Forwarded from 📡Guardians of Hong Kong
Hong Kong Crackdown Is an Early Test for Biden
In the beginning of this year, a thousand police officers armed with China’s tough new national security law arrested dozens of opposition legislators, lawyers and activists, who had organized and participated in an unofficial “primary” vote to select candidates for the 70-seat Legislative Council.
One minute after President Biden took office, China announced sanctions against 28 departing and former Trump administration officials, including Mr. Pompeo declaring that China's policies against Muslims in its Xinjiang region constitute a “genocide” and “crimes against humanity.”
Hong Kong is intolerable to the Chinese Communists not only as a gadfly, but as a standing rebuttal to Mr. Xi’s illiberal ideology.
Whatever signal China may have been trying to send by its crackdown on dissenters, the Biden administration should continue to stand with the people of Hong Kong.
Source: New York Times #Jan24
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/24/opinion/hong-kong-arrests.html?fbclid=IwAR2wCs5zIj60Qkj0zZRE0Sr9FqkUNNyeH260Te6fA1dpTBQiR8UraOLuRPA
#BidenEraChinaApproach #HongKong #China
In the beginning of this year, a thousand police officers armed with China’s tough new national security law arrested dozens of opposition legislators, lawyers and activists, who had organized and participated in an unofficial “primary” vote to select candidates for the 70-seat Legislative Council.
One minute after President Biden took office, China announced sanctions against 28 departing and former Trump administration officials, including Mr. Pompeo declaring that China's policies against Muslims in its Xinjiang region constitute a “genocide” and “crimes against humanity.”
Hong Kong is intolerable to the Chinese Communists not only as a gadfly, but as a standing rebuttal to Mr. Xi’s illiberal ideology.
Whatever signal China may have been trying to send by its crackdown on dissenters, the Biden administration should continue to stand with the people of Hong Kong.
Source: New York Times #Jan24
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/24/opinion/hong-kong-arrests.html?fbclid=IwAR2wCs5zIj60Qkj0zZRE0Sr9FqkUNNyeH260Te6fA1dpTBQiR8UraOLuRPA
#BidenEraChinaApproach #HongKong #China
NY Times
Opinion | Hong Kong Crackdown Is an Early Test for Biden
Even with Trump out of office, prospects seem dim for rapprochement between China and the United States.
Forwarded from 📡Guardians of Hong Kong
US State Department Voices Concern over China’s Threats to Taiwan and Calls for Pressure to Cease, Reaffirms Commitment to Help Maintain Taiwan’s Self-defence Capabilities
The US State Department has voiced its concerns over Chinese’s intimidation against Taiwan and its other neighbours. In a 23 January press release, it urges Beijing to “cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan’s democratically elected representatives”. The press release is the first statement on China-Taiwan relations from the State Department since Biden took office.
China-Taiwan relations have been tense with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) sending one Yunshuji-8 maritime patrol aircraft, eight Xian H-6K jet bomber, and four Shenyang J-16 strike fighter into Taiwan’s Southwestern Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on 23 January alone. Dubbed “the largest intrusion of the year” by Taiwan media, the operation was met with radio warnings from air patrols of Taiwan’s defence ministry and tracked by anti-aircraft missile systems.
In the press release, titled “PRC Military Pressure Against Taiwan Threatens Regional Peace and Stability”, State Department spokesperson Ned Price stresses that the US will work with its friends and allies to “advance [their] shared prosperity, security, and values in the Indo-Pacific region”, which include “deepening [their] ties with democratic Taiwan”.
Source: Stand News #Jan24
#US #Taiwan #China #Military #Diplomacy
https://bit.ly/36n29yN
The US State Department has voiced its concerns over Chinese’s intimidation against Taiwan and its other neighbours. In a 23 January press release, it urges Beijing to “cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan’s democratically elected representatives”. The press release is the first statement on China-Taiwan relations from the State Department since Biden took office.
China-Taiwan relations have been tense with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) sending one Yunshuji-8 maritime patrol aircraft, eight Xian H-6K jet bomber, and four Shenyang J-16 strike fighter into Taiwan’s Southwestern Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on 23 January alone. Dubbed “the largest intrusion of the year” by Taiwan media, the operation was met with radio warnings from air patrols of Taiwan’s defence ministry and tracked by anti-aircraft missile systems.
In the press release, titled “PRC Military Pressure Against Taiwan Threatens Regional Peace and Stability”, State Department spokesperson Ned Price stresses that the US will work with its friends and allies to “advance [their] shared prosperity, security, and values in the Indo-Pacific region”, which include “deepening [their] ties with democratic Taiwan”.
Source: Stand News #Jan24
#US #Taiwan #China #Military #Diplomacy
https://bit.ly/36n29yN
Forwarded from 📡Guardians of Hong Kong aka BeWater HK
Scott Morrison's WeChat account suspected of being hacked, MPs call for boycott over election interference
Australian media reported on Monday (24th January) that Prime Minister Scott Morrison's WeChat official account was suspected of being hacked and turned into a pro-Beijing account “Aohua Xinshenghuo (Australian Chinese New Life)”. His WeChat team has been unable to log in since the beginning of the year. Its 76,000 followers were notified to quit following old accounts. Some parliamentarians believe this is China's interference in Australia's internal affairs in an election year, and call on Australian politicians to boycott WeChat.
The abnormality of Morrison's WeChat public account was first reported by The Daily Telegraph. It was pointed out that earlier this month, Morrison's official WeChat account had been renamed “Aohua Xinshenghuo” and his profile picture had been changed. The account description was now "providing life information for overseas Chinese in Australia".
Source: RFA #Jan24
https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/au-wechat-01242022053954.html
#Australia #AustralianPM #ScottMorrison #WeChat #hacking #ChinaInterference #boycott #AustralianElection #OverseasChinese
Australian media reported on Monday (24th January) that Prime Minister Scott Morrison's WeChat official account was suspected of being hacked and turned into a pro-Beijing account “Aohua Xinshenghuo (Australian Chinese New Life)”. His WeChat team has been unable to log in since the beginning of the year. Its 76,000 followers were notified to quit following old accounts. Some parliamentarians believe this is China's interference in Australia's internal affairs in an election year, and call on Australian politicians to boycott WeChat.
The abnormality of Morrison's WeChat public account was first reported by The Daily Telegraph. It was pointed out that earlier this month, Morrison's official WeChat account had been renamed “Aohua Xinshenghuo” and his profile picture had been changed. The account description was now "providing life information for overseas Chinese in Australia".
Source: RFA #Jan24
https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/au-wechat-01242022053954.html
#Australia #AustralianPM #ScottMorrison #WeChat #hacking #ChinaInterference #boycott #AustralianElection #OverseasChinese
Radio Free Asia
【澳中關係】莫里森微信帳號疑遭入侵 議員指涉干預選舉籲杯葛
澳大利亞傳媒周一報道，總理莫里森的微信公眾號疑遭入侵，莫里森微信團隊自年初一直無法登入，其7.6萬名追隨者收到通知，要退出追蹤舊帳號。有國會議員認為是中國在選舉年干涉澳大利亞內政，籲政界杯葛微信。