#Feb4 #FirstHand
Residents Ask If Carrie Lam Hates Them So Much to Lockdown #YauTsimMong for the 7th Time

On Feb 4, 2021, the Hong Kong government imposed what Chief Executive Carrie Lam called "ambush-style" lockdown in a large area of Yau Ma Tei and Mongkok.

According to #DistrictCouncillor Yu Tak-po, this is the 7th lockdown imposed in the area, in addition to other mandatory testing orders.

The residents in Tung On Mansion on Pitt Street were ordered to undertake #Covid19 test last week, but they were included in the lockdown area on Feb 4, 2021.

The District Council spoke to the media and shared residents' frustration and angst. Residents pondered everyday if they would need to face another lockdown that evening. Some also asked if Carrie Lam hated them so much.

The district councillor also questioned the government's rationale behind the lockdown and the use of taxpayers' money, as the number of positive cases has been decreasing in Hong Kong.

#FailedState #YMTLockdown
#YuTakPo

#FirstHand #Feb4
#DistrictCouncillor: Residents Live in Fear Due to Government's Arbitrary Lockdown

On Feb 4, 2021, the members of the Yau Tsim Mong District Council spoke to the media near the lockdown zone.

According to District Councillor #SiuTakKin, many residents found the government's lockdown arrangement confusing and the decision arbitrary.

For instance, Mandarin Court, a residential building on Shanghai Street, has 2 positive cases in the past and was included in the lockdown area on Feb 4, 2021; however, other buildings with more confirmed cases were not subjected to any lockdown.

Moreover, most shops were not notified before the government ambushed them with a lockdown. Many of them were in fear when the police suddenly sealed off the area without prior warning.

Meanwhile, residents also expressed concern after the government claimed that their staff would break in to flats that do not answer the door.

#YMTLockdown #FailedState #Fear #WhiteTerror #Regime

#PoliceState #AsiasFinest
HK Police Break Their Promise; Curry Shop Owner and Employees Trapped in Lockdown Zone

Salaam Namaste Curry House is located in Canton Road in Yau Ma Tei, falling within the lockdown area marked by the Hong Kong authorities on Feb 4, 2021.

Just five minutes before the "ambush-style" lockdown took effect, a police inspector told the owner Devi that he and his employees could still leave.

However, just after they hurried to have their clothes changed and the restaurant closed within two to three minutes, a group of police cordoned the area and forbade them from leaving.

Trapped in the lockdown area and unable to go home, Devi felt very disappointed for that the police had broken their promised.

Photo: #FirstHand
Text: InMedia #Feb4
https://bit.ly/3to1RBE

#YMTLockdown #Restaurant #LocalEconomy #SalaamNamasteCurryHouse

#PoliticalOppression
RTHK Staff Rally to Support Journalist: We Are All #NabelaQoser

Source: Stand News #Jan28

Read more
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https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28441

#Resistance #Solidarity
#RTHK Staff Union Rally to Support Journalist: We Are All #NabelaQoser

On January 28, 2021, more than 60 RTHK employees protested at the headquarters against the station's mistreatment of the journalist Nabela Qoser.

The video shows RTHK staff wearing a mask of Qoser's face and chanting slogans like, “Groundless charges”, and “Politics overriding professionalism”.

Watch video: https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28440

The management of the public broadcaster had previously launched a probe into complaints made against Qoser, after she enraged Beijing loyalists with her critical questions towards government officials and the Chief Executive Carrie Lam, during the Anti-ELAB movement in 2019.

Qoser was cleared of wrongdoing, but RTHK reopened its investigation in October 2020 and extend Qoser's probation period as a civil servant.

On January 22, 2021, Qoser's contract as a civil servant was terminated by RTHK, which reportedly cited the probe as a reason. Instead, Qoser was offered a new 120-day contract.

The RTHK Programme Staff Union decried the broadcaster’s move as something no difference than firing Qoser.

Source: Stand News #Jan28
https://www.facebook.com/standnewshk/videos/871769913675684

#RTHK #CivilServant #PoliticalOpression #Journalism #Professionalism #PressFreedom #Reprisal

#Overview: 6 #Lockdowns End With No Postive Case

(1) Jan 23, 2021: Jordan

Postive Rate: 0.17%

HK Gov't Finds 13 Cases After Testing 7,000 Civilians
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28151

(2) Jan 26, 2021: Yau Ma Tei

Postive Rate: 0.003%

Many Elderly and Ethinic Minorities Live in Restricted Area
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28195

(3) Jan 28, 2021: North Point

Postive Rate: 0%

No Cases Found After Gov't's #AmbushLockdown
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28228

(4) Jan 31, 2021: Lam Tin

Postive Rate: 0%

Residents Subjected to Repeated Tests Within Days
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28295

(5) Feb 1, 2021: Tsim Sha Tsui

Postive Rate: 0%

Local Business Affected by Lockdown
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28295

(6) Feb 1, 2021: Yau Ma Tei

Postive Rate: 0%

#RupertDover Monitors Lockdown Area
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28320

(7) Feb 1, 2021: Hung Hom

Postive Rate: 0%

Streets in Hong Kong Get Emptier
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28324

(8) Feb 1, 2021: Yuen Long

Postive Rate: 0%

China surveillance expands to Twitter and Facebook – Chinese students’ family arrested after students posted news against China in overseas

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan)

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China surveillance expands to Twitter and Facebook – Chinese students’ family arrested after students posted news against China in overseas

//The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) controls all internet traffic and bans access to foreign websites. Chinese netizens can only access banned sites via Virtual Private Network (VPN) illegally.

