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03/11/2020

You’ve been hearing about how other Chinese cities have taken over as the International Financial Hub between China and the world. But have they? What does Hong Kong actually do, and how is this role evolving amid China's rapid economic development and the ?

In his latest article, Dr. Simon Shen (堅離地城：沈旭暉國際生活台 Simon's Glos World) discusses Hong Kong's unique position and value for China--even after the implementation of the National Security Law-- in the world and beyond.

Full article on the Diplomat
👉🏻 https://bit.ly/3kOHqsX

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13/09/2020

It’s plain to see China breached the Sino-British Joint Declaration. But would taking this to International courts bear any fruits? Dr. Simon Shen discusses the possibilities from an academic point of view.

The work is a collaboration with 堅離地城：沈旭暉國際生活台 Simon's Glos World. It is a sequel to Dr. Shen’s previous discussion on the Joint Declaration on HKFP.

Full article on the Diplomat
👉🏻 https://bit.ly/35JkEhB

Previous discussion on HKFP
👉🏻 https://bit.ly/2CusMWz

10/07/2020

【Hong Kong’s last free election today 🗳】

Today, democrats in Hong Kong are holding primaries for the first time ahead of the official Legislative Council (LegCo) election in September.

📍 Why the primaries?
Law professor Benny Tai called for the primaries to select the strongest candidates for the official election, which systematically favors the pro-Beijing parties.

📍 The last open in election in Hong Kong
But it’s expected that Beijing will aggressively bar pro-democracy candidates from running, turning the September election nothing but a sham. This means the primaries will be the last fair elections in the city.

📍 A key issue in the election: HK’s China strategy
Candidates stand for distinct strategies towards China—compromise versus resistance— the election results will provide an indicator on how Hongkongers would want to walk the path to democracy.

The opinion piece is a collaboration with 張可森 Sam Cheung.
👉🏻 https://hongkongfp.com/2020/07/10/democrats-primaries-getting-ready-for-hong-kongs-last-free-election/



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02/07/2020

With the recent passage of the Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL), major news that you shouldn't have missed out!

⚠️July 1st News Recap :

[Sad News]
We are witnessing the death of Hong Kong’s freedom and democracy, starting with HKPF making their first waves of arrests—Hong Kong independence sign-holders were arrested pursuant to the anti-secession clauses of the NSL.

[Happier News]
One of our closet allies, Taiwan's government began its rapid-fire of actions by opening the Taiwan-Hong Kong Services and Exchanges Office in Taipei.

The UK may be late in this game; however, we love how the Brits getting quick on their feet. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said they will be opening up paths to citizenship for Hongkongers after five years of residency. Approximately 350,000 UK passport holders and 2.6 million others are eligible.

The US also has its eyes on the prize. Secretary of State Pompeo promised harsh measures, and the sanctions will be used to punish the CCP Officials in response to the treatment of Uyghurs in China. Additionally, the US Senate approved Hong Kong Autonomy Act with unprecedented efficiency.

With loaded ammo, HKDC - Hong Kong Democracy Council US is on fire with 3 bills rolling this week🔥🔥:
1️⃣Hong Kong Autonomy Act
2️⃣Hong Kong Safe Harbor Act
3️⃣Hong Kong People’s Freedom and Choice Act.

💛Support HKDC:
www.gogetfunding.com/hkdc

----------------------------------------------
News Source:

1. First Arrests were made pursuant to the new National Security Law https://www.nbcnews.com/…/hong-kong-police-make-first-arres…

2. UK will offer ~3 million Hongkongers path to British Citizenship https://www.nbcnews.com/…/hong-kong-police-make-first-arres…

3. Taiwan opens office for potential Hong Kong refugees https://www.reuters.com/…/taiwan-opens-office-to-help-peopl…

4. US ready to sanction China over treatment of Uyghurs https://www.bloomberg.com/…/u-s-readies-global-sanctions-on…

5. US Senate approves Hong Kong Autonomy Act as response to national security law
https://www.scmp.com/…/us-senate-approves-hong-kong-autonom…

PC:HKFP

30/06/2020

July 1, 1997, and then it is July 1, 2020. The long night is creeping on us. We hope you are ready for this ride under the starless night sky.

