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We provide translation of news in English from local media and other sources, for academic use.
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#FirstHand #DistrictCouncil
Police Detain Councilor Assistant during protest crackdown in Mongkok

On Sunday, June 28, netizens initiated a silent protest with no slogan chanting and no assembly. However, the police cordoned the area to encircle civilians, reporters and firstaiders.

When police moved the cordon line forward at around 16:30, they let journalists leave. However, police didn't allow a councillor assistant who was taking photos and recording an incident to go even he showed his staff card. After checking his ID and searching him, police let him go finally. During the process, the police were still polite.

Said assistant works for councilor Valarie Wong Cheuk Nga from the Hau Tak constituency.

#Jun28
#PoliceState #HongKongProtests
#SilentProtests
#NationalSecurityLaw
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#Video #Pepperspray
Hong Kong Police Fire Pepperspray at Reporters and Civilians Without Warning

The video captured a police officer allegedly slipped. Other police officers reacted by pepperspraying the reporters and civilians around unrelated to the incident in Mongkok on June 28.

Read more: https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/22898

Credit: CLS #Jun28
#PoliceState #HongKongProtests
#SilentProtests
#NationalSecurityLaw
Supporter of National Security Law assaulted a young kid taken away by police without handcuff

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Supporter of National Security Law assaulted a young kid taken away by police without handcuff

Photo
: ⬆️

In Sunday afternoon (June 28) around 6 pm, dozens of white-clad citizens supporting National Security Law set up street kiosk nearby Yuen Long West Rail Station. They later encircled a group of pro-democracy youngsters, a photographer and a reporter. One white-clad citizen was said to lock-up a reporter, and therefore suspected of committing illegal detention. The reporter was reportedly injured.

Moments later, a mother and her 7-8-year-old son went to show their support to National Security Law at the street kiosk. It was suspected that the young kid put down “x” on the paper collecting supporters signature. Being antagonised by the kid’s behaviour, a man in blue assaulted him on his eye.

When the kid’s father came to argue, he was encircled by white-clad citizens and heavily criticised. When this group of white-clad citizens attempted to leave, they were stopped by bystanders on the site.

Riot police soon arrived, two cordon lines were established to separate the opposing groups. White-clad citizens were seen changing their outfits while waiting and deliberately avoiding cameras.

The young kid being assaulted and his family were taken to a police station for further investigation. The man in blue who assaulted the young kid was also taken away by police. However, since he was not cuffed, it remained uncertain whether he was arrested. Police officer, in the meantime, obstructed reporters from reporting the case.

A member of Tin Shui Wai Connect, Ng Kin-wai made an inquiry to Police Force, asking whether the white-clad citizens shoved reported would be officially arrested. Operation Commander only mentioned that they had been taken to nearby police station for inquiry.

District Councillor called for local citizens to keep close eyes on the case to ensure the white-clad citizens will be taken to a police station as the police Commander claimed.

LegCo Councillor Kwong Chun-yu called for citizens to contact district councilors if they had videos taken, which will help the councilors to find out the ins and outs of the incident.

Source: PSHK #Jun28
#NationalSecurityLaw #PoliceState #FailedState
#Election
Benny Tai: Democrats fighting on their own in #LegCo Election would be hunted down one-by-one

Associate Professor of the Faculty of Law of Hong Kong University, Benny Tai Yiu-ting is launching a “democrats' primary election” on July 11-12 in an attempt to find out candidates likely to win seats in upcoming Legislative Council election.

However, some candidates like Tuen Mun District Councilor, Michael Mo Kwan Tai hesitated to join and questioned the fairness and enforceability of this new mechanism. They were concerned about whether citizens' money raised through crowdfunding would be put to waste.

Tai respected those reluctant to join, and reiterated that the primary is not a seat-splitting mechanism. He believes that if democrats fight alone, they will be baffled by the pro-Beijing camp one-by-one. He also believes that Hong Kong people have progressed tremendously in their political awareness. Turning a blind eye on these changes would risk a political blunder.

Source: Stand News #Jun26
#Poll #Nationality
#PORI Survey: Officials to give up immediate family member's foreign nationality to show loyalty to China

Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (PORI) revealed that 96% of pro-democracy supporters and 52% who are not pro-democracy supporters agree that the spouses and children of high-ranking officials of Hong Kong should forfeit their foreign nationality in order to show their loyalty for China.

