesn't impress me all that much).

The formulation employed in your comment is even weaker:

there have also been efforts on the part of Western agents to manipulate this situation. This included support of particular, strategically significant leaders and groups and, of course, control of the Western media narrative.

I don't know what "efforts by" even means. (I mean, there were "efforts by" various odd Russians to meet with Trump, but no hotel was build, and so, so what?) Nor do I think that editorials in the Times have the slightest influence either on the Hong Kong protestors or the Mainland. I can't imagine why anybody would take them seriously.

What I am here to say is that the HK protests are organic to HK. They are organized and directed by HKers, many of whom have a lot of experience protesting. There is no need to multiply entities -- whether in strong form the CIA or in very weak form "the connections are pretty clear" -- to give an account of them. Now, as I said here, I'm sure Five Eyes are "sniffing around." Probably Taipei, Japan, Indonesia, even the French and the Dutch; anyone with an interest in events in the South China Sea. But IMNSHO the protestors have full agency . (It's also hard to avoid that there's a whiff of colonialism here, too: How is it possible that mere Chinese people could achieve such things without Western help?

And so, like clockwork -- I've noticed this in other comments that start out with the weak form of "manipulation" and end up with the strong form of "control" -- we come right back to that claim!

On the other hand, I have no doubt that Chinese officials are justified in suspecting covert action by the CIA to stir things up even more (though a lot of the activity is actually pretty overt)

(So "overt" that you can't even link to whatever the activity might be. Fine.) First, we come back to the Mandy Rice-Davies rule: They would say that, wouldn't they? Second, so I wasn't straw-manning at all, then, was I? Third, after I went to the trouble of applying Occam's Razor to your claims, you just repeat them!

NOTE * "We have pictures and stories in even the mainstream press of US officials and representatives of western NGOs meeting with such individuals." The picture is in a hotel ffs. Pretty low level of operational security, if you ask me.

Carolinian , , August 30, 2019 at 8:37 pm

So will this protest end the way Occupy ended here in "democratic" USA? One has to suspect the secessionist aim that is one of the apparent motives will not be rewarded.

RBHoughton , , August 30, 2019 at 8:49 pm

This is frankly quite superficial but, if anyone has 30 minutes spare, they can learn the history behind today's Hong Kong riots here :

https://youtu.be/17f9yoorTu8

Lambert Strether Post author , , August 31, 2019 at 3:26 am

I've often inveighed against YouTube links that don't summarize the content. In this case, those interested in "connecting the dots" and following the money might be interested to know that the videocaster, Sarah Flounders, is a member of the Secretariat of Workers World Party :

The Workers World Party (WWP) is a revolutionary Marxist -- Leninist political party in the United States founded in 1959 by a group led by Sam Marcy of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP). Marcy and his followers split from the SWP in 1958 over a series of long-standing differences, among them their support for Henry A. Wallace's Progressive Party in 1948, the positive view they held of the Chinese Revolution led by Mao Zedong and their defense of the 1956 Soviet intervention in Hungary, all of which the SWP opposed.

I don't know what the Chinese word for "tankies" is, or even if there is one, but we seem to have one such here. Here from their newspaper, Workers World, an article originally written in 1993, reprinted in 2019 :

Immediately before and during the Tienanmen Square days, China appeared to be in danger of disintegrating into warlordism. This was overcome and the decentralizing process that threatened to emerge was eliminated. That was a victory of socialism.

The question of how far the Chinese government can go with the capitalist reforms will certainly be up for review, notwithstanding a constitutional provision meant to make the reforms a permanent feature in Chinese society.

One fact has certainly emerged: the millions who left the rural areas for the great cities of China and were absorbed into the proletariat have given the Chinese government and Communist Party the opportunity to strengthen the socialist character of the state. The growth of the proletariat is the objective factor most needed for the building of socialism.

I don't think its surprising that Flounders and the WWP would retail the mainland line.

The Rev Kev , , August 30, 2019 at 9:56 pm

I guess that this comes about seeing what happened to all the young people who supported the Ukrainian "revolution" for a free, just society. Twice! How did that work out for them? How is the Ukraine going these days? What did they say when they found out that that so-called "revolution" last time had a $5 billion 'Made-in-the-USA' sticker on it? Conspiracy theory at the time. Recorded fact now.

Lambert Strether Post author , , August 31, 2019 at 6:24 am

> Conspiracy theory at the time. Recorded fact now.

Not so. US funding and influence was quite well-attested then, for those who were paying attention. Oddly, or not, there seems to be no Victoria Nuland-equivalent for HK. One could argue, of course, that there's an invisible Nuland, but Occam's Razor eliminates that. I never followed Ukraine closely, I admit, partly because Ukraine is fabulously corrupt, and partly because (like Syria) it seemed impossible to separate fact from fiction on the ground. (The only rooting interest I have in Ukraine is their wonderful enormous airplanes.) I think for HK we have a lot more well-attested information. That's what the post is about, in fact.

John A , , August 31, 2019 at 7:47 am

Re similarities or otherwise with Kiev, we will have to wait and see if there is any sniper crowd killings in HK as with the 'Heavenly Hundred' in Kiev. At the time, the shootings were blamed on the government, but compelling evidence since points to US backed snipers from Georgia.

Harry , , August 31, 2019 at 12:23 pm

Compelling might be pushing a point. There is certainly evidence, and some of it is quite persuasive. However I dont consider some Georgians snipers on Italian tv compelling evidence.

Anon , , August 30, 2019 at 10:54 pm

RE: Catapult

There is video of HKers using 3-person surgical tubing catapults to return to sender tear gas cannisters. I've seen pranksters use these "slingshots" to lob water balloons into unsuspecting civilians, but they are much better suited to return cannisters to the police.

I did a brief search on the Internet for some video but couldn't find it.

Anon , , August 30, 2019 at 11:08 pm

okay, here's a link:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7319925/Demonstrators-use-slingshots-hurl-rocks-police-station-Hong-Kong.html

Lambert Strether Post author , , August 31, 2019 at 6:39 am

The Maidan catapult had its own Twitter account. Here's what it looked like:

I doubt very much that a catapult designed by HKers would look like this; it is not constructed of materials that come readily to hand. (And perhaps massed slingshots would be more effective anyhow.)

(I can't read any languages written in Cyrillic, so I defer to any readers who can on my interpretation.)

VietnamVet , , August 30, 2019 at 11:30 pm

Endless wars. Smoke filled skies. Hurricanes, drought, flooding. No purpose in life. Incarceration, surveillance and insurmountable debt. Arrogant incompetence.

Change is coming. People need hope. A movement will be born.
"Bring it on" -- "Pa'lante" in Spanish.

Hurray For The Riff Raff -- Pa'lante

"And do my time, and be something
Well I just wanna prove my worth --
On the planet Earth, and be, something"

"To all who had to hide, I say, iPa'lante!
To all who lost their pride, I say, ¡Pa'lante!
To all who had to survive, I say, ¡Pa'lante!"

"To my brothers, and my sisters, I say, ¡Pa'lante!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LilVDjLaZSE

Lambert Strether Post author , , August 31, 2019 at 3:11 am

So "Pa'lante" is how you say "add oil" in Spanish!

Alex morfesis , , August 31, 2019 at 11:52 am

Para Alante. Pa'lante for forward/move forward/go forward/go to the front/continue/keep pushing forward/don't stop

Different Spanish interpretations depending on which blend of the language your ears become attuned to .mine flow from cuban, with a twist of Puerto Rican/Newrican, a dabble of dominican, some mexican icing and a little Columbian sprinkles on top

PlutoniumKun , , August 31, 2019 at 4:36 am

Thank you for this Lambert. Perhaps its my perspective of coming from a small country, but I find the anti-HK protestor comments I see here and elsewhere baffling coming from supposed progressives. Sometimes, really, its not all about the US, or even US Imperialism.

I know enough about HK to be a little suspicious of the motives of *some* protestors, but I'm in awe of their inventiveness and raw courage. And believe me, to protest publicly in HK/China requires real physical courage that is not required anywhere in the west, anyone who thinks otherwise is entirely clueless about the nature of the Chinese government and what it is capable of.

The fact that neo-con elements in the US are happy about the protests is entirely irrelevant, it really is. Its like saying that when RT had approving articles about Occupy or Black Lives Matter that this proves the Russians were behind it. It really is that stupid and US centric an opinion.

As to the questions about the endgame, I really don't know, and I suspect the protestors don't know either. My own opinion is that this is as much a nationalist movement as a political one. Many HKers see themselves as a nation with one foot in the east and one in the west and want to preserve this status, but nobody has to my knowledge articulated how they can achieve this. Many of them have a romantic notion of what western 'freedoms' mean, but not quite as romantic as people think, as so many HKers have lived in the US or UK or elsewhere and are not entirely politically naive. But they sure as hell know they do not want to live in an autocratic State led by Beijing, and they are perfectly entitled to that view.

The Rev Kev , , August 31, 2019 at 5:03 am

Your last part of your comment makes the protestors sound like the Brexiteers of the Far Fast. People who want radical change but are uncertain how to go about it and with no clear aim in mind. They may not want to live in an autocratic State led by Beijing but according to the map that I use, Hong Kong is within the borders of China. They are not going to get independence and they cannot go back to the way things were so they had better sort out what it is they want their relationship to Beijing to be before it is decided for them.