⚠️Important News from July 29th that you should know:

The fate of Hong Kong took a sharp turn with the passing of the infamous National Security Law— which is expected to become effective Hong Kong time midnight on July 1.

As the breaking news spread through social media like wildfire, the board members of Demosisto, a pro-democracy political organization based in Hong Kong, including Wong, Chow, Law, and Ngo announced their resignation soon after.

Furthermore, the U.S. began terminating Hong Kong’s special status based on the US-HK Policy Act by halting defense exports and restricting the territory’s access to high technology products as Hong Kong steps into the “One Country, One System” era. U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo said that Washington would take action to end the export of dual-use technologies to the territory, including those with commercial and military uses.

The politics of tango between two superpowers continue—
China’s Foreign Ministry said that Beijing plans on imposing visa restrictions on “U.S personnel who have behaved egregiously on Hong Kong-related issues.”

-------------------------------------------------------------

News source:

1. Beijing unanimously Passed national security law for Hong Kong, expected to become effective July 1.
https://www.politico.com/…/hong-kong-national-security-law-…

2. Activists Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow, Nathan Law, and Jeffrey Ngo quit Demosisto as the law passes.
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3956081

3. U.S. halts high-tech exports to Hong Kong over security concerns.
https://www.state.gov/u-s-government-ending-controlled-de…/…

4. U.S starts paring back Hong Kong’s special status due to security law
https://www.reuters.com/…/us-starts-paring-back-hong-kongs-…

5. China Strikes Back at U.S. Move to Restrict Visas for Party Officials Over Hong Kong
https://www.wsj.com/…/china-strikes-back-at-u-s-move-to-res…

30/06/2020

30 June 1997, as the clock stroke midnight, the first handover of Hong Kong started. 23 years later, at the midnight of 30 June 2020, the National Security Law went into effect, initiating what Beijing called “Second Reunification”. It’s time to revisit Beijing’s calculations with the article below.

【National Security Law, Why Now?】

International observers may find Beijing's recent clampdown on Hong Kong sudden. The iron-fist moves, according to Dr. Simon Shen, are part of Beijing's campaign to "complete the reunification" with Hong Kong after the first one beginning in 1997 failed. Dr. Shen discusses Beijing's interpretations of current events that drive the campaign:

📍Beijing thinks the world is in desperate need for Chinese money in the aftermath of the pandemic, opening a small window of opportunity before the generation of "friends of China" politicians loses power.
📍The moderate protest supporters in Hong Kong cannot recreate million-strong marches like last year because of social distancing and protest restrictions. Some protest supporters may radicalize and fulfill Beijing's characterization of the protests as violent.
📍Upgrading the Hong Kong protests as a war against foreign influence best fits the domestic appetite of nationalism.

Dr. Shen emphasizes that Beijing's calculation--whether foolproof or not--is driven by its realism mentality, and we need to use the same lens to understand its moves.

Link to the article in the Diplomat:
👉 https://bit.ly/2YESChL
The original article in Chinese is available here:
👉 https://bit.ly/2N2pUC8
Author’s page:
👉 堅離地城：沈旭暉國際生活台 Simon's Glos World

28/06/2020

【First Hong Kong🇭🇰, then the rest of the world🇺🇸🇬🇧🇹🇼🇨🇦🇦🇺】

Sharp power is a tool authoritarian regimes use to undermine democracies through manipulating and co-opting their media, culture, education systems, etc. China first tested its sharp power in Hong Kong. Now the world has woken up to its threats after China’s global pandemic propanganda has crossed the redline of national security of other countries.

Yet China‘s leadership will unlikely soften its aggressive diplomacy as the hardline, nationalistic voices dominate all aspects of sociopolitical life, even more pervasive than the time of cultural revolution. The world is on the course to a polarized tomorrow.