The survey was conducted online, and received 6908 responses from people above 18.

Leung Kai Chi, Honorary Director of the "We Hongkongers" initiative, explained that the research revealed how much people care about whether high-ranking officials and their relatives possess foreign passports. If the officials do not forfeit the foreign passports of their immediate family members within their household, their stance will contradict their actions, and it is more likely that people will doubt their where their true allegiance lies.

Source: InMedia

#HongKongGovernment #PublicOpinion
#Interview #LawKachung

Hong Kong top analyst Law Ka-chung left China-based bank because "top of Beijing political circle" said so

(1 May) Law Ka-chung joined the Hong Kong branch of Bank of Communications (BOCOM) in 2005. Two years later, he got promoted as the Chief Economist and Strategist. He write freely and criticized the Hong Kong and China economic systems without any restriction for many years. He started feeling the pressure from China related to his work around 2010.

//"People think it is not appropriate to have a Hongkonger as spokesperson for a China-based bank."

//China-based banks adjusted policy and extended the scope to "purge" Hongkongers step by step. China-base banks don't hire local young people anymore.

//the main point was the system problem...It is about politics and the decision is from top to down (from Beijing)."

//China would like to connect the world via China-based banks... "China sent a lot of people to Hong Kong to learn how the external financial market worked."

//In 2010, he announced that BOCOM would stop comment or run analysis related to China affairs... the excuse BOCOM used was "China affair should come from the China headquarter."

//the decision of the Hong Kong branch "was not from the bank, but it was top-down from there Communist Party of China (CCP).”

//China GDP started to slow down from 10.5% in 2010 to 9,5% and 7.9% year by year. "In the beginning, China didn't think they would collapse because of your comments. However, when things get worse, they would like you to shut up," ...When the economy gets worse, the nature of CCP comes out.

//the Hong Kong financial market changed and put too much focus on China because capital from China soared rapidly.

//So-called financial institutes not only did their own business but also executed political mandate.

//"If you want to be an international financial centre, you can't focus on Asian markets only. You should cover the America and Europe markets as well."

//Hong Kong government and China-based banks focused solely on China market and often launched China related financial products.

//if China wants to internationalize RMB, financial institutes issues RMB bonds everywhere, and China-based banks has to promote that.

//"In the 1980s, when China wanted to take over Hong Kong, they planned to replace all the Hong Kong people with the mainland Chinese. It is just about time to push all of the Hongkongers out."

//BOCOM requested staff to attend marches against umbrella movement in 2014 and counted who attended.

//the impact of SARS in 2003 was much worse.

//Why did the analyst need to align with the Government?

//the demand during umbrella movement in 2014 was still about a general election. However, some voices in the anti-ELAB movement are related to Hong Kong independence and topple the regime in China... China doesn't care about the special status of Hong Kong and execute hard-line policy.

//Since China government can't brainwash the young generation, they turned against all Hongkongers.

//People worried the China will take over private wealth... Hong Kong enforce the law at random, and Hong Kong judicial was overridden, one country two systems is completely over."

//"Money will leave astonishing like leakage in water pipe. And it will never come back."

//speed up de-globalization, Asian countries replacing China as global factory, the agent of capital flow and investment foundation moving to Singapore and away from Hong Kong.

//"The financial centre is losing power. China market is declining. Our financial centre position will diminish."


Full translation:
https://telegra.ph/Hong-Kong-top-analyst-Law-Ka-chung-left-China-based-bank-because-top-of-Beijing-political-circle-said-so-06-28

Source: In Medium

#NationalSecurityLaw #AntiELAB #RMB #Mainlandization #FinancialHub #SharpPower #Censorship #Kowtow
#Newspaper

Tokyo seeks to lure financial groups from crisis-hit Hong Kong

//Protests and Beijing clampdown seen as opportunity to promote Japanese capital
as alternative financial centre

//Japan is considering visa waivers, tax advice and free office space for asset managers, traders and bankers from Hong Kong in a campaign to cast Tokyo as the best exit strategy should a crisis force them out of the semi-autonomous territory.

//Japan has spent decades looking for ways to make Tokyo a valid rival to Hong Kong as the region’s premier financial centre... will now go “further than ever before” to entice financial professionals and institutions to its capital.