PlutoniumKun , , August 31, 2019 at 5:18 am

And thats exactly what they are doing. What are they supposed to do, just let their appointed leaders decide for them?

The Rev Kev , , August 31, 2019 at 5:33 am

No. But their five demands don't sound like a winning combination. It doesn't make them sound even serious about full-fledged change-

1-The complete withdrawal of the proposed extradition bill
2-The government to withdraw the use of the word "riot" in relation to protests
3-The unconditional release of arrested protesters and charges against them dropped
4-An independent inquiry into police behaviour
5-Implementation of genuine universal suffrage

Lambert Strether Post author , , August 31, 2019 at 6:04 am

> 5-Implementation of genuine universal suffrage

That's a demand that Mainland China adhere to the Basic Law that transferred Hong Kong from British sovereignty to PRC sovereignty. What's unserious about that?

The Rev Kev , , August 31, 2019 at 6:20 am

Agreed about that last demand but it is the outlier on that list. Demands 2, 3 and 4 sound like they are trying to 'prepare the battlefield' for the next series of protests by undermining the ability of the Hong Kong Police to do their work. Demand 1 is just fulfilling the casus belli for this series of protests.

Lambert Strether Post author , , August 31, 2019 at 6:30 am

> 'prepare the battlefield' for the next series of protests by undermining the ability of the Hong Kong Police to do their work

In what sense is that not serious? (I'll say again that I think the HKers want what they think is liberal democracy as the US/UK may once be said to have had it this is not a proletarian revolution. Hence, the presence of billionaire Lai is unproblematic, despite heavy breathing at Grey Zone.)

In what sense is asking for one's first demand not serious? Is it more serious to write it off?

The Rev Kev , , August 31, 2019 at 6:57 am

I realize that this is not a popular line of thought but I believe that you do have to consider all aspects of such a big event to be fair. I mean, even Paul Joseph Watson came out with a video supporting the protests-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVu9b6mcWos

But here's the rub. Can you imagine what would happen if this all happened in a western country? Imagine this happening in New York for example. Actually we don't. The authorities came down on the Occupy Wall Street movement like a ton of bricks so we had a taste of what would happen.

I am not saying that the Chinese government is right but I can understand their position here. They give Hong Kong a 'special deal' and the rest of China will want their own special deals.

PlutoniumKun , , August 31, 2019 at 8:09 am

Hong Kong already has its own special deal, 'one nation, two systems' is the official slogan from Beijing. Its Beijing that is backing away from this, not the protestors.

The Rev Kev , , August 31, 2019 at 8:53 am

That's right. A 50-year deal and China was not in much of a position to do a lot about it. Times change and I guess that the Chinese feel that it is time to redress the wrongs of the past according to their lights. I wonder if Macau has the same issues.

Carolinian , , August 31, 2019 at 9:16 am

So if China is, as accused, reneging on the "two systems" then where are the protestors on the "one nation"? To some of us it appears that these young people simply don't want to be a part of China. If true then that's an aim that goes far beyond mere reform.

And the reason USG involvement matters is that some of us don't believe the US should be meddling in other countries -- even ones as unfree as China. The protestors could reassure about the purity of their aims by renouncing US support or the sanctions that some Republicans in Congress are threatening rather than waving US and British flags.

PlutoniumKun , , August 31, 2019 at 9:41 am

A 50-year deal and China was not in much of a position to do a lot about it.

Where on earth did you get that idea? It was actually China's idea, promoted by Deng Xiaoping -- part of their strategy to woo Taiwan and ease the concerns of their neighbours. Plus, it made perfect sense for them economically.

Lambert Strether Post author , , August 31, 2019 at 6:06 am

> The fact that neo-con elements in the US are happy about the protests is entirely irrelevant, it really is. Its like saying that when RT had approving articles about Occupy or Black Lives Matter that this proves the Russians were behind it. It really is that stupid and US centric an opinion.

The NYT wrote some editorials! ZOMG!!!!!

DJG , , August 31, 2019 at 10:57 am

PK: Thanks. You mention coming from a small country, and I think it would benefit all U.S. peeps here to adjust their perspectives accordingly. Good advice.

Second is dispelling the typical "Don't know much about history" attitude in the U S of A. I notice how Lambert Strether ties together several recent organic protest movements. (Should we also throw in Iranian protests after the presidential election in 2009, Taksim protests in Istanbul, and Greek protests against austerity? All of which were organic and fit these models -- the chants from the apartment building remind me of the videos of call and response at night in Iranian cities during those protests.)

Americans like to act as if every event is brand new. And the "don't know much about about history" attitude means being "nonjudgmental" -- which means having no control to assess facts and not much concern for critical thinking.

One question to be asked here would be: How can protest in the U S of A be raised to the HK or Taksim level of disruption?

Just like the Chinese elites, the U.S. elites don't want to deal with the citizenry, and protest is something that shocks them.

And the endgame? The endgame is protest. What comes next? We may be in an era where more protest is needed. Time to study again the disruptions of 1848?

Harry , , August 31, 2019 at 6:53 am

https://twitter.com/joshuawongcf/status/1167480860804710400?s=19

Seamus Padraig , , August 31, 2019 at 7:29 am

What really makes most HK skeptics suspicious is the way the media and the political establishment in the West are constantly slathering the students there with pure, unadulturated praise, while lambasting us skeptics as 'conspiracy theorists'. So comparisons of HK to Maidan are indeed apt. And please contrast the media's treatment of this protest with their (non-)treatment of the gilets jaunes movement in France. On that rare occasion when the MSM did deign to mention the gilets jaunes , they always faithfully accused them of 'racism' and 'anti-semitism'. But note how the HK protesters get pass for using Pepe the Frog as their symbol!

Whom the media cover and how they cover them will always tell you a lot about who is really behind a protest movement and who really stands to benefit from it.

Seamus Padraig , , August 31, 2019 at 7:34 am

Let me start out with a sidebar on "add oil" (加油), which you see all over the coverage of the Hong Kong protests: It originated, says the OED, as a cheer at the Macau Grand Prix in the 1960s, meaning "step on the gas" (which is good to know, because I thought that the underlying metaphor was adding cooking oil to a wok preparatory to frying). It translates roughly to "go for it!"

I have noticed that Germans often the phrase Gas geben (to floor it, to accelerate) with roughly the same colloquial meaning of 'to get a move on'.

XXYY , , August 31, 2019 at 10:42 am

I do not understand the endgame of the protesters.

The idea of protest is to disrupt the system and generally gum up the works, raising the costs of the offending campaign, hopefully to the point where the material and reputational damage makes the whole thing no longer worth pursuing. This is the end game.

To paraphrase Noam Chomsky: Elites want a smoothly-running system of oppression. There is no reason to give them this gift.

DJG , , August 31, 2019 at 10:59 am

XXYY: Yes. And there were a few essays recently about disobedience. The question isn't why people disobey. The true question is: Why is the mass of citizens so obedient?

XXYY , , August 31, 2019 at 11:23 am

During the Occupy protests one continually heard this question: What do they want?!?!

Leaving aside the fact that a group of 5000 people carrying large signs generally makes answering this question pretty easy, there seemed to be a limited ability to grasp the idea that protest is in fact an end .

I think we have somehow been seduced or indoctrinated with the idea that if you do A, it must be strictly in service of getting B. Often the motivations are just inchoate rage or anger, and often the intention is just to call attention to something or just f*ck sh*t up!

As we saw with Occupy, a major turning point in US history and society and the origin of much that was to come, it's fine to just trust the universe to helpfully spin your actions in ways your never could have predicted.

cbu , , August 31, 2019 at 10:55 am

The protest will end with the Hong Kong government invoking the Emergency Regulations Ordinance.

John k , , August 31, 2019 at 1:03 pm

To what end? That doesn't boost the number of cops. China brings in the tanks? That maybe ends hk usefulness to China as offshore financial center and certainly ends rapprochement with Taiwan.

IMO China's instinct for heavy handed response has led them to a series of mistakes. Perhaps the trade war has them on edge.

XXYY , , August 31, 2019 at 11:11 am

Re: https://www.wikihow.com/Blind-a-Surveillance-Camera

In general, the techniques described here seem unreliable and dangerous if masking your identity from surveillance is vital. The idea that you are going to identify and precisely target every video camera that can see you, 100% of the time, esp. in a moving and rapidly changing environment, seems extremely naive. Video cameras are small, cheap, inconspicuous, and easy to disguise. All that's needed by the opponent is a single video frame that shows your face clearly.

A much better approach to work on seems like trying to obscure your own identifying features. Obviously people are doing this with masks, hoods, goggles, hard hats, umbrellas, and everything else.

One thing I haven't seen too much about is strategies specifically intended to defeat facial recognition technology. AI-based recognizers seem to be extremely brittle; small and even undetectable modifications to the source data seem to be able to throw them off completely (e.g. https://mashable.com/2017/11/02/mit-researchers-fool-google-ai-program/ ). One can imagine these approaches being deployed deliberately as camoflauge or a "disguise". Obviously the problem would be finding robust techniques.