👉🏻 Full article in collaboration with Simon Shen, published on the Diplomat:
https://thediplomat.com/2020/06/the-world-is-awakening-to-chinas-sharp-power/

👉🏻 Based on the Chinese article:
https://bit.ly/2VnQkmj

👉🏻 Author’s page:
堅離地城：沈旭暉國際生活台 Simon's Glos World
Simon Shen's Global Microcosm


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21/06/2020

【Is Hong Kong reaping what China and the UK sowed 36 years ago?】

The Joint Declaration signed by the two countries in 1984 outlines the post-colonial Hong Kong. But its loose language and purposely evading the UK‘s monitoring role sets the stage for the issues today. Will 🇬🇧 take up a moral role for its defects?‬

The Aland islands example in North Europe shows how HK could have become if China and the UK had done differently.

👉🏻 The translation is a collaboration with Simon, based on the Chinese article:
https://hk.nextmgz.com/article/2_742705_0

👉🏻 Full translation on Hong Kong Free Press:
https://bit.ly/2CusMWz

👉🏻 Author’s page:
堅離地城：沈旭暉國際生活台 Simon's Glos World
Simon Shen's Global Microcosm


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In London and Brussels, China’s imposition of a new national security law on Hong Kong has sparked a widespread allegation that it violated the Sino-British Joint Declaration. Signed in 1984, the document declares Hong Kong’s autonomy to be “unchanged for 50 years” under Chinese rule after t...

20/06/2020

“China confirmed that a proposed national security law would allow Beijing to override Hong Kong’s independent legal system...
..The laws will shape the future of Hong Kong, raising questions about the autonomy of a city whose global status is a underpinned by its legal distinction from the mainland. President Xi Jinping’s government decided to bypass the elected local legislature and impose the security laws after a wave of historically large and sometimes violent protests gripped the city last year. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam expressed her “gratitude” for the measure and said in a statement that her government will give its “full support” for the bill.”

China’s top legislative body released some details of national security legislation to be imposed on Hong Kong, shedding new light on a measure that pro-democracy groups warn could undermine the city’s appeal as a financial center.

20/06/2020

【Follower‘s translation request: Rising concerns for academic freedom in Hong Kong】

Hong Kong is feeling the rapidly shrinking freedom although the details of the Hong Kong national security law are not out yet. In one of the latest incidents, ‪a Hong Kong deputy to China‘s National Parliament smears a study published in the Lancet by , which estimates a high level of infection in Hubei. He accuses the team of mixing science with politics and criticizes the study as blackmailing.

👉 https://bit.ly/30WeZlP

Professor Yuen Kwok-yung, a leading microbiologist at the University of Hong Kong who discovered SARS coronavirus, and his team have…

18/06/2020

【Follower's translation request】
Hong Kong's judiciary is the most trusted branch of government for Hongkongers, left and right. Yet, in recent months, judges have made appalling remarks and decisions in cases related to the protests last year, e.g. a judge offered sympathy to an anti-protest knifeman who stabbed three strangers after hearing their opposing views. This is the latest case: https://bit.ly/30UQl54

Hong Kong’s judiciary is the most trusted branch of government for Hongkongers, left and right. Yet, in recent months, judges have made…

16/06/2020

【National Security Law, Why Now?】

International observers may find Beijing's recent clampdown on Hong Kong sudden. The iron-fist moves, according to Dr. Simon Shen, are part of Beijing's campaign to "complete the reunification" with Hong Kong after the first one beginning in 1997 failed. Dr. Shen discusses Beijing's interpretations of current events that drive the campaign:

📍Beijing thinks the world is in desperate need for Chinese money in the aftermath of the pandemic, opening a small window of opportunity before the generation of "friends of China" politicians loses power.
📍The moderate protest supporters in Hong Kong cannot recreate million-strong marches like last year because of social distancing and protest restrictions. Some protest supporters may radicalize and fulfill Beijing's characterization of the protests as violent.
📍Upgrading the Hong Kong protests as a war against foreign influence best fits the domestic appetite of nationalism.

