Beijing launched a National security law has troubled the citizens of Hong Kong in the past few weeks. In the private circle and in Public, it was described as a massive blow to our civil society, where the law surrounding Secrecy and uncertainty, our Fears reinforced.
Because no one in Hong Kong, probably not even our head of government, Carrie Lam, knows the wording of the law, to be published in a few days. Hong Kong’s Parliament, the legislative Council has not been involved in the legislation at all. The Chinese leadership shows once again, who has the final Say in Hong Kong.
So the key questions remain unanswered: What exactly is the “crime” that the law aims are? The “crime” retroactively? Defendant to get a process in Hong Kong or on the mainland? Which are met the maximum?
puppet of Beijing
All Hong Kong people must ask themselves whether they will continue to enjoy their usual liberty of opinion. For political activists like me more concrete questions are: when will the new, from Beijing to Hong Kong police-based intelligence to our doors and knock us into custody take?
Earlier, we, the citizens of Hong Kong were able to assume that our government would act as a kind of protective shield and an intermediary between Hong Kong and the Beijing leadership, within the framework of “One country, two systems”. Our Chief Executive, although not directly elected, would claim as an honest lawyer our concerns in Beijing, should there be decisions made that run counter to our way of life and setting.
This myth has dissolved in air. Our head of Administration Mrs Carrie Lam has during the protests in the past twelve months to make any real decision. It is not much more than a puppet of Beijing. Your Cabinet members to give, that you have to say in relation to the security law, nothing – in the double sense of the word. You don’t know more than what you can from the most superficial reading the newspaper, see. Still they admonish us to Beijing to “trust”, because the law is a promise of stability.
deception of the international
The Hong Kong government representatives try to make us a tasty product that you know nothing. Where do you get the Confidence that the law will be positive for Hong Kong? How can you seriously believe that we will agree to a controversial law blind? How broken the concept of “One country, two systems”, when the most far-reaching of the Hong Kong law project, since 1997, bypassing the Hong Kong legislature must be enforced?
Beijing shows its action is what it’s all about him: Hong Kong to a Chinese city next to the other, while maintaining the outer shell. In order for the world to be deceived and Believe that Hong Kong, furthermore, will remain a semi-Autonomous territory. Under this guise, Beijing wants to continue to benefit economically and politically from Hong Kong’s international Connections.
For the implementation of this broad strategy of Beijing within Hong Kong pursues a policy of intimidation. More and more residents are considering now, to return to the city; others distance themselves from previous political Statements or making them unrecognizable, so that they cannot be from friends or colleagues framed.
If there is in Hong Kong is no free flow of information and opinions, more the end of Hong Kong’s identity as a free city. What is the future of the former “pearl of the Orient”, if his talents go away to somewhere else to breathe more freely, when companies transfer their seat of business in more liberal places, if young people are in permanent confrontation to an authoritarian government?
Xi Jinpings calculus
It is not now possible to long prison sentences against democracy activists such as Joshua Wong, Jimmy Lai or me. It’s about the impending destruction of everything for which Hong Kong so far. Rational observer from the outside, this development of consider a shake of the head.
But from the point of view of Xi Jinping, the thing looks different: unrest in Hong Kong and China, under pressure, could help him to consolidate his position as strong party leader. The needs of the people of Hong Kong are to him anyway. But who knows: Maybe only Hong Kong is not going to end up as a result of this aggressive strategy.
Nathan Law (27) is a democracy activist in the Chinese special administrative zone Hong Kong. At the age of 23, he was elected in 2016 as the youngest parliamentarians directly into the Hong Kong city Council, Legco, later lost the mandate because he had not voiced the opinion of the court with the swearing in of constitutional.
author: Nathan Law
*The post “guest commentary: the myth of Hong Kong is dissolved in the air” published by Deutsche Welle. Contact with the executives here.
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