Refugees From Hong Kong

[cc]

BIG CHANGE https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52824839">https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52824839



Hong Kong 'No Longer Autonomous From China' – Pompeo



US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has certified to Congress that Hong Kong no longer merits special treatment under US law.



The declaration could have far-reaching implications for US-Hong Kong trade.



"No reasonable person can assert today that Hong Kong maintains a high degree of autonomy from China, given facts on the ground," he said in a statement.



It comes hours before Beijing is expected to impose a controversial new security law on the territory.



The security law was "only the latest in a series of actions that fundamentally undermine Hong Kong's autonomy and freedoms," Mr Pompeo said.



"It is now clear that China is modelling Hong Kong after itself," he added.





What is the significance of Pompeo's statement?



Until now the US has given Hong Kong - a global financial and trading hub - special status under US law. The provision dates from when the territory was a British colony and gives it favourable trading terms.



But since last year this status has been conditional on the US secretary of state regularly certifying that Hong Kong maintains sufficient autonomy from mainland China.



If the secretary of state fails to certify this, the US Congress can revoke Hong Kong's special trade status.



This would mean treating Hong Kong the same as mainland China for trade and other purposes.





What impact would revoking status have?



It could jeopardise billions of dollars worth of trade between Hong Kong and the US and could dissuade people from investing there in the future.



It would also hurt mainland China, which uses Hong Kong as a kind of middleman for transactions with the rest of the world. Mainland companies and multinational firms use the territory as an international or regional base.



Shortly after Mr Pompeo's declaration, prominent pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong called on US, European and Asian leaders to follow his lead and reconsider Hong Kong's special trade status if Beijing imposes the security law.



"Once the law is implemented, Hong Kong will be assimilated into China's authoritarian regime, on both rule of law and human rights protections," he warned.



The security law would create "massive damage to expats and investors in Hong Kong", he said. Maintaining the city's autonomy was the "only way" to protect business, he added.





On Tuesday, President Donald Trump said the US would announce a "very powerful" response to the proposed legislation before the end of the week. China's plans had already been condemned by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who described them as a "death knell" for the city's freedoms.



The UK, Australia and Canada have also expressed their "deep concern".

[Anonymous]

China has been eroding Hong Kong's autonomy and independent judiciary since the handover in 1997..



They've ramped it up under Xi.

[Anonymous]

Hong Kong Police Arrest 289 at Protests Over Election Delay

HONG KONG—At least 289 people were arrested Sunday at protests against the government's decision to postpone elections for Hong Kong's legislature, police and a news report said.



The elections were to have taken place Sunday but Chief Executive Carrie Lam on July 31 postponed them for one year. Lam blamed an upsurge in coronavirus cases, but critics said her government worried the opposition would gain seats if voting went ahead on schedule.



Police said that 289 people had been arrested, mostly under suspicion of unlawful assembly. One woman was arrested in the Kowloon district of Yau Ma Tei on charges of assault and spreading pro-independence slogans, the police department said on its Facebook page. It said such slogans are illegal under a newly enacted national security law.



Anti-government protests have been held in Hong Kong almost every weekend since June 2019. They erupted over a proposed extradition law and spread to include demands for greater democracy and criticism of Beijing's efforts to tighten control over the former British colony.



The ruling Communist Party's decision to impose the law in May prompted complaints it was violating the autonomy promised to the territory when it was returned to China in 1997. Washington withdrew trading privileges granted to Hong Kong and other governments suspended extradition and other agreements on the grounds that the territory of 7 million people is no longer autonomous.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/hong-kong-police-arrest-90-at-protests-over-election-delay_3489599.html?ref=brief_News&utm_source=morningbriefnoe&utm_medium=email">https://www.theepochtimes.com/hong-kong ... dium=email">https://www.theepochtimes.com/hong-kong-police-arrest-90-at-protests-over-election-delay_3489599.html?ref=brief_News&utm_source=morningbriefnoe&utm_medium=email

[cc]

Yet another example of China's takeover



What with their record, why would any country put any faith in anything China  agrees to  

[Joe Biden]

Yet another example of China's takeover



What with their record, why would any country put any faith in anything China  agrees to  

We can trust China. Come on man.

[Zetsu]

Yet another example of China's takeover



What with their record, why would any country put any faith in anything China  agrees to  

We can trust China. Come on man.

Knock offs, stolen designs/ideas, currency manipulation, diseases, no respect for patents, only brave enough to harass peaceful or weaker nations, etc.

[Anonymous]

Yet another example of China's takeover



What with their record, why would any country put any faith in anything China  agrees to  

We can trust China. Come on man.

Knock offs, stolen designs/ideas, currency manipulation, diseases, no respect for patents, only brave enough to harass peaceful or weaker nations, etc.

I think Joe Biden posted that in a moment of cognitive loss.

[Anonymous]

Canada opens doors wider to immigrants from Hong Kong as China clamps down

https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/canada-opens-doors-wider-to-immigrants-from-hong-kong-as-china-clamps-down#:~:text=Article%20content,on%20the%20formerly%20independent%20nation.&text=The%20law%20makes%20it%20a,and%20allows%20for%20sweeping%20surveillance">https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/ ... rveillance">https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/canada-opens-doors-wider-to-immigrants-from-hong-kong-as-china-clamps-down#:~:text=Article%20content,on%20the%20formerly%20independent%20nation.&text=The%20law%20makes%20it%20a,and%20allows%20for%20sweeping%20surveillance.



Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino announced new paths for students and recent graduates to apply for work permits in Canada. He also waived fees for students already here to reapply and made it clear that a violation of the new national security law would not be grounds for denying entry on an asylum claim.



Under the changes Mendocino announced students from Hong Kong will be able to stay for an extended period on work permits and the government will introduce new work permits for people in Hong Kong who have recently completed post-secondary education. The government will also set a clear path for people on work permits to apply for permanent residency.



There are 300,000 Canadians living in Hong Kong and Mendocino said any travel documents they need will be expedited and their immediate family members will be able to travel to Canada in spite of COVID-19 restrictions.



Last month, Mendocino announced an increase in Canada's immigration targets aiming to bring in more than 1.2 million newcomers over the next three years. He said there is a tremendous opportunity for Canada in potential immigrants from Hong Kong and they can help the country deal with labour shortages in health care and tech sectors.

[Anonymous]

More immigrants.