#Article22 #CCPLies
Hard evidence refutes China's Liaison Office’s Recent Forceful Interpretation of Hong Kong Basic Law Article 22

Image: https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/19793

Last week, the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong forcefully re-interpreted Article 22 of Hong Kong's constitution the Basic Law. Beijing tried to justify their power to over the internal affairs of Hong Kong, which is in theory disallowed by law.

Although the pro-Beijing camp supported the Liaison Office’s statement, the memoir of Jiang EnZhu, the first director of the Liaison Office evidently stated that after the 1997 handover, Xinhua News Agency Hong Kong Branch was renamed into the Liaison Office to reflect its new mandates, including not interfering in Hong Kong affairs as the city enjoys autonomy.

Chinese official Jiang EnZhu was the President of Xinhua News Agency in 1997. The Agency was later restructured and renamed as Liaison office in January 2000 where Jiang was appointed as the Director. Two years later, he was elected as a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of National People’s Congress.

In his memoir, Jiang mentioned several times that “there is no subordinate relations between the HKSAR government and the Liaison Office”. He also stated that the Office will "perform its duties strictly in accordance with the Central People's Government and abide by the policies of One Country, Two Systems, the people of Hong Kong governing Hong Kong and a high degree of autonomy.”

According to Jiang, the main duties of the new Liaison Office include maintaining contact with the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the PLA Garrison in the HKSAR. “The renaming exercise will not empower the liaison office to become the second power center.” The then representative of the National People's Congress of Hong Kong, Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai also cited Jiang’s statement emphasizing that the office will abide by the Basic Law.

Source: Apple Daily #Apr20

Further reading :
Jiang Enzhu on Renaming Xinhua Hong Kong Branch
http://en.people.cn/english/200001/17/eng20000117N126.html

#Authoritarianism #OneCountryTwoSystems

#OneCountryOneSystem #Article23 #CCPLies
Beijing to Impose Controversial National Security Law in Hong Kong on the Eve of the Anniversary of Anti-Extradition Law Movement

Last week, Beijing's long arms have gripped Hong Kong. After calling on Beijing loyalists to overtake the pro-democracy camp in the Legislative Council, Beijing attacked the city's education and examination systems, causing many to lament the arrival of "Cultural Revolution 2.0" in Hong Kong.

In the afternoon of May 21, Chinese-controlled media cited "sources" that Beijing has plan to bypass Hong Kong's Legislature to enforce anti-subversion law that has been opposed by Hongkongers since 2003.

In the evening, a press briefing was held in Beijing announcing the agenda of the "Two Sessions" with the motion.

University of Hong Kong Legal Expert Eric Cheung and Law Professor Johannnes Chan stated that Beijing's insertion of the National Security Law in Hong Kong means an end to "One Country Two Systems" and the Basic Law.

Image: Economist

#OpinionArticle

"Horses keep running faster, dances keep being performed beautifully." This will be Hong Kong's greatest tragedy!

Now that the Chinese government is pushing the Hong Kong National Security Law forward, the Communist Party has gone back to playing the same old tune. As the music of the strings swells and the drums beat harder, the chorus belts out the hackneyed eight-legged essay* on how "horses keep running faster, dances keep being performed beautifully". This is nausea-inducing and makes Hongkongers want to puke! Hongkongers are used to the Communist Party's devious tricks from war [World War II]. After the Handover, they experienced it first-hand, the multiple times that the Chinese government "reneged on their word" and the Communist Party's "appearance not as it truly is". These bitter experiences of being bullied and manipulated are burned into their memory, seeping into their hearts and minds. Maybe some believe that the older Hongkongers have been gently coaxed into indulging in an easy life, that they have been effectively placated and numbed. However, the writer believes that this type of sweet-talking has long since been futile on the younger generation! Hong Kong's younger generation pretty much disdain the supposed mentality of "horses keep running faster, dances keep being performed beautifully". What Hong Kong's younger generation longs for is the approach of a new era. What they seek is to remodel Hong Kong's ideal future world!