[Aug 28, 2019] an interesting pair of comments by frequent fliers:

Aug 28, 2019 | www.flyertalk.com

I'm a visitor, but spending about 100 nights a year in Hong Kong in 2019. This includes some time during the initial protests in June, some time in July, and all of August until now. I think there's a big misconception about how much this affects daily life. To be honest, apart from having a hotel shuttle bus that was stuck in traffic in mid June, I didn't really experience any negative impacts of the protests. I walk around 10 miles a day, and it is very rare to see any protesters. One of my friends lives two blocks from the Chinese liaison office, and he's had tear gassing on three days since mid June. I walked through a couple of riot police staging areas, but they're very friendly and left me alone. I also saw some graffiti. But in day-to-day life, the impact of the protests is zero.

In fact, visiting Hong Kong is much more enjoyable than usual, because there are virtually no mainland tourists. You can visit TST Promenade, which normally has dozens of buses spewing out thousands of visitors, and right now, you're practically the only person there. Equally important, hotels have crazy prices around 30 to 50% off the usual low season pricing. HK$1100 for Hyatt TST or HK$750 for the new Marriott Ocean Park. Insane deals!

Now, of course, if you for some reason get impacted by any airport closure and you have to be at an important event, that truly sucks. So perhaps don't fly through Hong Kong if you're on the way to interview for an amazing job offer. But for tourists, it's an ideal time to visit.

As far as safety is concerned, if you're from the US or Europe, unless you live in the most sheltered and safest environments, Hong Kong -even with the protests- will be much better than what you're used to.

...

From a local's perspective, the protests force an occasional work-at-home day, but so far everything has been business as usual. There seem to be less mainland tourists, so the crowded areas tend to be more manageable now. The violence and tear gas tend to start flying off at night, and there is usually a decent period of time before the raids come for tourists to escape. Avoid hanging around police stations as they are the main target of protesters, accusing the police for brutality and using excessive force.

I do think visiting one of these peaceful rallies/protests or reading through one of the many Lennon Walls around the city would be an interesting highlight for a tourist.

Do leave some time for your flight out though, in light of increased security measures for departures these days.

[Aug 27, 2019] House Niggers Mutiny by Israel Shamir

Highly recommended!

Aug 27, 2019 | www.unz.com

Slavery had some good aspects for those chaps who had it rather good. A colonial setup is the next best thing to slavery, and it also holds its attraction for people who knew how to place themselves just below the sahibs and above the run-of-the-mill natives. The Hong Kong revolt is the mutiny of wannabe house niggers who feel that the gap between them and the natives is rapidly vanishing. Once, a HK resident was head and shoulders above the miserable mainland coolies; he spoke English, he had smart devices, he had his place in the tentacle sucking wealth out of the mainland, and some of that wealth stuck to his sweaty hands. But now he has no advantage compared to the people of Shanghai or Beijing. There is huge swelling of wealth in the big cities of Red China. The Chinese dress well, travel abroad, and they do not need HK mediation for dealing with the West. Beijing had offered HK a fair deal of [relative] equality; nothing would be taken from them, but the shrinking gap is not only unavoidable, but desirable, too.

However, HK had been the imperial bridgehead in China for too long. Its people were complicit, nay, willing partners in every Western crime against China, beginning with dumping opium and sucking out Chinese wealth. Millions of opium addicts, of ruined families and households nearly destroyed the Middle Kingdom, and each of them added to HK prosperity. The blood, sweat and labour of all China abundantly supplied the island. HK was the first of the Treaty Ports, and the last to return home. Its populace was not thoroughly detoxed; they weren't ideologically prepared for a new life as equals.

Chairman Mao harboured hard suspicions against comprador cities, the cities and the people who prospered due to their collaboration with the imperialist enemy. He cleansed them with communist and patriotic re-education; recalcitrant compradors were sent to help peasants in far-away villages in order to reconnect with the people. Mao's successors had a strong if misplaced belief in Chinese nationalism as a universal remedy; they thought the Chinese of HK, Macau and Taiwan would join them the moment the colonial yoke failed. This was an over-optimistic assessment. The imperialist forces didn't give up on their former house slaves, and the moment they needed to activate them against independent China they knew where to look.

Their time came as the trade conflict between the US and China warmed up. The secret government of the West aka Deep State came to the conclusion that China is getting way too big for its boots. It is not satisfied with making cheap gadgets for Walmart customers. It is producing state-of-art devices that compete with American goods and, what's worse, their devices are not accessible for NSA surveillance. The Chinese company Huawei came under attack; sanctions and custom duties followed in train. When the Yuan eased under the strain, the Chinese were accused of manipulating their currency. It is a strong charge: when Japan was attacked by the West in the 1990s and the Yen had eased as expected, this claim forced Tokyo to keep the Yen high and take Japan into a twenty-year-long slump. But China did not retreat.

Then the supreme power unleashed its well-practiced weapon: they turned to foment unrest in China and gave it a lot of space in the media. At first, they played up the fate of the Uygur Islamists, but it had little success. The Uygur are not numerous, they are not even a majority in their traditional area; their influence in China is limited. Despite headlines in the liberal Western media proclaiming that millions of Uygur are locked up in concentration camps, the impact was nil. No important Muslim state took up this cause.

The anniversary of Tiananmen came (in beginning of June) and went without a hitch. For good reason: the alleged 'massacre' is a myth, as the Chinese always knew and we know now for certain thanks to publication of a relevant US Embassy cable by Wikileaks. There were no thousands of students flattened by tanks. A very few died fighting the army, but China had evaded the bitter fate of the USSR. In China proper the event had been almost forgotten. A few participants retell of their experiences to Western audiences, but the desired turmoil did not materialise.

And then came the time for HK. It is an autonomous part of China; it had not been re-educated; there are enough people who remember the good days of colonial slavery. The actual spark for the mutiny, the planned extradition treaty, was exceedingly weak. For the last decade, HK became the chosen place of refuge for mainland criminals, for HK had extradition treaties with the US and Britain, but not with the mainland. This had to be remedied.

[The extradition treaty had played an important role in the Snowden case. An ex-CIA spy Edward Snowden decided to reveal to the world the extent of the NSA surveillance we all are subjects of. He chose the Guardian newspaper for his revelations, probably because of the Wikileaks precedent. When he gave an extended interview to the Guardian in HK, his identity had been revealed. The arrival of the US extradition request was imminent. The Chinese authorities told Snowden that they would have to send him to a US jail, to torture and death; that the extradition treaty left them no option in his case. Only the fast footwork of Julian Assange's brave assistant Sarah Harrison prevented this grim finale and delivered Snowden to safe Moscow.]

ORDER IT NOW

While HK authorities were obliged to extradite Snowden, they weren't and couldn't extradite numerous criminals from the mainland. This was an obvious wrong that had to be urgently corrected, in the face of rising tension. And then the sleeping agents of the West woke up and activated their networks. They had practically unlimited funds, not only from the West, but also from the criminals who weren't particularly impecunious and were afraid of extradition. After the demonstrations started, the Western media gave them maximum coverage, magnifying and encouraging the mutineers.

Hundreds of articles, leading stories and editorials in important newspapers cheered and encouraged the HK rebels. The People's War Is Coming in Hong Kong , editorialised the New York Times today. An amazing fact (that is if you are a fresh arrival from Mars): the same newspaper and its numerous sisters paid no attention to the real People's War raging in France, where the Gilets Jaunes have continued to fight for forty weeks against the austerity-imposing Macron regime. 11 people were killed and 2,500 injured in France, but the Western media just mumbled about the GJ antisemitism. Nothing new, indeed. The same media did not notice the one-million-strong demonstration against the US war on Iraq, paid little attention to Occupy Wall Street, disregarded protests against US wars and interventions. One hundred thousand people marching in New York would get no coverage if their purpose did not agree with the desires of the Real Government; and alternatively, three thousand protesters in Moscow with its 12 million population would be presented as the voice of the people challenging Vlad the Tyrant.

In its peculiar way, the media fulfills its purpose of keeping us informed. If mainstream media reports on something, it usually lies; but if media keeps mum, you can bet it is important and you are not encouraged to learn of it. It is especially true in case of popular protests. How do you know they are lying? – Their lips are moving.

The biggest lie is calling the HK rebels marching under the Union Jack, "pro-democracy". These guys wish to restore colonial rule, to be governed by their strict but fair round-eyed overlords. It could be a bad or a good idea, but democracy it ain't. The second biggest lie is the slogan Make Hong Kong Great Britain Again.

Hong Kong was never a part of Great Britain. This was never on offer, so it can't become that again. Even the most adventure- and diversity-prone British politician won't make seven million Chinese in a far-away territory British citizens with full rights, members of an imperfect but real British democracy. HK was a colony; this is what the marchers aspire to, to make HK colony again.

With all these differences taken into account, this is as true for Moscow demos as well. Moscow protesters dream of a Russia occupied by NATO forces, not of democracy. They believe that they, pro-Western, educated, entrepreneurial, would form the comprador class and prosper at the expense of hoi polloi. Mercifully, they aren't plentiful: the Russians already tried to live under benign Western occupation between 1991 and 2000, when the IMF directed their finances and American advisers from Harvard ran the state machinery. Smart and ruthless Jews like Bill Browder , Boris Berezovsky, Roman Abramovich made their fortunes, but Russia was ruined and its people were reduced to poverty.