//Chinese people post on overseas platforms without using their true names but they were still monitored and detected by CCP watchdogs.

//The CCP police (Public Security Bureau) also records the frequency of posts and how many had read the posts for every target they identified and investigated.

//While posing on social media deterrence the China people, CCP had already expanded the monitoring around the world. A China student surnamed LOU, who studied in the United States in 2018 and satirized CCP General Secretary XI Jinping on Twitter, was arrested and convicted for “picking and provoking trouble” with 6 months imprisonment when he returned to China in 2019. This incident was deeply concerned by certain American Senators.

//It is extremely scary and controversial – those students post on Twitter without using their real name, how can CCP able to trace them and get to their family?


Full Translation Here: Hong Kong Echo

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan)

#China #Surveillance #PoliceState #MonitorInternet

Three Canadian companies investing in Xinjiang operations, Trudeau concerned about companies violating human rights

Source: Apple Daily #Jan20

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Three Canadian companies investing in Xinjiang operations, Trudeau concerned about companies violating human rights

In an effort to stop China from committing human rights abuses against the Uighurs in Xinjiang, the Canadian government announced last week that it is asking major domestic companies to avoid doing business with or profiting from forced labour. Recently, Canadian media reported that three publicly traded Canadian companies had invested hundreds of millions of Canadian dollars in Xinjiang, making them the top five foreign investors in the region. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed concern about the incident and said he is in close contact with all Canadian companies to ensure they do not benefit from human rights abuses.

The Globe and Mail (Canada) reported Monday that three Canadian companies, including renewable energy giant Canadian Solar Inc. and two small mining companies, Dynasty Gold Corp. and GobiMin Inc. have operated businesses and invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Xinjiang over the past two decades. However, none of the three companies has responded to whether they are involved in human rights abuses or forced labour activities.

#Xinjiang #Canada #HumanRights #LabourCamp #Trudeau #Uighurs

Source: Apple Daily #Jan20

https://hk.appledaily.com/international/20210120/5KO5S44BLZCC3OIDDSSOW5FPKU/

U.S. Navy Condemns China on its Lack of Integrity after China's Absent in the Military Meeting

Source: Apple Daily #Dec17

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U.S. Navy Condemns China on its Lack of Integrity after China's Absent in the Military Meeting

The U.S.-China relations continue to deteriorate. Senior military officials of the two countries originally scheduled a video conference on Military Maritime Consultative Agreement (MMCA) this week. However, China was absent unexpectedly for no reason. The U.S. criticised its absence as a reflection of its lack of integrity. Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs counter-accuse the U.S. for the meeting's failure.

The meeting was scheduled for Dec 14-16 in a video conference format, but the absence of PLA representatives did not attend. The U.S. representatives Phil Davidson, the General of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, criticised the PLA as "another non-compliant example from China". At the same time, they also "remind all nations that they may pursue agreements with China in the future".

The U.S. military said that China and the U.S. have held a regular meeting since 1998 to conduct the MMCA dialogue. This year's talk was expected to address China's recent military actions in the South China Sea, but the Chinese representatives were absent without reason. General Davidson emphasised that the U.S. will strive to safeguard the MMCA and called on the PLA to hold the MMCA dialogue under the framework of MMCA.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin stated at a regular press conference on Thursday that "it is to our understanding that the responsibility of the failure in holding meetings regarding maritime safety lies solely in the hands of the U.S. The U.S. military's accusations are completely untenable and irresponsible." He prompted reporters to enquire with the Chinese Ministry of Defence.

#China #US #MMCA #PLA #USNavy #PhilDavidson #WangWenbin

Source: Apple Daily #Dec17

https://hk.appledaily.com/international/20201217/4Z63VNH5BZGIRAHVM3WXV6XFFY/

Philippine province cancels award for China Communications' US$10 billion airport project

Philippine announced the cancellation award of a US$10 billion airport deal south of the capital to Chinese firm. It was the biggest projects involving a Chinese firm, China Communications Construction Co (CCCC), under President Rodrigo Duterte who has pursued warmer ties with Beijing since taking office in 2016.

However, the Cavite government would start new negotiations for a private sector partner to pursue the airport project.

CCCC was among the Chinese firms blacklisted by the United States in August for their roles in constructing and militarising artificial South China Sea islands.

Source: Channel New Asia #Jan27

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/philippine-province-cancels-award-china-communications-airport-14050516

#Philippine #China #CCC #USblacklistChineseFirm

Hong Kong grills finance executives on reasons for leaving

Government agencies including the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Hong Kong Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau and the Financial Services Development Council have phoned banking and asset management executives who have relocated to rival cities including Singapore and Tokyo, according to three people with direct knowledge of the calls.

The calls was to ask for a full picture of the decision-making process behind the moves and the significance of the timing.

While many remain committed to staying, a number of individual financial professionals or small teams have moved out of Hong Kong since Beijing imposed a national security law in June 2020, which an unprecedented legal incursion. Some felt raised the risk of doing business in the Chinese territory.

Source: FT #Jan27

https://www.ft.com/content/76f88fc4-a0c2-42dd-8419-5956477c4a4a

#HongKong #HKFinancialHub #NationalSecurityLaw #NSL