UN Tens of thousands march against China in Hong Kong

https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3471763

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TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Tens of thousands of Hongkongers marched through the streets yesterday, on the anniversary Hong Kong's sovereignty being handed to China in a show of dissatisfaction with China's encroachment on democracy in the autonomous territory.

Hong Kong, a former British colony had its sovereignty handed to China on July 1, 1997 on the promise that Hong Kong would maintain its political and economic independence and civil liberties will be safeguarded for 50 years. Despite this, China has systematically encroached on Hong Kong's democracy and rule of law.

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Thousands of protestors matching (Associated Press image)

An estimated 50,000 people protested according to the march organizer, the Civil Human Rights Front, while police claim that 9,800 were present. Police commonly under estimate the size of protests in Hong Kong.

The protestors rallied against one-party rule in China and China's strengthening grip on life and democratic institutions in Hong Kong.

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Sign reads Chinese President Xi Jinping is "not my president" (Associated Press image)

Some protestors carried yellow umbrellas, in a display of democratic activism, and to recall the Umbrella Movement and mass protests in 2014.

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man (centre) holds yellow umbrella (Associated Press image)

One group of protestors carried a sign saying "End one party rule in China".

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protestors carrying sign saying "End one party rune in China" (Associated Press image)

The People Power coalition, a pro-democracy movement also attended the rally in force, carrying signs also saying "End one party rule in China".

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People Power coalition at the march (Associated Press image)

Some protested other controversial Chinese actions, including the house arrest of Liu Xia (劉霞), widow of democracy activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo (劉曉波).

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Man holding sign saying "Free Liu Xia!" (Associated Press image)

Numerous protestors carried the Hong Kong colonial flag, too.

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Man waving Hong Kong colonial flag (Associated Press image)

During the march, other groups protested domestic problems including recycling, environmental issues and housing affordability, reports say.
 
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Aaaaand now the Falon Gung practitioners are getting heat taken off their back and getting let out of the camps for these Hong Kongers
 
Testaclese Maximus said:
I just assumed Hong Kong was part of China.
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Their whole existence depends on China. If you go to any of the stores in Hong Kong, chances are you’ll see a Chinese mainlander loading up suitcases full of stuff that would otherwise be super expensive in their own provinces.

This whole thing is incredibly short sighted on Hong Kong’s part. If Chairman Xi ever got tired of their shit, all he’d have to do is impose travel restrictions on Hong Kong. Their economy would collapse in a month.
 
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thismanlies said:
Their whole existence depends on China. If you go to any of the stores in Hong Kong, chances are you’ll see a Chinese mainlander loading up suitcases full of stuff that would otherwise be super expensive in their own provinces.

This whole thing is incredibly short sighted on Hong Kong’s part. If Chairman Xi ever got tired of their shit, all he’d have to do is impose travel restrictions on Hong Kong. Their economy would collapse in a month.
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You've misunderstood the situation. Yes, every time you go to HK you see lots of Chinese mainlanders filling their suitcases with shit that is cheaper than in mainland China. It is cheaper because HK still has its own regulations including different (and cheaper import) tariffs. The only reason HK is profitable and a popular place to live is because it has different rules to the mainland. You're right that Xi could ban travel to HK and it would collapse... but why would he? It would be just as short sighted of him. Why destroy the economy of one of China's richest cities?

China is shooting itself in the foot by making these changes to HK. By making it into just another Chinese city they are destroying an incredibly lucrative port and, frankly, pissing people off. The only reason they have for doing this is that it proves a point.

Short sighted.
 
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Testaclese Maximus said:
I just assumed Hong Kong was part of China.
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It’s way more complicated than that. Hong Kong has been a flourishing largely self ruled democracy for a long time prior to the British to Chinese handover. It was Britain’s little owned piece of Asia. After the handover they were supposed to be guaranteed their continued autonomy and local democracy. The Chinese Communists have reneged on every promise. Add to this that Hong Kong and Mainland China are culturally distinct with very different languages and you have a brewing problem. China speaks Mandarin. Hong Kong Cantonese.

I rather fear what Xi’s response to this will be.

mate said:
You've misunderstood the situation. Yes, every time you go to HK you see lots of Chinese mainlanders filling their suitcases with shit that is cheaper than in mainland China. It is cheaper because HK still has its own regulations including different (and cheaper import) tariffs. The only reason HK is profitable and a popular place to live is because it has different rules to the mainland. You're right that Xi could ban travel to HK and it would collapse... but why would he? It would be just as short sighted of him. Why destroy the economy of one of China's richest cities?

China is shooting itself in the foot by making these changes to HK. By making it into just another Chinese city they are destroying an incredibly lucrative port and, frankly, pissing people off. The only reason they have for doing this is that it proves a point.

Short sighted.
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The problem isn’t one of proving a point. The problem is that Hong Kong and Taiwan both represent a huge problem and point of contagion for Beijing. Both are flourishing wealthy Chinese Democracies with representative elected governments. They prove the one thing that Beijing cannot allow to be proven. That Western Style Democracy and Civil Rights is not only compatible with traditional Chinese culture, but that it produces superior economic results and standards of living. Which inevitably leads to the question “if it works there... why can’t we have it here?” That Beijing cannot answer.
 
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Xi has been consolidating power for a long, long time with the goal of being a real threat to the US and looking to replace it as the hegmon of the world. Mostly through economic and military dominance.

This is why he made himself president for life, had the communist party fall in line and quash more dissent online than usual. Not to mention an iron stranglehold on the economy. Xi believes a strong China can only come with absolute rule and unity, which is why he's been wanting to curtail HK for a long time.

The problem being that China is a tinderbox in many senses. He is not going to want uppity HK ruin his plans and kick something off.
 
Secret Asshole said:
Xi has been consolidating power for a long, long time with the goal of being a real threat to the US and looking to replace it as the hegmon of the world. Mostly through economic and military dominance.

This is why he made himself president for life, had the communist party fall in line and quash more dissent online than usual. Not to mention an iron stranglehold on the economy. Xi believes a strong China can only come with absolute rule and unity, which is why he's been wanting to curtail HK for a long time.

The problem being that China is a tinderbox in many senses. He is not going to want uppity HK ruin his plans and kick something off.
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Hong Kong has an advantage that none of his other more problematic provinces do. The world watches Hong Kong. Much of China”0’s prosperity flows through the ports of Hong Kong. Any drastic or direct public action in H.k would have deep economic and diplomatic ripples. Honestly no one in the West really cares if he rolls tanks over the Uighur. Heck many would encourage it given the radicalized Islamic undercurrents. Tibet is relatively easy to keep isolated. Few things pass through save scattered tourists and goats. But sending the shock troops into Hong Kong triggers a loss of access to world banking and trade. Which would send China spiraling into a rapid depression faster than the loss of cheap consumer goods would be felt in the West. So Xi and his predecessors have been attempting a slow steady quiet rollback of rights.
 
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