The night prior (26 May 2020), the writer saw two photos on social media. They were eight youngsters standing side by side outside the entrance of the Sogo department store in Causeway Bay. Each person held a large placard. On one side, it said, "Desperate times call for desperate measures". On the other, "Better a broken jade than an intact tile."+ These youngsters are sending a clear message: Hong Kong's movement to resist adverse violent takeover is now in dire straits. Protesters must support one another. Do not forget our original goals. Spare no sacrifice. Fight to the end! The writer understands that the current political situation is hard and dangerous but respects the choices of our youngsters. He admires their courage and prays for their well-being. Best of luck!

Editor's Note:
* During the Ming and Qing dynasties, candidates of the imperial examinations had to write an eight-legged essay, which was known for its strict and rigid style. It is often said to have caused China's "cultural stagnation and economic backwardness" in the 19th century.
+ This is a Chinese idiom meaning death is better than dishonor.

Excerpt: Stand News

#NationalSecurityLaw #CCPLies #Hongkongers

#CCPLies #MadeinChina
The Poor Man’s Luxury Sofa in China: Netizens Question Authenticity of Chinese Government Visit

Source: Apple Daily Taiwan #Aug23

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https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/25142

#CCPLies #MadeinChina
The Poor Man’s Luxury Sofa in China: Netizens Question Authenticity of Chinese Government Visit

Responding to Xi Jinping’s call for eradicating poverty in all of China’s impoverished rural community by 2020, the Administrative Committee of State Economic and Technological Development Zone of Pingxiang in the province of Jiangxi published an article on WeChat titled “District Leaders Supervise Work on Fighting Poverty and Visit the Impoverished”. The publicity effort, however, has led to questions of its authenticity.

An attempt to demonstrate the government’s care for the poor, the article reported a visit on the afternoon of 19 August by Li Jinlin, secretary of Pingxiang’s Party Working Committee, to inspect the work on fighting poverty at the village level. Allegations of the visit being a stunt were made as photos in the article show Li and other officials talking to what are supposedly poor people at two luxuriously furnished houses in Tianzhong Village. The residences came with marble flooring and a spacious living room equipped with a large sofa and a matching coffee table. A netizen in China commented that “this poor man’s sofa is even larger than mine”.

The article has been taken down after the argument appeared, but the images are still going viral online. The government responded by asking netizens “not to determine whether a family is poor from how well its home is furnished”.

#China #Xi #Jiangxi #LocalGovernment #Society #Economy #Staging #Sofa

Source: Apple Daily Taiwan #Aug23

https://bit.ly/32U5SS6

#FakeNews #Disinformation
China Tampers With #WHO Video, Removes a Crucial "If", and Falsely Claims Vaccine Success

China's state-run CCTV News posted a video on Sept 24, 2020 to their Chinese-language Facebook page, claiming that WHO had stated that China's COVID-19 vaccine had "proved to be successful" in current clinical trials.

The video was reposted by a number of pro-Beijing Facebook pages, with captions such as "WHO Top Scientist: New Chinese COVID Vaccine Proven to be Effective", "China is Great 👍 For the Good of the World".

However, Factcheck Lab compared the video disseminated by China with the actual proceedings of WHO's press conference, and found that CCTV had cut the statement out of context, carefully removing a paronwith a crucial "if". Moreover, stock footage is played over the resulting audio clip, carefully concealing the distortion of facts upon the edits made by the China-owned news organization.

In the CCTV video [1], the quote from WHO Chief Scientist, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, was modified to apparently claim that China had already created a successful vaccine:

"... very active vaccine development programme and several of their vaccine candidates are in advanced stages of clinical trial so this is also of interest to us so we're following those very closely. Some of their candidates actually proved to be successful in the clinical trials that are going on"

The full quote of Dr. Swaminathan is preserved in the conference transcripts [2] and video [3] of the Sept 21 press conference. The parts edited out by CCTV makes it sound that the above italicized quote was not meant to be an assertive statement on its own:

"We've been engaged in discussions with China for the last several months because, as you know, they also have a very active vaccine development programme and several of their vaccine candidates are in advanced stages of clinical trial so this is also of interest to us so we're following those very closely. <b>We've had very constructive and open discussions with them and they have always been reiterating their commitment to global access if some of their candidates actually prove to be successful in the clinical trials that are going on."