Not many Russians would like to return to the Roaring Nineties, but some would. It is a matter for the majority to prevent this aspiring minority to achieve its aspirations. Those who can't take it will flee to Israel, as young Mr Yablonsky who discovered his Jewish roots after two nights of police detention. He landed in jail for violently fighting erection of a church in his town.

The Chinese will likewise sort out their HK affliction. It can be done if the government does not promise to restrict its counteractions to painless and bloodless measures. Only the real and imminent threat of painful and bloody suppression can make such measures unnecessary. Likewise, only the imminent threat of no-deal Brexit could bring some sense into the stubborn heads of the EU leaders. A state that is not ready to use force will necessarily fail, as did the Ukrainian state under Mr Yanukowych in 2014. Blood will be shed and the state will be ruined, if its rulers are too squeamish to stop the rebellion.

We can distinguish a real people's rising and foreign-inspired interventions on behalf of the compradors. The first one will be silenced while the second will be glorified by the New York Times. It is that simple.

I would not worry overmuch for China. The Chinese leaders knew how to deal with Tiananmen, they knew how to deal with minority unrest, without unnecessary cruelty and without hesitation and prevarication. They weren't dilly-dallying when the US tried to send to HK its warships , but flatly denied them the pleasure. They will overcome.

You may read Israel Shamir on China here http://www.unz.com/ishamir/yeti-riots/

---

Priss Factor , says: Website August 22, 2019 at 4:39 pm GMT

China should do a 'Kashmir' on Hong Kong. Open it fully to all the Chinese. Let Chinese go there and march against Hong Kong snobs and wanna-be-whites.

That said, let's cut the Anglos some slack. Brit empire did lots of bad things but also lots of good things. While HK was set up as colonial outpost and cooperated in terrible opium trade, it was also a center of innovation and change that introduced all of China to new ideas. Also, the trajectory of Chinese history since the 80s shows that it had much to learn from Hong Kong and Singapore. Maoism was a disaster, and it also spawned Khmer Rouge that was worse than French imperialism(that wasn't so bad). Also, back then, it was obvious that the West was indeed far freer and saner than communist China. HK and Singapore set the template for big China to follow.

But that was then, this is now. West is free? UK imprisons people for tweets. The West is sane? France and UK welcome African invaders while banning people like Jared Taylor who stand for survival of the West. Also, the West, under Jewish power, has moved into neo-imperialist mode against Russia, Iran, and Middle East. And US media are not free. It is controlled by Zionist oligarchs who impose a certain narrative, even utterly bogus ones like Russia Collusion while working with other monopoly capitalists to shut down alternative news sites.
And when globo-homo-mania is the highest 'spiritual' expression of the current West, it is now crazy land.

This is why China must now crush Hong Kong. Don't send in the tanks. Just open the gates and send 10 million mainlanders to march down the streets accusing HK snobs of being comprador a-holes. That will do the trick. Turn Hong Kong into No-Bull House.

And what happened to Taiwan under globo-homo regime? It has 'gay marriage'. Chinese need to go there and use maximum force to wipe out the decadent scum.

Some in the West complain about China's social credit system, and I agree it's bad, but we got the same shit here. Ask Laura Loomer and Jared Taylor. 1/4 of corporations will not hire people based on their support of Trump. Also, Chinese term for people with bad social credit is mild compared to what Jewish elites call dissident Americans: 'deplorables', 'white supremacist scum', 'white trash', 'neo nazi', etc. It's all very ironic since globalist Jews are the new nazis who spread wars for Israel to destroy millions of lives.

Ronnie , says: August 22, 2019 at 7:07 pm GMT

I saw Bannon on TV recently around the time of the Tiananmen anniversary. He said that 75,000 people were killed in the Tiananmen incident. This tells you something about his lack of sophistication or credibility. I was a Visiting Professor at the Peking Union Medical College in 1989 and I always assumed that the numbers of dead and injured were greatly exaggerated. I asked many fellow Professors and students in Beijing for their opinions over the years. Many of these were working in the local hospitals at the time. On average the response to me was between 300-500 dead and injured. I have never had any reason to question this estimate. The Wikileaks memo confirms this.

Ron Unz , says: August 22, 2019 at 7:50 pm GMT

@Ronnie

I saw Bannon on TV recently around the time of the Tiananmen anniversary. He said that 75,000 people were killed in the Tiananmen incident. This tells you something about his lack of sophistication or credibility.

Actually, the dishonesty or incompetence of our MSM is *vastly* greater than you're making it out to be.

Over twenty years ago, the Beijing bureau chief of the Washington Post published a long piece in the Columbia Journalism Review publicly admitted that the supposed "Tiananmen Square Massacre" was just a media hoax/error, and that the claims of the PRC government were probably correct:

https://archives.cjr.org/behind_the_news/the_myth_of_tiananmen.php

Under the circumstances, it's difficult to believe that most MSM journalists interested in the subject aren't well aware of the truth, and I've noticed that they usually choose their words very carefully to avoid outright lies, but still implying something that is totally incorrect. I'd assume that these implied falsehoods are then wildly exaggerated by ignorant demagogues such as Bannon.

It's really astonishing that our MSM still continues to promote this "Big Lie" more than two decades after the CJR admission ran.

Everyone knows that large numbers of people, including some PRC soldiers, were killed or injured in the violent urban riots elsewhere in Beijing. I think the official death toll claimed by the PRC government at the time was something like 300 killed, which seems pretty plausible to me.

Carlton Meyer , says: Website August 22, 2019 at 7:59 pm GMT

Few Americans are aware of the history of American imperialism in China, with the Yangtze patrols, opium trading, and treaty ports.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/sKgrb0oggfE?feature=oembed

getaclue , says: August 22, 2019 at 11:15 pm GMT

So if I'm reading this article right–Communist China so gooooood– how about those 65,000,000 Mao and his "Leaders" er, basically sort of er, murdered? Lets hear what they have to say about the great China "leaders"? Oh yeah, we can't they killed them . Is this the take away quote from Mr. Shamir?: "I would not worry overmuch for China. The Chinese leaders knew how to deal with Tiananmen, they knew how to deal with minority unrest, without unnecessary cruelty and without hesitation and prevarication." Yes, they do know "how to deal with minority unrest" historically–65,000, 000 corpses is some real "dealing" -- no "unnecessary cruelty"? (I also read recently of the sexual torture of Falun Gong practitioners–brutal gang rapes and with instruments of torture–this is recent and well, happening now I read– Is this also how to deal with "minority unrest"–Do we cheer on China for this too? No "unnecessary cruelty" at work here either? I mean you could point out that yes, there is definitely some of the Colonial backlash he cites as to Hong Kong at work without praising how great China is at "dealing with minorites" I think, that would have played a bit better, to me anyway . https://www.heritage.org/asia/commentary/the-legacy-mao-zedong-mass-murder
https://www.theepochtimes.com/sexual-torture-of-detained-falun-dafa-adherents-rampant-rights-lawyer_2807772.html

Daemon , says: August 23, 2019 at 1:46 am GMT

@peterAUS China doesn't have to be good. It just doesnt have to be evil like your side.
That's all there is to it.

Dutch Boy , says: August 23, 2019 at 3:23 am GMT

Interviews of actual Hong Kongers suggest that their principal objection to extradition is that residents of HK would then be subject to People's Courts rather than to the British style courts of HK with all the legal trappings of the Foreign Devils (presumption of innocence, rules of evidence, no hearsay, no secret trials, no anonymous accusers – all that folderol).

Corvinus , says: August 23, 2019 at 5:02 am GMT

@Hippopotamusdrome "Slavery had some good aspects for those chaps "

No. They lost their freedom.

"a HK resident was head and shoulders above the miserable mainland coolies"

According to Who/Whom?

"the cities and the people who prospered due to their collaboration with the imperialist"

It was the imperialist who prospered.

"These guys wish to restore colonial rule"

No, they want to restore home rule.

"this is what the marchers aspire to, to make HK colony again"

No, they want to be free from the shackles of China.

Jason Liu , says: August 23, 2019 at 6:04 am GMT

@getaclue China's not a communist country except in name. The Epoch Times is a Falun Gong mouthpiece that makes stuff up. I don't support Mao but he is irrelevant today.

Jason Liu , says: August 23, 2019 at 6:14 am GMT

The reasons you list might motivate some of the protesters, but it can't be responsible for this many of them. There IS a homegrown problem here and China would be foolish to ignore it.

The protester's motivations and their implications, as I see it:

1. Loss of prestige – Irrelevant, they'll get used to it

2. Colonial nostalgia – Dead end, open to mockery

3. Housing/economic issues – Manageable with subsidies and regulations, but HK will have to give up some autonomy

4. Regional tribalism/xenophobia – Manageable, not unique to HK

5. US intervention – Dangerous but manageable with better PR & soft power

6. Genuine belief in liberal democracy – Very dangerous, will cause national decline similar to the West

Half-Jap , says: August 23, 2019 at 6:49 am GMT

@Brabantian They are the ideal rat traps.
Even if Wikileaks wasn't a set-up, undoubtably they would be under close surveillance and/or be infiltrated and compromised.
Snowden has been suspect in my mind when he purportedly left so much info to just one journalist belonging to a sketchy outfit, and only a trickle of info came forth, while he's celebrated all over. Many of us already knew about such program from good people like William Binney.
As you say, there are real whisleblowers, and they are ignored, jailed or dead.