Dr. Shen emphasizes that Beijing's calculation--whether foolproof or not--is driven by its realism mentality, and we need to use the same lens to understand its moves.

Link to the article in the Diplomat:
👉 https://bit.ly/2YESChL
The original article in Chinese is available here:
👉 https://bit.ly/2N2pUC8
Author’s page:
👉 堅離地城：沈旭暉國際生活台 Simon's Glos World

05/06/2020

Why the Tiananmen Massacre Vigil in Hong Kong this year is different from the past 30 years





https://medium.com//behind-the-photo-from-the-tiananmen-massacre-vigil-in-hong-kong-last-night-6d0bcd7bda77

What happened in this photo?

26/05/2020

Learn about the in 2 minutes

The breaking news on May 21st sent chills down Hongkongers’ spines, as the Chinese Parliament (National People’s Congress; NPC) planned to…

23/05/2020

【HK Glossary series】

“The river water shall leave the well water alone” describes a state of respectful co-existence— a vision of China-HK relation held by Deng Xiaoping and Hongkongers. Beijing’s imposing the national security law this week drives the final nail in the coffin of this principle.

📖Further reading
https://hongkongfp.com/2017/11/20/ex-legco-head-2014-white-paper-turning-point-beijing-exercising-overall-jurisdiction-hong-kong/

22/05/2020

【Mask down, time for the kill】

Bypassing Hong Kong's legislature, China is set to impose a sweeping national security law in the territory. This bill tackles specifically with secessionist activities and subversion of state power. This is the boldest of a series of acts from Beijing to undermine Hong Kong's autonomy and to bring the global financial city its knees.

This is expected to further intensify the US-China tension, with Trump warning that Washington may react 'very strongly' to this new law.

📖 Further reading
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/china-signals-plan-to-take-full-control-of-hong-kong-realigning-citys-status/2020/05/21/2c3850ee-9b48-11ea-ad79-eef7cd734641_story.html?fbclid=IwAR2qt7WVBkLyJCCPqy-7f6qIB8sCejn_iTBOfuLV2xmuu_z_1Oe8rUMpgQY&wpisrc&wpmk=1

21/05/2020

🧨Premature burial: China is putting forth a security law bypassing city’s legislature—that will systemically, permanently demolish the freedoms, human rights and autonomy in , ignoring all international pre-existing agreements.

Additional readings:
👉🏻 https://wapo.st/2Trj7Wt
👉🏻 https://reut.rs/36k1Fbn

20/05/2020

【How the Yellow Economic Circle can revolutionize Hong Kong】

It’s no secret Hong Kong’s economy is tightly linked to mainland China’s. But the Yellow Economic Circle may reduce this reliance and blossom into a global ecosystem that shapes the city’s future. Dr. Simon Shen discusses its challenges and opportunities.

Challenges:
- Pressure from the authority
- Division among the pro-democracy camp driven by an online shaming

Visions:
1. expanding community economy through the internet
2. forming “virtual enterprise” with small yellow businesses
3. Opening up global job opportunities
4. Attracting investment
5. Growing a global ecosystem on an universal Hongkonger identity

The Yellow Economic Circle is underappreciated by the West. Our translation of Dr Shen’s piece in Chinese aims to address this gap of knowledge.

Link to the article in the Diplomat
👉 https://bit.ly/2z4m0pe

Author’s page
👉🏻 堅離地城：沈旭暉國際生活台 Simon's Glos World

19/05/2020

Explainer: Behind the “security wall” photo taken in the Hong Kong Legislative Council

Tweet by Chan Kin-man, associate professor in sociology of CUHK: “When a law-making body lacks popular mandate, it relies on security…

18/05/2020

【HK Glossary series - What is “White Gloves”?】

A middleman who does the dirty deeds of (and for) another person/entity in order to keep their hands clean; usually means a fixer who launders unlawful money with seemingly legitimate means.