Taken in its entirety, it is clear that Dr Swaminathan's statement was only acknowledging China's promise to share any vaccines that they might develop.

In other words, the edited CCTV video, as well as the reposts made by pro-Beijing pages, had deliberately modified the scientist's statement to make false claims of China's success, and is clearly an intentional attempt to mislead the public.

NOTES:
[1] CCTV News video:
https://www.facebook.com/761870613900500/posts/3972027886218074

[2] Transcript of WHO COVID-19 Virtual Press Conference, 21 September 2020:

https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/transcripts/joint-covid-19-virtual-press-conference---21-september.pdf#page=16

[3] Video of press conference, beginning at Dr. Swaminathan's statement (0:42:44):

https://youtu.be/ia8DElK7SE4?t=2564

Source: FactCheck Lab, Hong Kong #30Sept2020 https://www.factchecklab.org/20200930/

#WuhanPneumonia #CoronavirusPandemic #Covid19Vaccine
#CCPLies #CCTV

=======

[Editor's Note:

As the WHO represents the world's concerted effort to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, such misleading reports only serves to undermine the organization's credibility and international cooperation. It is all the more despicable that it would come from a state-run media such as China's CCTV; such falsehood is an affront to any journalist's commitment to the pursuit of the truth, and ought to be widely condemned.]

The false video was first reported by Factcheck Lab on Sept 30, 2020.

Their original report in Chinese is attached as follows:

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#Save12HKYouths #HumanitarianCrisis
No Torture, No Forced Labour, No Hunger, No Beatings: Suspicious Letters From Hongkongers Detained in China

On November 19, 2020, familes of some of the 12 pro-democracy Hongkongers detained in China received "letters" from their close ones. This was the first time ever since August 23, 2020 that the familes "heard" from the disappeared Hongkongers. For nearly 90 days, the captured Hongkongers were not trialed but detained in China and visits by the lawyers hired by their families were denied by the Chinese authorities.

However, the handwritten letters have similar content, simplified Chinese characters which are not in use in Hong Kong and expression which are not usually used by Hongkongers.

The following is taken from a RTHK report:

//The Save 12 HK Youths Concern Group says letters received by seven of the families all stress that the detainees are well and that they should not worry, with some stating that they have not been beaten, forced to work, or confess under torture.

"I didn't get beaten up by people, my cellmates all have a very harmonious relationship. I eat well and sleep well ... I will return after shouldering my responsibility," says a letter purported to be from one of the detainees which was made public by the group.

…family members recognise the handwriting in the letters, but find the content to be very suspicious, as if it was written in accordance with some kind of template.

"There are a number of suspicions regarding the wording, including the use of simplified Chinese characters and some Chinese writing styles that more closely resemble those used in mainland China than in Hong Kong. In particular the descriptions of life in the detention centre are largely similar," the concern group says in a statement. 

It adds that the families doubt the detainees wrote the letters of their own free will, noting that mainland prisoners involved in human rights cases in the past have been forced to write letters to their families with the content dictated by the authorities.//

Source: RTHK; Save 12 HK Youths Concern Group #Nov19

news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1560905-20201119.htmz

#Letter #CCPLies #Totalitarianism #Censorship

#FakeNews #CCPLies #CCPControl
No ‘Negative’ News: How China Censored the Coronavirus

Source: New York Times #Dec16

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#FakeNews #CCPLies #CCPControl
No ‘Negative’ News: How China Censored the Coronavirus

In 2020, the whole world has been extensively affected by COVID-19, which was originally called "Wuhan Pneumonia" at the early stage of the outbreak because of its alleged origin. The pandemic has led to the lockdown of many countries, the suspension of economic activities and the separation of families.