Vedic Hyperborean , says: August 23, 2019 at 7:36 am GMT

Goddamn Israel, this is an excellent piece of writing. You hit every nail on the head when it comes to explaining why the troublemakers in Hong Kong are a bunch of useful idiots being used by imperialist powers. These bastards really are house niggers, the kind of people who would side with a distant foreign power over their own countrymen. Hats off to you good sir, thank you for your clarity of thought.

Digital Samizdat , says: August 23, 2019 at 9:21 am GMT

@Commentator Mike Exactly. The Chinese use the deep state to keep order and suppress crime; Washington uses it to spread disorder (Antifa) and protect crime (BLM). There is a difference, you see!

Realist , says: August 23, 2019 at 9:28 am GMT

@Jason Liu

Genuine belief in liberal democracy – Very dangerous, will cause national decline similar to the West

That is for sure.

xvart , says: August 23, 2019 at 9:58 am GMT

I see no real difference between the English colonies and the previous Chinese colonies in Asia this would be "the pot calling the kettle black", just the usual hypocrisy of state actors.

The local HK people who live on the edge of these power structures are not the seeming profiteers of any of this they exist in frameworks they can neither control nor escape escape from so blaming them for being in a place not of their choosing is being disingenuous.

All I read is someone blaming children for the sins of the father.

The Alarmist , says: August 23, 2019 at 12:53 pm GMT

@Ron Unz

It's really astonishing that our MSM still continues to promote this "Big Lie" more than two decades after the CJR admission ran.

No, it is not astonishing. Your homework for tonight is to re-read chapter five of The Iron Curtain Over America

Anon [367] Disclaimer , says: August 25, 2019 at 11:00 am GMT

On HK riots, there are some interesting writers giving some insight into US gov, CIA, UK gov, MI6, Canada, Germany involvement in collabration with treason HKies.

https://www.quora.com/profile/Robin-Daverman

https://www.quora.com/profile/Jamie-Wang-45

https://www.quora.com/profile/Roy-Tong-10

Our China expert, Godfree Roberts.
https://www.quora.com/profile/Godfree-Roberts

The ZUS has started to purge & shut down pro-China-Russia Truth teller in FB, tweeters, Google,

Those can read HKies Cantonese writing, here's one site where these HK rioters recruit, organize & discuss where to meet, how to attack police, activities, and payment.
https://lihkg.com/category/1?order=now

This is the truth of white shirt(local residents West called mobsters) vs black shirt(rioters West called peaceful protestors). The residents of Yuan Lan district demanded the rioters not to mess up their place. The black shirt challenge white shirt for fight by spraying fire host and hurling vulgarity, ended get beaten up.

But West never show the whole video.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/uxNowgZ9a1I?feature=oembed

Any way, I was permanent banned from Quora, FB, even I am not related to China, just because I exposed some of ZUS-India axis evils & lies with evidences in other topics. Censorship is fully in placed.

Bardon Kaldian , says: August 25, 2019 at 1:07 pm GMT

HK was a colony; this is what the marchers aspire to, to make HK colony again.

I haven't followed this closely, but – why? Why would so many Chinese want that? I understand a couple of tycoons, but why would ethnic Chinese want a foreign rule?

Perhaps they- just speculating – don't care about full democracy, but are scared of China's Big Brother policy of complete surveillance & a zombie slavery society. No one with a functioning mind- and the Chinese, whatever one thinks of their hyper-nationalism & a streak of robotic- groupthink- conformist culture – wants to live in a chaos; but also, no one wants to live in a dystopian nightmare which is the fundamental social project of the new China.

peterAUS , says: August 25, 2019 at 8:57 pm GMT

The latest, apaprently, from The Mouth (Sauron .):

.Four police officers were filmed drawing their guns after demonstrators were seen chasing them with metal pipes .

.senior police officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said this week that officers had been targeted and exposed online even while there was temporary peace on the streets. The police said officers' personal data, contact information, home addresses, and more had been shared online, and accused protesters of threatening officers' families .

Is anyone there thinking that as soon as they "neutralize" the LOCAL police force SOMETHING else will come into the fray?
Probably not. Feels good.

This time it won't be Communist era conscripts of the regular Army.

I'd say good luck to those protesters but really can't. Wouldn't make any sense.

Chinaman , says: August 25, 2019 at 10:31 pm GMT

A state that is not ready to use force will necessarily fail, as did the Ukrainian state under Mr Yanukowych in 2014. Blood will be shed and the state will be ruined, if its rulers are too squeamish to stop the rebellion.

Thank you, Me Shamir.

Your analogy of the house nigger is spot on and a accurate portrayal of the slave mentality held by these protestors. It is the epitome of shamelessness and insanity to beg to be enslaved. As a Hker, I am happy to say none of the people I associate with support the protestors and these British house niggers are the filth of HK society.

You are absolutely right to point out a state that is not ready to use force will fail and I think the situation have reached a critical point where some blood must be shed and some examples to be made. There is a Chinese saying " People don't cry until they see the coffin." Time to bring it on.

I never understood Mao and why he had to kill all those millions of people, I do now

Wally , says: August 26, 2019 at 5:13 am GMT

@Corvinus said:
"No, they want to be free from the shackles of China."

HK was taken from China, China has the right to take it back.

Richard B , says: August 26, 2019 at 6:25 am GMT

@The Alarmist "No, it is not astonishing. Your homework for tonight is to re-read chapter five of The Iron Curtain Over America"

One of the must reads in The TUR library.

Richard B , says: August 26, 2019 at 6:30 am GMT

@Brabantian Spot on!

You know who the hostile elite really fears?

People they frame and jail, or kill.

Like Schaeffer Cox and LaVoy.

TKK , says: August 26, 2019 at 7:21 am GMT

The protests are also driven by personal autonomy desires.

Look at the micro level. My sister teaches English in Chengdu. Google, Gmail, You Tube, What's App and Facebook are all blocked in China.

You have to download a VPN before you land to use any of these sites.

Everything online in China is done by WeChat. *Everything* . From video calls to pay your utilities to banking. It's an open joke that WeChat is heavily monitored by the Party. It's the meat of your social credit score- WeChat data.

However, in HK, there are servers where you can hop on FB, Google products and the like.

HK has a more laisse faire vibe that huge enormous China. If you have never been, that point can't be overstated. To make blanket statements about anything in China is misleading.

Because China is another planet. HK was/ is a cosmopolitan outpost that had its own identity- It does not want to be swallowed up by clodhopper spitting burping mainlanders completely.

Bardon Kaldian , says: August 26, 2019 at 8:29 am GMT

Most comments are idiotic (as is the article). True, Western players certainly have fomented much of this; true, many (most?) protesters are violent & obnoxius; true, Chinese national identity planners want to unify, step by step, all mainland (and not only them) Han Chinese under one rule, fearing of some disintegration in the future.

But, having in mind what kind of society mainland China was & has become, Wittfogel's remark on oriental despotism becomes pertinent .

The good citizens of classical Greece drew strength from the determination of two of their countrymen, Sperthias and Bulis, to resist the lure of total power. On their way to Suza, the Spartan envoys were met by Hydarnes, a high Persian official, who offered to make them mighty in their homeland, if only they would attach themselves to the Great King, his despotic master. To the benefit of Greece-and to the benefit of all free men-Herodotus has preserved their answer. "Hydarnes," they said, "thou art a one-sided counselor. Thou hast experience of half the matter; but the other half is beyond thy knowledge. A slave's life thou understandest; but, never having tasted liberty, thou canst not tell whether it be sweet or no. Ah! hadst thou known what freedom is, thou wouldst have bidden us fight for it, not with the spear only. but with the battle-axe."

George , says: August 26, 2019 at 11:09 am GMT

"Once, a HK resident was head and shoulders above the miserable mainland coolies; he spoke English, he had smart devices, he had his place in the tentacle sucking wealth out of the mainland, and some of that wealth stuck to his sweaty hands."

HK is having trouble competing with it's closest peer competitor Singapore. Some of the reason for that is a legal framework that disadvantages HK. The basis of HK real estate market attractiveness over other locations in China and the world is a legal framework separate from China. While the extraction treaty seems reasonable at first, remember HK's extradition treaties have to compete with Singaporean, Taiwanese, and Australian extradition treaties. A curiosity of the extradition treaty is HK is already in China, so why the need to extradite people to somewhere else in China?

China might or might not be able to industrialize its economy through central planning. But one industry they have not been able to centrally plan is movies and entertainment. How is it that in the past with nothing HK had a top tier movie industry, Bruce Lee, but now seems to have nothing.

IMO, mainland Chinese authorities just don't understand the HK economy and are mostly chosing policies they consider convenient.

Jake , says: August 26, 2019 at 11:41 am GMT

"Smart and ruthless Jews like Bill Browder, Boris Berezovsky, Roman Abramovich made their fortunes, but Russia was ruined and its people were reduced to poverty."

That is the way the WASP Empire, the Anglo-Zionist Empire, provides freedom.

