Hong Kong protests

[Stayingup]

At a guess the Brexit party/UKIP closely followed by the Tories.

Guessing? No Labour.In the north and why? Because the working class people of the north and midlands have had (mass) immigration thrust upon them without planning, without consultation, without education about it and the Brexit referendum and the last two General Elections has been their only opportunity to speak.

[Stayingup]

I applaud your liberal attitude. Yes, I too have full respect for the Chinese community in the UK, but ask yourself if the average knuckle dragger, who voted for Brexit and then for Boris because he/she was under the misapprehension that the Tories would continue their hostile environment policy would be pleased with today's news.

They won't be, obviously.

My goodness. How dare you call the working class peoplw who voted for Brexit and for Boris knuckle draggers. Disgraceful comment.

[fidelcastro]

Guessing? No Labour.In the north and why? Because the working class people of the north and midlands have had (mass) immigration thrust upon them without planning, without consultation, without education about it and the Brexit referendum and the last two General Elections has been their only opportunity to speak.

I don't believe that for a second. It seems you're very much against immigration, unless it's Chinese, curiously.
The majority of bigots I've encountered in life have all been on the right of politics. In other words, not traditional Labour voters.

[Nonayforever]

China have to be extraordinarily careful, the West is watching and looking for any excuse to condemn

China don't give a monkey's toss what the west thinks.

They blackmail the west and have no guilt whatsoever about it. They exist with the sole intention of undermining the west.

The Chinese Government bank roll companies, their military, their civil servants and foreign associates to destabilise the west with every method at their disposal.

America is the main target, but Europe is high on their list to destabilise the manufacturing process.

[fidelcastro]

My goodness. How dare you call the working class peoplw who voted for Brexit and for Boris knuckle draggers. Disgraceful comment.

I didn’t say they all were, but sadly, I've met quite a few.

[Vegas Claret]

China don't give a monkey's toss what the west thinks.

They blackmail the west and have no guilt whatsoever about it. They exist with the sole intention of undermining the west.

The Chinese Government bank roll companies, their military, their civil servants and foreign associates to destabilise the west with every method at their disposal.

America is the main target, but Europe is high on their list to destabilise the manufacturing process.

hence why in my next comment I said it isn't helped by having someone as weak as Trump as President because China can in fact do whatever it wants without fear of rebuke

[Vino blanco]

I don't like Trump but China's actions are not guided or influenced by Trump. The Chinese do not care one jot what anybody else in the he world thinks: they will carry on doing what they want because they know no one can stop them short of a nuclear war.

[dermotdermot]

It might just come to that given what they have done, or are doing, to the world. The Evil Empire.

[Lowbankclaret]

China is going to start attacking and annexing countries near to it, just as Russia did with Crimea.
They don’t give a **** what we think or what we do.

[Gordaleman]

Makes you wonder why that falstaffian buffoon would allow them anywhere near our 5G system.

Because it's technically far superior to anything the West can produce. Trump wants America to get the contracts and that's the only reason he's making a fuss about Huawei.

I like the Falstaffian buffoon bit though.

[dermotdermot]

That’s as maybe, but why would you let the Chinese anywhere near it?

[Gordaleman]

That’s as maybe, but why would you let the Chinese anywhere near it?

Because GCHQ say that they are confident that the parts that Huawei will be involved with are perfectly safe. Critical infrastucture will be not be using Huawei equipment.

Surely, GCHQ know better than us on here?

[Burnleyareback2]

It's calmed down a lot now that most of the people in the University have surrendered but I don't really know how it's going to get resolved in the long-term.
[/quote]

Are you there now? Looks like you are in Kowloon bay based on the pictures but I could be wrong.

Interested to know how the travel was with the current CVD situation.

[KateR]

shock and horror, thread on protests thousands of miles away becomes a place for people to argue about Brexit and the failings of the British Gov. plus the chance to denigrate the British public once again, who would have thunk it. Of course some of the other usual suspects will be blamed!

[aggi]

It's calmed down a lot now that most of the people in the University have surrendered but I don't really know how it's going to get resolved in the long-term.

Are you there now? Looks like you are in Kowloon bay based on the pictures but I could be wrong.

Interested to know how the travel was with the current CVD situation.
[/quote]

No, the first posts were back in November. I was in TST.

[claret59]

Just a point of interest to remind everyone that China now owns the UK steel industry. So cancelling their involvement in the 5G project could bring swift retribution at a time when the whole of the UK manufacturing industries is already on its knees.