In the case of Hong Kong, it has an international reputation that safeguards more privileges (like trade benefit) than mainland China. Its identity has been used as China’s white gloves (e.g. in the case of Chinese money setting up a HK business) to dodge international restrictions.

📖Further readings
1. on the original meaning of “white gloves” in the context of money laundering:

https://qz.com/1223009/corruption-in-china-has-created-new-terms-for-money-laundering/

2. on Beijing’s strategies to avoid losing Hong Kong as the white gloves:

https://thediplomat.com/2020/05/chinas-strategy-for-hollowing-out-hong-kong/

17/05/2020

🚨Events since Friday have appalled pro-democracy Hongkongers:

1. Police watchdog's report blamed protesters for police brutality

2. The first protester admitted rioting and received a 4-year prison term

3. A public exam question escalated Chinese State Media’s rhetoric on reforming HK education

📍Details in the photo captions.

14/05/2020

【lethal, but legal】
From biasedly enforcing social distancing rules in peaceful protests, to changing interpretation of the city’s mini-constitution, the government has made bending the rules a norm, killing the city’s civil liberties.

Dr. Simon Shen’s article discusses how Beijing can bring authoritarianism to Hong Kong without enacting the controversial national security laws.

Link: https://thediplomat.com/2020/05/chinas-strategy-for-hollowing-out-hong-kong/

11/05/2020

【Hong Kong protests face police crackdown on Mother’s Day】

As the pandemic eases up in HK, protesters again took to the streets in several parts of the city in the wake of Beijing’s tightening political grips.

In the popular shopping district Mongkok, more than a hundred people were arrested, including elected legislator Roy Kwong. During the conflicts, objects were thrown at the police, obstacles were set up as roadblocks and police used pepperspray to dispel the crowd, citing violation of social distancing rules.

According to reports, the police pepper-sprayed journalists, held a journalist around the neck for 20 seconds, who was sent to hospital after showing sign of shock; and a policeman was recorded on tape shouting at the arrested, some of whom crying “Cry louder! Not enough despair!”.

Video coverage of the protest on Cable news (Chinese):
👉https://bit.ly/2YPaOXS

Policeman shouting at the arrested (Chinese):
👉https://bit.ly/2WY2e6L

Report on a journalist being held around the neck (Chinese):
👉https://bit.ly/3bsiUsh

Photo credits: Apple Daily and StandNews

06/05/2020

【Our first translation: 🇨🇳🇭🇰 Beijing versus Hong Kong protesters and their supporters. What are their odds as Beijing is ramping up its crackdown? 】

Dr. Simon Shen suggests three game plans Beijing may use to bring Hong Kong to her knees when it comes to legislating national security laws within the highly autonomous region, which is widely considered a major step backwards in upholding civil rights in Hong Kong.

📍The bill to introduce the laws (article 23 of the Basic Law) was killed in 2003. Both Beijing and Hong Kong governments will play it smart this time to avoid local and international backlash.

📍Possible game plans:
1. Framing the protests as acts of terrorism and declaring a state of emergency in HK as a way to justify directly enacting Chinese national laws in HK;
2. Taking control of the legislative council by ousting opposing voices;
3. Not legislating article 23 per se but slow boiling Hong Kong by distorting the law

Dr. Shen ends his article by reminding Hongkongers their forte—a city with free flow of information and international connections—and suggests that Hongkongers bring to the negotiating table what is at stake for Beijing and the global community if Hong Kong falls into authoritarian rule.

Full translation with author's permission in the Diplomat
👉https://thediplomat.com/2020/05/chinas-strategy-for-hollowing-out-hong-kong/

Author’s page
👉🏻堅離地城：沈旭暉國際生活台 Simon's Glos World

04/05/2020

📌About translateHK📌

2019. What a year to endure, as Hong Kong seizes the world’s glance with crimson red and ash grey spilled on the screen. Underlying the clashes is the fact that Hong Kong sits on the chasm where “the East meets the West”, “modernism meets nostalgia”, and “where communist China meets the world”. Yet, she remains mysterious to the outside world.

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