Send your money to VDARE so it can call for more WASP Empire – which the WASP and Jewish Elites will fill with as many non-whites as they can entice in order to smash the white trash down forever, so that even more Jews become multi-billionaires. And we all can delight in speaking English, the language of international Jewry since WW2.

onebornfree , says: Website August 26, 2019 at 11:46 am GMT

@Wally "HK was taken from China, China has the right to take it back."

Yes, but not until 2047, apparently:

"One country, two systems" is a constitutional principle formulated by Deng Xiaoping, the Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China (PRC), for the reunification of China during the early 1980s. He suggested that there would be only one China, but distinct Chinese regions such as Hong Kong and Macau could retain their own economic and administrative systems, while the rest of the PRC (or "Mainland China") uses the socialism with Chinese characteristics system. Under the principle, each of the two regions could continue to have its own governmental system, legal, economic and financial affairs, including trade relations with foreign countries, all of which are independent from those of the Mainland ."

" .Hong Kong was a colony of the United Kingdom, ruled by a governor appointed by the monarchy of the United Kingdom, for 156 years from 1841 (except for four years of Japanese occupation during WWII) until 1997, when it was returned to Chinese sovereignty. China agreed to accept some conditions, as is stipulated in the Sino-British Joint Declaration, such as the drafting and adoption of Hong Kong's "mini-constitution" Basic Law before its return. The Hong Kong Basic Law ensured that Hong Kong will retain its capitalist economic system and own currency (the Hong Kong Dollar), legal system, legislative system, and people's rights and freedom for fifty years, as a special administrative region (SAR) of China for 50 years. Set to expire in 2047, the current arrangement has permitted Hong Kong to function as its own entity under the name "Hong Kong, China" in many international settings ."

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_country,_two_systems

Its, "interesting" that[ unless I somehow missed it], this important detail was completely omitted from this very poorly written article, and from [at least] the first 56 comments in the thread.

Regards, onebornfree

Ghan-buri-Ghan , says: August 26, 2019 at 12:57 pm GMT

From the comments so far, I notice that the usual Zionist, pro-Jewish, pro-Israeli crew around here (PeterAUS, Corvinus, Bardon Kaldian, TKK) also all happen to be virulently anti-China.

Quite an interesting correlation. It seems to suggest something

Rurik , says: August 26, 2019 at 2:04 pm GMT

We can distinguish a real people's rising and foreign-inspired interventions on behalf of the compradors. The first one will be silenced while the second will be glorified by the New York Times. It is that simple.

Well put Sir.

And spot on true.

It is really the perfect metric for understanding the underlying motivations and relative merit, (or lack there of) for any geopolitical event or movement.

Should the people of Crimea be able to determine their own destiny?

Just look to the NYT to understand the nuances of that region and conflict. If they say Crimea is foundering under Russian tyranny, then you can be 100% certain the opposite is the truth.

Did the US foment democracy in (Yats is the guy) Ukraine? Read the NYT, and it all gets spelled out. Assad's chemical attacks, moderate rebels.. From MH17 to 'Russian aggression', you can find 'all the truth that's fit to print'. Only inversed.

Hong Kong, Donbas, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Charlottesville, Yellow Vests, Gaza, Russian hacking and collusion.. and on and on and on. It's an invaluable tool for understanding our times and the motivations and principles (or lack there of) being brought to bear.

And as you mention, for the really salient things, (like serial aggressive wars based on lies, treasonous atrocities writ large, and assorted war crimes, DNC corruption, GOP corruption, et al ad nauseam), one must listen to the crickets, who speak thunderously of these things, with their telling silence.

Rampant white supremacists shooting people right and left, are bull-horned by the screeching -silence over every POC who's a mass-shooter'.

By carefully not reporting some things, and outright lies and distortions with others, the NYT has become an invaluable tool for glimmering the ((moral abomination)) of our times.

We should all be very grateful for their solid and predictable efforts.

Wally , says: August 26, 2019 at 2:08 pm GMT

@onebornfree So what?

– That agreement does not give complete independence & sovereignty to HK.
– That agreement does not allow rioters to engage in destructive, disruptive, violent actions.
– That agreement mandates that the HK administration maintain order, which heretofore they have not.
– Therefore that agreement has been violated, invalidated by the HK administration.

China has the right & responsibility to maintain order in HK. HK is theirs, they are rightfully taking it back.

[Aug 26, 2019] CONFIRMED: YouTube Censors Anti-Protest Channels in Bid to Bolster New Color Revolution in Hong Kong, China

Aug 26, 2019 | 21stcenturywire.com

This week, Silicon Valley giant YouTube has taken a string out of China's bow by deplatforming some 210 channels for posting content criticizing the recent Hong Kong protests, claiming that channels were somehow " sowing political discord " on behalf of the Chinese government.

The Google subsidiary accused the channels of acting "in a coordinated manner." Their move was the most recent in a clear pattern of censorship, along with social media giants Facebook and Twitter who recently censored pro-Chinese accounts in a move critics have called 'arbitrary' censorship.

SEE ALSO: Google Insider Gives 950 Pages of Documents to DOJ

In a blog post this past Thursday, Google threat analyst Shane Huntley said," Channels in this network behaved in a coordinated manner while uploading videos related to the ongoing protests in Hong Kong. "

Huntley added that Google's supposed " discovery " was somehow "consistent with recent observations and actions related to China announced by Facebook and Twitter."

The hypocrisy of the Silicon Valley firms is breathtaking nonetheless. Even the Washington Post was forced to point out that in accusing China of disinformation, Twitter and Facebook take on an authoritarian role they've always sought to reject:

"The move underscored the awkward and largely uncharted territory the companies have attempted to navigate in the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election in the United States, where Facebook and Twitter faced furious public and political pressure to stem the tide of disinformation on their platforms. Once vehemently opposed to being seen as "arbiters of truth," both have since built major operations to detect and dismantle forms of online manipulation -- even if it means angering important global actors such as the Chinese government."

Twitter and Facebook are also using the same tactics to selectively shut down established writers who use pen names, including one of the most prolific bloggers specializing in foreign affairs over the last decade, Tony Cartalucci , who was deplatformed for exposing US-backed unrest and 'color revolutions' in countries like Thailand, China, Syria and elsewhere. He remarked after the fact:

"Tony Cartalucci is my pen name and a form of anonyminity – it is not a "fictitious persona." I write in a country where US-backed political agitators – referred to as "democracy activists" in the Reuters article – regularly use deadly violence against their opponents. And if writing under a pen name or anonymously is grounds for expulsion from both Facebook and Twitter, what is The Economist still doing on either platform? The Economist's articles are all admittedly written anonymously ."

Regarding the Hong Kong controversy, Google claims that it knows the Chinese state was attempting to "influence" public opinion against the protesters because of the " use of VPNs " as well as " other methods of disguise. " In actuality, nearly all Chinese internet users who seek any outside news or international perspectives regularly use some form of VPN masking to bypass various information firewalls. The same in the Middle East, and even in Europe, as US regulators continue to force a gradual balkanization of the internet based on global regions.

The issue of US-based digital monopoly firms attempting to manage online discourse globally – is officially a global problem now. As Chinese officials have rightly pointed out: there is no more ambiguity on the issue, as the US is using its overwhelming ownership of internet platforms to fix marketplace of ideas in favor of is own policies – including regime change. Even The Post spells it out clearly:

"There is no international consensus over what qualifies as permissible speech -- or permissible tactics in spreading that speech, whether it comes from government operatives or anybody else."

READ MORE GOOGLE NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire Google Files

SUPPORT OUR MEDIA PLATFORM – BECOME A MEMBER @ 21WIRE.TV

[Aug 26, 2019] Joshua Wong is right in more ways than he compares the situation with 2014 Maidan riots in Ukraine

The same sponsors (a mixture of foreign NGO and embassies and local disgruntled oligarchs), the same attempt to exploit real population grievances, the same methods with militant protestors training probably by the same instructors or at least the same books, just different people and difference sources for forming the fifth column. The role of students in Hong Cong is more prominant. In EuroMaydant that most violent part of protestors were football hooligans and western Ukrainian militia consisting mostly of neo-Nazi elements ready to commit crimes.

Notable quotes:

"... Joshua Wong, one of the U.S. coddled students, compares the situation with 2014 Maidan riots in Ukraine. He is right in more ways than he says. ..."

Aug 25, 2019 | www.moonofalabama.org

jo6pac , Aug 25 2019 15:55 utc | 12

Joshua Wong, one of the U.S. coddled students, compares the situation with 2014 Maidan riots in Ukraine. He is right in more ways than he says.

[Aug 26, 2019] What The Hell Is Happening In Hong Kong

Aug 26, 2019 | www.zerohedge.com

So is there any evidence that the Hong Kong protests are controlled or being directed by the United States or its NGO community that has created so many color revolutions across the world? The short answer is yes.

For instance, one of the recognized leaders of the protest movement is Joshua Wong, who is a leader and secretary-general of the "Demosisto" party. Wong has consistently denied any links to the United States and its NGO apparatus. However, Wong actually traveled to Washington DC in 2015, after the conclusion of the Hong Kong Umbrella Revolution to receive an award given to him from Freedom House, a subsidiary of the National Endowment for Democracy. Demosisto has been linked with the National Endowment for Democracy as well.