[mdd2]

Our decision to try and snuggle up to the Chinese has not been a good thing with hindsight. Difficult for us to unpick all of it without hurting ourselves.
It is a crying shame how we have fallen behind over the last 60 years. Didn't we build the first nuclear power station and all those years on we have to try and get the Chinese to build one for us.

[Top Claret]

It won't be a bad thing welcoming the people of HK to the UK. The Chinese have a reputation for being successful business men and will contribute greatly to our economy.

Hong Kong as links to both Liverpool and Manchester and it would be great for the North West economy if they located their wealth to the region

I voted Brexit and I don't mind who comes and lives in our country has long as they have the money to support themselves, if they don't, they are not welcome

[Wile E Coyote]

so many occasions that america and its western allies have condemned and intervened in other countries affairs and done so by sanctions or invasion. Totally impossible with china, doesn't seem to matter much about human rights abuses or anything else really, the world will always stand idly by and hope there will still be trade deals to be had when the dust settles.

[mdd2]

I fear China's response will be to target UK citizens working in China arrested and jailed on bogus charges of espionage etc. Haven't they arrested two Canadians after the woman in charge of Huawei in Canada was arrested?

[Caernarfon_Claret]

Do we know the 53 Countries backing China?

Cuba obviously.

[aggi]

Someone I know out there who's been looking at the new law was saying as a non-permanent resident they could now face deportation for an accusation of an offence under article 34 of the new law without prosecution of the offence. So summary deportation upon denouncement by an official with no trial.

A few people have been cleansing their social media history of anything referring to HK independence, any criticism of the Chinese government, etc.

[mdd2]

Theoretically HK could be half empty of people if this all came to pass and we had 3 million here from HK. We would only need to build 12 towns the size of Bolton to accommodate them. This could be a Blair moment when the then Labour Government never expected the massive influx of Europeans from the new countries in the EC from Poland etc in the early 2000 and I note we are assuming only a minority of the 3 million eligible will arrive with more than likely a significant number of triads who would not welcome Chinese style justice coming to HK!!!!!!
Whilst not against what we are doing, we do need to be aware of what may happen and prepare for it and sort out the extra demands on education, English teaching, housing, NHS, social funding, even water and electricity. The benefits to the UK economy of young well educated driven HK Chinese could be massive although it is likely that the majority of those that qualify could be middle aged and elderly as HK has not been a UK territory for over 20 years.

[exilecanada]

I fear China's response will be to target UK citizens working in China arrested and jailed on bogus charges of espionage etc. Haven't they arrested two Canadians after the woman in charge of Huawei in Canada was arrested?

That's correct, they were arrested shortly after the Huawei executive was placed under house arrest at her Vancouver mansion awaiting extradition hearings, which will take years! Trump is playing Canada, knowing we'll comply with the extradition request.

[mdd2]

Someone I know out there who's been looking at the new law was saying as a non-permanent resident they could now face deportation for an accusation of an offence under article 34 of the new law without prosecution of the offence. So summary deportation upon denouncement by an official with no trial.

A few people have been cleansing their social media of anything referring to HK independence, any criticism of the Chinese government, etc.

I fear they will be the lucky one. Pretty sure we will see Brits in mainland China and HK disappearing and jailed ad infinitum in retaliation.
IMO time to get out before it is too late.

[tiger76]

The US imposing sanctions https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-53259656

[Devils_Advocate]

Fair play to the Hong Kong students for making such a powerful statement against the Chinese govt. I have a real sense of simultaneous hope and fear for them and their future

https://twitter.com/YaxueCao/status/1279395426995757061

Mind you they would probably be considered brainwashed leftwaffe woke idiots or violent Marxist antifa extremists by many in this country

[tiger76]

Microsoft and Zoom join Hong Kong data 'pause'https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-53320715

TikTok to exit Hong Kong 'within days' https://www.bbc.com/news/business-53317015

Hong Kong: Facebook, Google and Twitter among firms 'pausing' police help https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-53308582

Huawei: UK government weighs up ban of Chinese firm's telecoms kithttps://www.bbc.com/news/technology-53306809

TikTok: Chinese app may be banned in US, says Pompeohttps://www.bbc.com/news/technology-53319955

Now the is how will the Chinese respond, they've already threatened retribution for foreign interference in HK as they see it.

[Gordaleman]

Maybe it's just me but so far as I'm aware, Hong Kong never belonged to Britain or the West, it was just leased to us for 99 years. It has always been Chinese property and why they felt the need to agree to 'One country, two systems' in 1997 I really don't know.

Of course, it's easy for people to feel sorry for the residents of HK, particularly the young, but if it hadn't ben for Britain's colonial past, using gunboat diplomacy in China, this would never have happened.