//Tokyo’s efforts now had the “tailwind” of Beijing’s proposed new national security law, which has triggered mass protests in Hong Kong and which many fear will fundamentally alter the legal and commercial environment of the former British colony.

//Fidelity International recently chose Tokyo as the business continuity site for part of its buyside trading operations. Longer-term goals... would involve convincing larger institutions to move entire trading desks to Tokyo.

//the government could also temporarily lift a requirement for fund managers arriving under the new scheme to have a permanent office address, allowing them to work out of shared-office facilities.

//People involved in promoting Tokyo as an alternative to Hong Kong admitted it was unlikely the campaign would be backed by any significant changes in tax policy

Full article: Financial Times, (21-Jun)

#NationalSecurityLaw #Tokyo #HongKong #CapitalOutflow #FinancialHub #Japan
#Breaking #NationalSecurityLaw
Beijing to Pass Hong Kong National Security Legislation Bill

1229 | Beijing
According to China-state media Xinhua News Agency, the Hong Kong National Security Legislation Bill has been sent to the Standing Committee for National People's Congress for approval.

As of this point, no information about the legislation including the terms and the penalty related has been released.

Source: Now News #Jun29
Victims of Police Brutality Films Video to Attest to Police Sexual Violence

Watch video

Police violence has been ongoing since the beginning of the Hong Kong Protests. Victims of police sexual violence have recently produced a video asking for international aid. The five victims include CUHK student Sonia Ng, 17-year-old K, a man in his twenties going by the pseudonym C, Chloe, who was bared by a policeman in August last year, and Miss Lui.

They alleged that the police had conducted strip searches for no reason, harassed them sexually, and forced them to defecate or urinate while being spectated by others. The male victim had to also endure getting hit on his buttocks and at his genitals by a policewoman.

They also alleged that Miss X, whose case involved having been gang-raped inside Tsuen Wan Police Station, had made them untrusting of the Complaints Against Police Office to take their case seriously. They also feared police retribution for filing a complaint against the police, as they viewed the Independent Police Complaints Council as a black box organization.

They called for the US to speak on behalf of the victims of police sexual violence in Hong Kong, and to put sanctions on the perpetrators and the CCP, "Hongkongers are now standing on the frontlines against the fight against the CCP. We have done everything we could, and we now ask for your help."

Faced with days of accusations regarding sexual violence committed by their very own officers, the Hong Kong Police Force had only stated that all complaints are directed to the Complaints Against Police Office, when asked whether or not they would conduct investigations willingly.

Source: Apple Daily

#PoliceBrutality #PoliceState #Corruption #FailedState #HongKongProtest

Related Article: HKPF Call Victim of Alleged Gang Rape a "Wanted" Fugitive
#PoliceState
HK Police Force Amends General Code: Exempts Officers From Showing ID on Duty

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#PoliceState
HK Police Force Amends General Code: Exempts Officers From Showing ID on Duty

Since June last year, police officers have been refusing to show their ID while on official duties. Such practice has been heavily condemned, and it even led to a citizen raising a judicial review earlier, causing the case to be heard in the High Court on Wednesday (June 24).

The lawyer representing the applicant expressed that the Hong Kong Police made changes to the Police General Code since November last year by removing the requirement for police officers to wear warrant cards and display official ID, all without the public's knowledge. The General Code published on the website was the Force's previous revision.

Based on evidence collected by Apple Daily, the police made at least 3 amendments to the General Code.

1. Article 20-03 – police officers are to disclose their ID and rank information to the general public. Requirement was exempted on November 2019.

2. Article 20-14 – Exempted uniform police officers, under certain circumstances, to display their warrant cards. Exemption was extended to cover plainclothed officers in November 2019.

3. A new policy has been put in place, without stating the date that it took effect on, stipulating that even among a group of plainclothed officers, only the most senior in rank is required to display his/her warrant card. The new policy was reportedly a breach of the original requirement stated in 20-14(6).

Source: Apple Daily
#Jun24 #PoliceState #FailedState
#Court #PepperSpray
23-year-old stage designer not to be charged with common assault - Police threaten supporters with pepper spray

A 23-year-old stage designer found guilty earlier for possessing an offensive weapon in public and attempting to commit arson with intent was not guilty of common assault. He was nevertheless sentenced to 4 years in prison.