In an investigative report published by The New York Times on Dec 19, 2020, it was revealed that the Chinese Communist Party government stage-managed what appeared online in the early days of the outbreak and downplayed the severity of the coronavirus.

The New York Times wrote,

“At a time when digital media is deepening social divides in Western democracies, China is manipulating online discourse to enforce the Communist Party’s consensus.

To stage-manage what appeared on the Chinese internet early this year, the authorities issued strict commands on the content and tone of news coverage, directed paid trolls to inundate social media with party-line blather and deployed security forces to muzzle unsanctioned voices."

For example, regarding the death of the whistleblower Dr. Li Wenliang, who had been threatened and prosecuted by the Chinese authorities, on Feb 7, 2020, China "ordered news websites not to issue push notifications alerting readers to his death. They [Chinese authorities] told social platforms to gradually remove his name from trending topics pages. And they activated legions of fake online commenters to flood social sites with distracting chatter, stressing the need for discretion".

The New York Times also found that "Chinese officials tried to steer the narrative not only to prevent panic and debunk damaging falsehoods domestically. They also wanted to make the virus look less severe — and the authorities more capable — as the rest of the world was watching."

According to Xiao Qiang, a research scientist at the School of Information at the University of California, Berkeley, and the founder of China Digital Times,

“China has a politically weaponized system of censorship; it is refined, organized, coordinated and supported by the state’s resources. It’s not just for deleting something. They also have a powerful apparatus to construct a narrative and aim it at any target with huge scale.”

“This is a huge thing,” he added. “No other country has that.”

Source: New York Times #Dec19

Read the original article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/19/technology/china-coronavirus-censorship.html

#CyberSpace #Xi #WaterArmy #WuhanPneumomia #Manipulation #COVID19 #Christmas2020

#LastYearToday
One Year Since the Death of #Covid19 #Whistleblower Dr. Li Wenliang in China

One year ago on Feb 6, 2020, Dr. Li Wenliang, an ophthalmologist in Wuhan, died of the coronavirus in China.

At the first epicenter of the coronavirus in China, he revealed news of the outbreak of #WuhanPneumonia on Chinese social media platform as early as on December 30, 2019. He was later arrested by the Chinese Communist Party government for "publishing false statements."

On February 1, 2020, he announced himself having contracted the coronavirus. The news of his death was covered up and announced only later by the Chinese authorities, in order to control the emotion of the population.

While the #CCP accused Dr.Li of being a "rumour monger" when he was alive, the Chinese authorities changed their narrative and praised him after his death.

Source: Stand News #Feb6

#CCPLies

#Pandemic #CCPLies
Spending on #PCR tests in China soared months before first #COVID19 cases revealed: Report

Source: The Age #Oct5

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#Pandemic #CCPLies
Spending on #PCR tests in China soared months before first #COVID19 cases revealed: Report

//Spending on tests used to detect coronavirus in China’s Hubei Province soared in the months before official reports of COVID-19 first emerged, suggesting the virus was spreading in the northern summer of 2019, well before it was publicly acknowledged by the Chinese government.

The data, compiled by Australian cyber security outfit #Internet2.0, showed that the sale of polymerase chain reaction tests – used to detect the presence of specific viruses – jumped to 67.4 million yuan ($14.3 million) in 2019, from 36.7 million yuan in 2018, and 29.1 million in 2017.

“We have come to the conclusion that based on the data analysed it suggests the virus was highly likely to be spreading virulently in Wuhan, China as early as the summer of 2019 and definitely by the early autumn,” the report states.//

Read full article:
https://www.theage.com.au/world/asia/spending-on-pcr-tests-in-china-soared-months-before-covid-19-revealed-20211005-p58x89.html

Source: The Age #Oct5
#Regime #GreatFireWall #Wuhan WuhanPneumonia