For those that may be unaware, the NED is an arm of the US State Department designed to sow discord in target countries resulting in the overthrow, replacement, or extraction of concessions from governments of target countries.

Indeed, Jonathan Mowat adds to the recent historical understanding of the controlled-coup and color revolutions in his article, " The New Gladio In Action: 'Swarming Adolescents,' " also focusing on the players and the methods of deployment. Mowat writes,

Much of the coup apparatus is the same that was used in the overthrow of President Fernando Marcos of the Philippines in 1986, the Tiananmen Square destabilization in 1989, and Vaclav Havel's "Velvet revolution" in Czechoslovakia in 1989. As in these early operations, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), and its primary arms, the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) and International Republican Institute (IRI), played a central role. The NED was established by the Reagan Administration in 1983, to do overtly what the CIA had done covertly, in the words of one its legislative drafters, Allen Weinstein. The Cold War propaganda and operations center, Freedom House, now chaired by former CIA director James Woolsey, has also been involved, as were billionaire George Soros' foundations, whose donations always dovetail those of the NED.

Nathan Law, another leader of the Hong Kong protests and rock star of the Umbrella Revolution, is also closely connected to the National Endowment for Democracy. On the NED website, "World Movement for Democracy," in a post entitled " Democracy Courage Tribute Award Presentation, " where the organization mentions an award it presented to Law. In the article, it states,

The Umbrella Movement's bold call in the fall of 2014 for a free and fair election process to select the city's leaders brought thousands into the streets to dem­onstrate peacefully. The images from these protests have motivated Chinese democracy activists on the mainland and resulted in solidarity between longtime champions of democracy in Hong Kong and a new gen­eration of Hong Kong youth seeking to improve their city. The Hong Kong democracy movement will face further obstacles in the years to come, and their ide­alism and bravery will need to be supported as they work for democratic representation in Hong Kong.

Interestingly enough, Joshua Wong has shown up to express "solidarity" with other protest movements engineered by the United States and its NGO apparatus, particularly in Thailand where Western NGOs and the US State Department are controlling both the protest movement and the former government.

For a short overview of how such operations work, watch the video below, a BBC report on the Oslo Freedom Forum which shows some of the leaders of today's Hong Kong protests as well as leaders of the Umbrella Revolution and other global "protest movements" being trained by the US State Department/NGO apparatus in 2013.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/JIjVBUwpri8

Also see my previous articles on the topic linked below:

• Color Revolutions 101: The Making Of A Controlled Revolution
• The History And Science Of Color Revolutions Part 2
• The History And Science Of Color Revolutions Part 3
• The History And Science Of Color Revolutions Part 4

Notably, these protests are receiving heavy media coverage as well as the ever-present logo (umbrellas), both hallmarks of color revolutions and social media giants Twitter and Facebook have accused China of spreading disinformation via their accounts and have been removing or blocking pro-China accounts indicating that someone in the halls of power in the West would like to see the protests continue.

So Why Does The US Support The Protests?

The United States State Department and its subsidiary color revolution apparatus does not support protest movements because it supports right and freedom for people in other countries. After all, the US government as a whole does not support rights and freedom for its own people. So, in full knowledge that the US government does support the Hong Kong protesters, the question then arises, "Why?"

There are at least three reasons why the US is supporting the Hong Kong protest movement, none of which involve the rights of Hong Kongers. First, with China set to fully acquire Hong Kong in 2047 and growing integration between Hong Kong and China over the next three decades, the United States does not want to see China grow any stronger as an economic, military, or diplomatic powerhouse. The full return of Hong Kong to China would further Chinese growth in all three of these areas.

Second, the United States benefits from a weaker Chinese government and one that is not able to fully impose control on every citizen within its borders. This is why the US has funded destabilization movements all across China, many with real concerns, as well as terrorist attacks in areas where China is planning to develop in the third world.

Lastly, Hong Kong currently acts as a tax haven for Western corporations and as a dumping ground for wealth that needs to avoid taxation. Chinese control may very well threaten that wealth, particularly in light of the fact that the Trump administration is moving forward on an apparent plan to put the United States on a more fair footing with China in terms of international trade through tariffs and increased worker protections.

Geopolitical Concerns

In short, by maintaining Hong Kong as-is, the United States would maintain an outpost alongside China's borders. However, China not only views Hong Kong as physical territory and financial wealth, it understands that, in a trade or real war with the United States, Hong Kong can be used to not only physically position military forces but it can also be used to economically loot the mainland.

It should be noted that China has never given up on the re-absorbing Taiwan and Hong Kong, even threatening to do so with military force if necessary.

Do The Protesters Have Legitimate Concerns?

While the United States may be funding and directing many of the protest leaders in Hong Kong, the fact remains that the protesters themselves as well as the many people who support them have legitimate reasons to be protesting. Indeed, in the case of Hong Kong, it appears that the nefarious American desire to weaken China and protect its corporate tax haven have intersected with the very real need of Hong Kongers to preserve what's left of the liberty they have.

In order to understand this, it is necessary to understand that there is a plethora of opinions on the Hong Kong issue within Hong Kong itself. First, it seems the dividing line of opinions often centers around age, heritage, and geopolitics. From reading mainstream reports and watching a number of videos, it is apparent that the majority of protesters are young, even university-educated people who have lived their lives in Hong Kong while the counter protesters seem to be older, with a stronger heritage link to China. This older generation should not be conflated with oldest, however, as it appears that many are from the "baby boomer" era more-so than the elderly generation before it. That being said, age is not a clear cut line of difference, however, with a number of younger and older people choosing to support opposite sides. Like any protest movement, the majority of the people of Hong Kong can be found going about their everyday business, teetering on the edges of any engagement whatsoever.

One such reason that the oldest and the youngest protesters seem to intersect, however, is, in the case of the oldest, a memory of what life was like in neighboring China before the Cultural Revolution and the ability to watch that way of life change for the worst and eventually horrific. The youngest members of the "anti-China" crowd may be viewing the issue similarly for the completely opposite reason, precisely the fact that they grew up in a time knowing nothing but freedoms their neighbors could scarcely dream of.

It is also important to point out the cultural difference in Hong Kong, which is essentially Chinese culture at heart, but one that has embraced capitalism and has experienced rights that mainland Chinese people can only dream of. Based on Common Law, this includes the right to freedom of speech. As the Financial Times wrote in 2018 ,

For more than two decades, citizens and residents in the former British colony of Hong Kong have enjoyed a wide range of freedoms and legal protections unthinkable in any other part of the People's Republic of China. These protections, guaranteed by the territory's tradition of judicial independence, are the bedrock of the city's extraordinary success as a regional entrepôt. It is precisely because of these legal safeguards that many international companies, including most global media organisations, have chosen to base their regional headquarters in Hong Kong.

As mentioned earlier, one reason the "lease" of Hong Kong was pushed back for so long a time (to be fully realized in 2047) is because it would erase an entire generation of people who remembered what such little freedom was like compared to the zero freedom afforded by China. However, what was perhaps unintended was a birth of an entire generation of people who only knew that freedom and are not as keen to give it away as others may have been. This is one reason you can see young people in the streets with signs supporting freedom of speech and even calling for the right to own and bear arms. In other words. you are able to see so many people who have been denied rights Americans take for granted or are under threat of losing even more of their rights desperately trying to gain or retain them, all while many Americans march in the streets to have those same rights taken away. Clearly, it is true that freedom is treasured the most when it is lost.

This threat of Chinese takeover is very real. With its brutal authoritarian methods of control, social credit systems , slave labor economy, and polluted food supply, many young Hong Kongers are rightfully terrified of what "one country, one system" will mean for them. China is a communist nightmare, no matter how much Western leftists would like to portray otherwise.

Nowhere is there more clear an example of "Western" arrogance than a widely-circulated video where an angry Australian lectures young Hong Kong protesters on how much "better everything is gonna be" when China takes over both Hong Kong and Taiwan. Coming from a country with virtually no rights and doing business in another, it may be par for the course for him. But there is something incredibly irritating to watch his denial of these protesters' legitimate concerns and his lecturing on the part of the authoritarian regime that will soon be in power.

This (the threat of quickly descending into the clutches of Chinese authoritarians) is the very real concern the Western NGOs have seized upon in order to foster social unrest in Hong Kong.

Violence – Violent Counter Protests

There have been numerous videos depicting violence coming from both sides of the isle. On one hand, violence on the Hong Kong side has been blamed on anarchists, often a typical method of specific types of anarchists as well as police false flagging in order to justify a crackdown. Other videos have surfaced showing protesters beating "journalists" and those who disagree with them. The justification given by the protesters were that the individuals were "Chinese agents," a claim that may or may not be true.

Likewise, we have seen numerous videos of counter-protesters also engaging in violence against the Hong Kong protesters, many of whom being members of Hong Kong/Chinese organized crime as mentioned earlier. The videos depicting police attacks against protesters have also been widely circulated in the media.

Scale Of Protests VS Counter Protests

The Hong Kong protests have spread from Hong Kong itself to all across the world with the immigrant community engaging in demonstrations in their adopted countries. Likewise, counter-protests have expanded globally.

There is very little doubt that the protests against greater Chinese involvement in Hong Kong have been much larger than those supporting it. One need only look at the numbers of the protests that took place on August 17 where 1.7 million people showed up to march.