After the court was adjourned, tens of citizens showed their support for the stage designer outside the court, and chanted "We support you until the end!' and "Five demands, not one less!" Some tapped on the prison van. Police showed up in 3 minutes and cordoned off the area, and raised their pepper spray to disperse the citizens.

Source: Stand News #Jun26
#PoliceState #HongKongProtest
#Censorship #NationalSecurityLaw
Publisher Laments Diminishing Freedom Before National Security Law Enactment

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https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/22969
#Censorship #BookFair
Publisher Laments Diminishing Freedom Before National Security Law Enactment

As Hong Kong draws closer to the enactment of the National Security Law, exhibitors of Hong Kong Book Fair were closely concerned about the possible political censorships, and its effect.

The Organiser Trade Development Council reminded exhibitors to exercise “self-discipline” and be wary of exhibiting books that may seemed "illegal".

A member of the 2020 Hong Kong Bookfair Concern Group and Publisher of Subculture, Jimmy Pang Chi-ming said in a Commercial Radio interview that “the National Security Law has shocked the whole publishing industry” to an “unimaginable extent”. He revealed that some publishers scraped the production of Anti-ELAB movement photo books, or moved the production of such materials to somewhere safer. Some exhibitors even recalled books concerning June 4 Massacre on their own accord.

Pang said that there has always been freedom in the publication industry, and has never had to be this cautious in dealing with “politically restricted books” in Hong Kong, neither was there a need for pre-publication reviews and approvals. Nevertheless, this year, everyone in the book publishing industry are operating under a very tense and nervous atmosphere, not only worried about the bookfair exhibits, but also about whether the books sold in their bookstores will be banned in the future.

Pang further elaborated on the adverse chain effects of the National Security Law on the book publication industry. Pang said, “While it is a problem that publishers have to deal with today, distributors will face the same problem down the road. Bookstores and printers will eventually suffer as well.”

Source: Stand News
#Jun26
#NationalSecurityLaw #PublicationFreedom
China believed to be behind major cyber attack on Australian institutions

Australian Federal Government agencies believe that China is the nation behind ongoing cyber attacks on Australian institutions, including hospitals and state-owned utilities, in recent months.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australian organisations, including governments and businesses, were currently being targeted by a sophisticated foreign "state-based" hacker. Some of the attacks have been on state government departments and agencies and local governments, all of which hold sensitive economic and personal data, thus warnings are given to the government and private sectors to harden their shields. The Prime Minister stated that there have not been large-scale personal data breaches.

While Mr Morrison said the Government would not take the formal step of publicly naming which state, senior sources confirmed China is believed to be behind the malicious attacks.

The US Department of Homeland Security and the FBI also warned last month that #cyberthieves based in China were stealing intellectual property in the field of vaccines and healthcare.

The Australian Signals Directorate said it was aware of the "sustained targeting of Australian governments and companies by a sophisticated state-based actor". Links to fake websites and malicious files, and email tracking services were used.

Mr Morrison said that he raised the issue was "not to raise concerns" but to make sure the public was aware of the threat.

#Australia #China #CyberAttack

Source:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-19/foreign-cyber-hack-targets-australian-government-and-business/12372470

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/morrison-reveals-malicious-state-based-cyber-attack-hitting-several-sectors-20200619-p5545z.html

Further reading:
40,300 cyber attacks in the last 4-5 days from China, more coming: Maharashtra cyber department
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/22856
China is infiltrating Australia on multiple fronts, from politics to business, via its powerful and covert United Front agency

“United Front(’s) work encompasses a broad spectrum of activity, from espionage to foreign interference, influence and engagement,” ASPI report author Alex Joske said.

“The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) attempts to interfere in diaspora communities, influence political systems and covertly access valuable and sensitive technology will only grow as tensions between China and countries around the world develop.”

The shocking new report by ASPI concluded that operatives from the CCP are on a mission to infiltrate and influence Australia, from politics and business to the media.

#Australia #ForeignInfluence
#China #CCP

Source:
https://www.aspi.org.au/report/party-speaks-you

https://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/australian-economy/china-is-infiltrating-australia-on-multiple-fronts-from-politics-to-business-via-its-powerful-and-covert-united-front-agency/news-story/9318c7799e540164dd0b985b9e8969c2