Whether we like the Chinese regime or not, HK belongs to China. I don't think Britain would be very impressed if China interfered over here and we should learn to keep out of other countries business, especially if we want to trade with them.

[tiger76]

Maybe it's just me but so far as I'm aware, Hong Kong never belonged to Britain or the West, it was just leased to us for 99 years. It has always been Chinese property and why they felt the need to agree to 'One country, two systems' in 1997 I really don't know.

Of course, it's easy for people to feel sorry for the residents of HK, particularly the young, but if it hadn't ben for Britain's colonial past, using gunboat diplomacy in China, this would never have happened.

Whether we like the Chinese regime or not, HK belongs to China. I don't think Britain would be very impressed if China interfered over here and we should learn to keep out of other countries business, especially if we want to trade with them.

That would be fine if China respected international laws, but they don't, and the Chinese signed up to the deal that allowed the One country, two systems to be adopted until 2047, they can't just abuse this written pledge because they feel like it.

The problem for the West is what practical measures they can take that'll make the Chinese back off, one thing the UK government could do is prevent Hauwei getting further access to the 5G market, but this carries economic risks for the UK as well, so the options are limited.

And you're correct the world is a vastly different place to a century ago, and the reality is that China is a major economic power now, and this is what allows them to flex their muscles, such as in the case of HK.

Unfortunately as is often the case the citizens of HK are caught up in the middle of a diplomatic spat between Britain and China, and they're the ones that have the most to lose.

[Gordaleman]

That would be fine if China respected international laws, but they don't, and the Chinese signed up to the deal that allowed the One country, two systems to be adopted until 2047, they can't just abuse this written pledge because they feel like it.

The problem for the West is what practical measures they can take that'll make the Chinese back off, one thing the UK government could do is prevent Hauwei getting further access to the 5G market, but this carries economic risks for the UK as well, so the options are limited.

And you're correct the world is a vastly different place to a century ago, and the reality is that China is a major economic power now, and this is what allows them to flex their muscles, such as in the case of HK.

Unfortunately as is often the case the citizens of HK are caught up in the middle of a diplomatic spat between Britain and China, and they're the ones that have the most to lose.

Nothing much to disagree with there but it begs the question as to why, in 1997, they felt the need to agree to One country, two systems. They didn't need to. The lease was up and that was that.

As for Hauwei, the only reason America is making such a fuss is because Trump wants America to dominate the 5G marketplace. Problem is, their technology is nowhere near as good as Hauwei's. Huawei have spent more on 5G than the rest of the world put together, so their product should be good.

GCHQ have no problem with Huawei's involvement in the UK, because they say that critical infrastructure will be protected with our own systems.

One thing is for sure. If Boris continues on his relentless 'No deal' Brexit plan, we will need all the trade partners we can get and a deal with China is of supreme importance to us. On the other hand, China wouldn't miss 'Little Britain' if we decide to upset them. Boris is walking a very, very dangerous tightrope.

[AndrewJB]

Guessing? No Labour.In the north and why? Because the working class people of the north and midlands have had (mass) immigration thrust upon them without planning, without consultation, without education about it and the Brexit referendum and the last two General Elections has been their only opportunity to speak.

Actually the people in London and the south east had way more immigration thrust upon them.

[Jakubclaret]

Guessing? No Labour.In the north and why? Because the working class people of the north and midlands have had (mass) immigration thrust upon them without planning, without consultation, without education about it and the Brexit referendum and the last two General Elections has been their only opportunity to speak.

Well initially it wasn’t that much of a problem, people generally aren’t adverse to immigration & recognise positivity with controlled immigration, the problems started spiralling out of the control with the numbers creeping up thus forcing the infrastructure to be put under a colossal amount of strain, part of the problem also was dishonesty & you’ve touched upon it with “without consultation” people didn’t realise or anticipate that within a short space of time some of the negative ramifications which ensued with influx volumes spiking.

[Gordaleman]

Anyone who thinks Hauwei is a danger to western telecoms should read this from the BBC. There is plenty of Black Propaganda from the USA but no actual evidence that Hauwei has done anything wrong. The truth seems to be that the USA is at least a year behind Hauwei in technology terms and they (The American Government) are scared that America will be left behind if Hauwei technology is adopted worldwide.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-sh/Huawei

GCHQ has already said that critical infrastructure would be protected by none Hauwei equipment and they aren't concerned about Hauwei. Boris should stop pandering to the USA and press ahead with the best technology available. (It's also cheaper than the American stuff.)

[aggi]

Looks like they're already considering how the new rules can be applied to the elections
https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/ ... 200713.htm

Not long till the opposition parties start to disappear I suspect ...