What A Good Outcome Would Look Like

To claim that the protesters have a legitimate cause while, at the same time, pointing out that the US is directing the leaders of their movement may seem contradictory but, unfortunately, it is not. It should be possible to any unbiased observer to understand that the protesters are justified in their fear of being taken over by a country that just finished slaughtering 80 million people and that is currently oppressing each and every one of their citizens. It should also be possible to understand that the Western NGOs have seized upon this fear and desire for freedom for its own nefarious purposes. Only those who wish to promote an ideology would refuse to mention both aspects of the protests, something both the mainstream and alternative media outlets have unfortunately been guilty of.

So with all this in mind, what would a positive outcome be?

1.) First, the United States must cease using its NGO community or intelligence agencies to direct and manipulate an uprising or unrest in Hong Kong. The future of Hong Kong is for Hong Kongers to decide, not under the manipulation of Western NGOs. The US must immediately cease fostering dissent in other nations. If the US wants to counter Chinese empire, it must do so by offering economic and other incentives and not by threats, social unrest, or violence.

2.) None of the protesters' demands thus far are unreasonable. There should be an independent inquiry as to the techniques being used by police, police brutality, and the connections these tactics have to the growing Chinese influence in Hong Kong. Protesters who have been arrested for their political views (not those arrested for offensive violence, rioting, or peddlers of foreign influence) should be released. While official categorizations are no issue to fixate upon, the protests should be reclassified as what they are, protests. Elections should be instituted and the people of Hong Kong should elect their Legislative Council and Chief Executive directly. Withdraw the extradition bill completely from consideration until a reasonable proposal can be drafted, discussed, and agreed upon. Carrie Lam is widely known as a tool of Beijing and, for this reason, a gradual, orderly, and democratic transition of power should take place.

In addition, while not official protest demands, the solidification of the rights to free speech, expression, possession of weapons, and privacy should take place.

3.) Just as the United States should stop inserting itself into the domestic life of Hong Kong, so should China immediately cease any and all attempts to control public opinion, social discourse, and political life in Hong Kong. Because of China's lack of human rights within its own borders, there is a legitimate reason for Hong Kong to desire complete separation from the mainland. Thus, if China is not interested in becoming a free society, the "One country, two systems" policy must be extended abandoned and Hong Kong should remain independent.

Conclusion

By now, it should be relatively clear that many of the leaders of the Hong Kong protests are controlled and directed via the network of United States intelligence agencies and NGO apparatus for the purpose of protecting its corporate tax haven, keeping a friendly outpost on the Chinese border, and sowing seeds of discord within China itself.

However, the protesters are absolutely right in their concern for what will happen if they become part of China – i.e., another human tragedy that is the result of Communist authoritarianism exhibited by the Chinese government.

Thus, both the official and the mentioned unofficial demands are entirely reasonable. The people of Hong Kong must not be forced to live oppressed under authoritarian Chinese rule. Because the US has its own interests that do not involve freedom or human rights, it would be wise of the Hong Kong protests to abandon their Western-backed opposition leaders and find real organic leaders that are not taking orders from the West.

They should, however, continue to press for the rights they have and the rights they deserve.

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Savvy , 3 minutes ago link

The reason they protest makes no sense. Many countries have extradition laws. How is Hong Kong exempt? Why would 2mm protest some criminals being sent for trial? Or if they're separatists, and Beijing wants their organs why would that mobilize millions? Haven't they got better battlea to pick?

AOC , 1 minute ago link

The autonomy of Hong Kong was guaranteed in all areas apart from defence and foreign affairs. Under it, Hong Kong's laws and "common law" legal system would remain in place. The independence of its courts and their right to exercise the power of final adjudication were assured.

In doing this, both the UK and Chinese Governments had accepted the "one country, two systems" proposal based on the rule of law and which was to remain unaltered and in place until 2047.

bluez , 4 minutes ago link

If my facts are real, the vast Chinese area surrounding Hong Kong speaks Mandarin, and the (relatively) tiny city of Hong Kong speaks Cantonese, which is a different language. Somehow this was set up by those jolly old Englishmen as their 'Green Zone', from which to control the rest of China (largely with narcotics). Those Brits have quite a talent for creating these utopias.

The Hong Kongers are very wealthy compared with their 'peasant' Chinese neighbors, so they deserve very special treatment! So this was guaranteed to happen.

Inevitably the Langley Boys had to stick their fingers in it (it's all they know how to do).

Imagine if Argentina is a great superpower, and California wants to break away, and the Argentinians are only there to help. Great diplomatic move!

yojimbo , 3 minutes ago link

If they are demanding representative democracy they are either blind to its historic effects across the world, or they are paid for by those for whom the representative system works so well.

Let them ask for semi-direct democracy, direct access to reverse their representative's decisions. See how fast the US and China proper coordinate to cut them off at the root.

HRClinton , 5 minutes ago link

Lastly, Hong Kong currently acts as a tax haven for Western corporations and as a dumping ground for wealth that needs to avoid taxation.

FYI, virtually all former British colonies that are defacto city-states or tiny islands are acting as tax havens for the rich and corrupt. For example:

The Jersey and Guernsey islands, Cayman islands, Turks & Caicos, HK, Singapore. For the former colonies and territories, where its rich and/or corrupt want to expatriate their untaxed wealth, you can also add the Vancouver and Toronto RE, Dubai... and of course London itself.

New_Meat , 15 minutes ago link

when you get 2MM people out on the street, that's more than astroturf.

Hope WB7 is keeping his head on a swivel and discreetly doing his best.

UnionPacific , 27 minutes ago link

At this stage of the war between America and China it does not matter if the protests are organic or supported by America. Beijing sees it as a covert operation by Trump aimed to destabilize China and I do not blame Beijing for thinking that. We are in the process of overturning the Venezuelan government and are actively engaged in the carnage in Yemen while engaging in Colonial style tactics to buy Greenland

Under this light Beijing is going to treat these Protestors as agents of America.

Noob678 , 29 minutes ago link

It's a Rothschild funded color revolution in Hong Kong same as in Ukraine, Syria, Iran, Egypt, .... Looks like many support his color revolution in Hong Kong.

shankster , 32 minutes ago link

Why aren't ameriKans protesting Silicon Valley or the Banks or DC?

Koba the Dread , 13 minutes ago link

Americans are too busy protesting those Communistos overseas who want to destroy our beautiful and pure democracy such as Silicon Valley, banks and the free market democrats who protect us from the ramparts of DC.

[Aug 26, 2019] Hong Kong protest and Euromaydan riots

Notable quotes:

"... Miles Kwok aka Guo Wengui is a disgruntled Chinese oligarch. He is one of the men who finances the Hong Kong protests. Here he appears with Steve Bannon Miles Kwok & Mr Bannon: The 5 principles on Hong Kong's matter (vid). But the NYT ..."

"... One policeman fired a warning shot against the increasingly brutal mob. It is only of question of time until the first person gets killed. ..."

"... China churns out millions of consumer-grade quadcopters starting at $9-00 per unit all the way up to self-navigating programmable units with HQ video transmission. I'd be very surprised if the PLA hasn't got every potential Maidan rooftop and window covered from several angles. I haven't heard any whingeing about drones from the Disgusting Western MSM but drone surveillance/ oversight is already state of the art. ..."

"... might result in providing an adequate narrative for G7 to join the USA in concerted move to decouple China. That's my take away in watching the incremental escalations in both the severity and absurdity of the violence. How else to explain protesters wantonly targeting the tourist industry as the one to bear the blunt? Even 17, 18 years are old enough to know their Mom and Dads' jobs, and thus their own livelihood, depend on this economy and left to their own they would likely have chosen some other means to press their points, if not for having to obey or get paid by their instigators? ..."

"... I also agree with you that TPP was a China-decoupling Plan conceived under Obama. But I am not so sure the idea of China-decoupling dated back before Obama. If it did, the deep state would have ample time prior to now to start the building up of alternative supply chains and other logistics. ..."

"... It is apparent at this point that the deep state is caught off-guarded by China's intransigence and at loss of what to do next. It seems that in their zeal to contain China, they instead are accelerating their own decline. The ironies of real life! ..."

Aug 25, 2019 | www.moonofalabama.org

Hoarsewhisperer , Aug 25 2019 15:27 utc | 8

• August 19 - Which Hong Kong Protest Size Estimate is Right?

The black block in Hong Kong, which consists of just a few hundred youth, is now back at rioting . Subway stations get vandalized and people pushed off the trains that the rioters use to ferry from one flash mob incident to the next one. Bricks and Molotov cocktails are thrown at police lines. Some protesters use baseball bats against the police, others have handguns . Today the police, for the first time, deployed water cannon trucks . One policeman fired a warning shot against the increasingly brutal mob. It is only of question of time until the first person gets killed.

The allegedly "leaderless" protesters even have a Dummy Guide for frontline rioters .

Miles Kwok aka Guo Wengui is a disgruntled Chinese oligarch. He is one of the men who finances the Hong Kong protests. Here he appears with Steve Bannon Miles Kwok & Mr Bannon: The 5 principles on Hong Kong's matter (vid). But the NYT still claims that the nativist protesters' use of Pepe the frog is not a sign of alt-right influence.

Joshua Wong, one of the U.S. coddled stude