- Joined
- Dec 6, 2015
- Messages
- 10,338
- Reaction score
- 6,031
- Gender
- Undisclosed
- Political Leaning
- Undisclosed
With new security law, China outlaws global activism - Axios
Article 38 is definitely one of the most aggressive censorship measures the CPC has imposed in recent history, represents a further and serious withering of Hong Kong's 'one country two systems' arrangement which has been all but eviscerated in light of recent events, and is a foreboding instance of China's commitment to penalize and punish any and all criticism of it, and its governance by all possible measures, including the browbeating of citizens, businesses and entities of foreign governments through an array of economic sticks and carrots that now count Hong Kong assets and market access among its extensive arsenal, as well as a general legal formalization of these leveraging and extortionary practices.
In general, I'm of the view that measures like this, as well as our disastrous reliance on China for crucial things such as pharmaceuticals and medical protective gear, highlight and make abundantly clear the need for all of us in the West to collectively work and endeavour to turn away from any and all significant economic reliance on China and instead do business with friendlier countries not openly hostile to democracy and democratic values. The theory since the time of Nixon was that freer and open markets would lead to a freer and open Chinese society, and clearly, nearly 50 years later, this has been thoroughly discredited; this supposed/presumed liberalization has obviously not happened, and business with China has instead only served to further entrench and greatly empower a ruthless and evil totalitarian state that is frankly worse than ever given ever tighter censorship measures and even its active and ongoing prosecution of multiple genocides.
The draconian security law that Beijing forced upon Hong Kong last week contains an article making it illegal for anyone in the world to promote democratic reform for Hong Kong.
Why it matters: China has long sought to crush organized dissent abroad through quiet threats and coercion. Now it has codified that practice into law — potentially forcing people and companies around the world to choose between speaking freely and ever stepping foot in Hong Kong again.
What's happening: Article 38 of the national security law states, "This Law shall apply to offences under this Law committed against the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region from outside the Region by a person who is not a permanent resident of the Region."
In other words, every provision of the law applies to everyone outside of Hong Kong — including you.
Article 38 is definitely one of the most aggressive censorship measures the CPC has imposed in recent history, represents a further and serious withering of Hong Kong's 'one country two systems' arrangement which has been all but eviscerated in light of recent events, and is a foreboding instance of China's commitment to penalize and punish any and all criticism of it, and its governance by all possible measures, including the browbeating of citizens, businesses and entities of foreign governments through an array of economic sticks and carrots that now count Hong Kong assets and market access among its extensive arsenal, as well as a general legal formalization of these leveraging and extortionary practices.
In general, I'm of the view that measures like this, as well as our disastrous reliance on China for crucial things such as pharmaceuticals and medical protective gear, highlight and make abundantly clear the need for all of us in the West to collectively work and endeavour to turn away from any and all significant economic reliance on China and instead do business with friendlier countries not openly hostile to democracy and democratic values. The theory since the time of Nixon was that freer and open markets would lead to a freer and open Chinese society, and clearly, nearly 50 years later, this has been thoroughly discredited; this supposed/presumed liberalization has obviously not happened, and business with China has instead only served to further entrench and greatly empower a ruthless and evil totalitarian state that is frankly worse than ever given ever tighter censorship measures and even its active and ongoing prosecution of multiple genocides.
Last edited: