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We provide translation of news in English from local media and other sources, for academic use.
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#FreeAgnes #OpinionArticle #Interview #LegalHigh #PsychoPass #Dojinshi #Platform

Notes from a Distant Past: An Interview with Agnes Chow

In 2017, when Agnes Chow was interviewed by Hong Kong anime and manga review dōjinshi Platform (プラットホーム), she said the following words:

//Reporter: Living in this era, we are facing fast-changing environments. For readers who love anime, manga, idols and other Japanese subcultures, how do they make good use of the skills they gained from pursuing their interests when they face different social and political issues?

Agnes Chow: For me, anime and manga are the same as film and literature works, they represent things that the authors wanted to express. Why do Japanese people watch works like Legal High and PSYCHO-PASS that are critical of the social system, but cannot realise that these stories and oppressions actually happen in reality? I remember asking Toru Kurata sensei from Japan before, and he replied that it was because most Japanese people thought that stories are stories and reality is reality, all separate and different. In addition, nowadays Japanese people are generally apolitical. It is difficult for them to draw and imagine the link between reality and stories.

So in my perspective, when watching a work, imagination is very important. Imagination is the connection between the work and reality. Reflecting on relationships, society and the world through the works is the whole point of anime and manga appreciation. To be honest, I am not doing too well on this either and I need more time to hone it (smile).

In 2017, Hong Kong will be facing more political events: the judicial review of lawmakers, the chief executive election and the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover. In this turbulent era, it is time to think about how we link the critiques in these works to the real society.//

Revisiting these words from 3 years ago now, everything seems like a distant past. “More political events”, “20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover”, “turbulent era” – at the time, who would have felt things were turbulent? 3 years ago, with this same magazine, I was just happily writing away with my friends, never once imagining what this era’s turbulence would look like.

Then, in 2019, the anti-extradition law amendment bill movement broke out. And then, Hong Kongers received the “mission of our time”. And then, the Hong Kong national security law was “passed” on 30th June 2020. On the same day, through her Twitter account with 45 million followers, Agnes Chow posted what was probably her last tweet, as a farewell.

On 10th August 2020, Agnes Chow was arrested for alleged offences against the “party’s security law”.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/444209758986030/posts/4217032908370344/ #Aug10

#ToruKurata #Anime #Manga #Japan
#Sanctions #China #US #Senators #HumanRightsOrganizations
China Imposes Unspecified Sanctions on 11 Americans in Retaliation, Including Several US Senators and Heads of Human Rights Organizations
 

US recently announced sanctions on 11 Chinese and Hong Kong officials, including Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR Carrie LAM, Secretary of Justice Teresa CHENG, Commissioner of Hong Kong Police Force Chris TANG and Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong LUO Huining.  

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian announced on 10th August that China is imposing sanctions on 11 Americans who “behaved badly” on Hong Kong-related issues.  The sanctions list included Republican Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, as well as several heads of human rights organisations.
 
At a regular press conference on 10th August, Zhao criticised the US State Department and Treasury Department for announcing sanctions on 11 officials from the Chinese Central Government and Hong Kong SAR government on the grounds of so-called undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy, stating that such US actions were openly meddling with Hong Kong affairs, blatantly interfering in China’s internal affairs, and gravely violating international law and basic norms in international relations, “China firmly opposes and strongly condemns such move.” 
 
In response to the erroneous move by the US, Zhao announced that China has decided to impose sanctions on the following individuals for their egregious behaviours on Hong Kong-related issues, including US Senators Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, Tom Cotton and Pat Toomey, Congressman Chris Smith, as well as President of the National Endowment for Democracy Carl Gershman, President of the National Democratic Institute Derek Mitchell, President of the International Republican Institute Daniel Twining, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch Kenneth Roth, and President of Freedom House Michael J. Abramowitz.
 
Source:  Stand News  #Aug10
#CarlGershman #MarcoRubio #TedCruz #JoshHawley #TomCotton #PatToomey #ChrisSmith #DerekMitchell #InternationalRepublicanInstitute #DanielTwining #HumanRightsWatch #KennethRoth #FreedomHouse #MichaelAbramowitz
 
https://thestandnews.com/china/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B%E5%8F%8D%E6%93%8A%E5%88%B6%E8%A3%81-11-%E7%BE%8E%E5%9C%8B%E4%BA%BA-%E5%8C%85%E6%8B%AC%E5%85%8B%E9%AD%AF%E8%8C%B2-%E9%AD%AF%E6%AF%94%E5%A5%A7%E7%AD%89%E5%A4%9A%E5%90%8D%E5%8F%83%E8%AD%B0%E5%93%A1%E5%8F%8A%E4%BA%BA%E6%AC%8A%E7%B5%84%E7%B9%94%E8%B2%A0%E8%B2%AC%E4%BA%BA/
#USNationalSecurity #ForeignInterference #ChineseHackers #CyberAttacks #USPresidentialElection
U.S. National Security Advisor:  Chinese Hackers are Tampering with the U.S. Presidential Election Infrastructure
 
Source:  Stand News  #Aug10

Read more
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https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24352
#USNationalSecurity #ForeignInterference #ChineseHackers #USPresidentialElection
U.S. National Security Advisor:  Chinese Hackers are Tampering with the U.S. Presidential Election Infrastructure
 
U.S. National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien has expressed concerns that China-linked hackers are targeting the infrastructure of the U.S. presidential election in November. 
 
In an interview with CBS, O'Brien said that China would like President Trump to lose his bid for re-election. According to O’Brien, just like Russia and Iran, China is attempting to interfere with U.S. democracy by engaging in cyberattacks, phishing and other activities aimed at hacking government websites and election infrastructure, including the State Department's website.  He stressed that the U.S. will take every step necessary to fight against the attacks and protect the election infrastructure.
 
O'Brien also pointed out that the aforementioned hackers from China, Russia, Iran and other countries pose a considerable threat to the U.S.  He specifically mentioned that the Chinese government does not want Trump to be re-elected because of his tough stance on China.
 
He also warned that any country that attempts to interfere with free and fair elections in the U.S., whether it is in support of Biden or Trump, will face severe consequences.  "We're Americans.  We're not going to [allow] foreign countries [to decide on] who our next president is going to be," said O'Brien.
 
Source:  Stand News  #Aug10
#RobertOBrien #CyberAttacks
#FreedomofPress #WhiteTerror
Keith Richburg, "If we start self-censoring, they have won"

Keith Richburg, director of the Journalism and Media Studies Centre at HKU and former chairperson for the Foreign Correspondents Club accepted an interview with Stand News, stating that the police force's recent actions have been attempts to demonstrate to the world how it cracks down on cases related to the National Security Law, in order to shock and intimidate the press industry into #SelfCensorship.

Richburg said in the interview that he hopes that journalists will not self-censor while reporting, stating that journalists should continue to "overstep authority" until stopped.

"Unless interviewing Joshua Wong or Nathan Law constitutes a crime, I see no reason to stop reporting them. Journalists must be gutsy. The most dangerous thing a journalist could do is to self-censor themselves."

Source: Stand News #Aug10

https://www.facebook.com/710476795704610/posts/3361609757257954/

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#FreedomofPress #WhiteTerror
Keith Richburg: "If we start self-censoring, they have won"

Keith Richburg, director of the Journalism and Media Studies Centre at #HKU and former chairperson for the Foreign Correspondents Club (#FCC) accepted an interview with Stand News, stating that the police force's recent actions have been attempts to demonstrate to the world how it cracks down on cases related to the National Security Law, in order to shock and intimidate the press industry into #SelfCensorship.

Richburg said in the interview that he hopes that journalists will not self-censor while reporting, stating that journalists should continue to "overstep authority" until stopped.

"Unless interviewing Joshua Wong or Nathan Law constitutes a crime, I see no reason to stop reporting them. Journalists must be gutsy. The most dangerous thing a journalist could do is to self-censor themselves."

Many online media have been receiving police interference while reporting on-site over the past year. A good example can be seen when police officers demand for journalists to show their HKJA press card.

Current commissioner of police, Chris Tang, stated in a recent interview that the force will be implementing new measures to allow only "trustworthy media" into the police cordon.

Richburg was shocked by this measure, and it caused him to recall an event that occurred when he first came to Hong Kong. A staff from the Information Services Department contacted him and two other American journalists, and met them lunch. When he asked how he should go about in applying for a press card, the staff replied that Hong Kong does not have a licensing regime for journalists, stating that "We have press freedom. If you are press, you are press."

Richburg stated that Hong Kong has never had a licensing regime for journalists, and that the government and the police should not decide on each press' "trustworthiness". He stated that Hong Kong needs media that monitors the government, stating that "This is surprising, as Hong Kong is a place with a tradition of democracy. It should not be decided by officials like this."

Yet as the implementation of the National Security Law enters its 50th day, Richburg believes that Hong Kong has already become unrecognisable.

Richburg believes that the government is investigating the possibility of a licensing regime for journalists to control journalists and limit press freedom. He stated that although different places such as New York City had established a licensing regime for journalists, allowing press with licenses increased privileges and the right to report within police cordons, the Hong Kong government is trying to use the regime as a tool to restrict press reporting.

Richburg stated that, "If we start self-censoring, they have won," because the public would then #SelfCensor out of fear, as the police sees no need to continue enforcing the law."

Source: Stand News #Aug10
#Professionalism #Journalism #KeithRichburg #Interview
#Column #Opinion #Aug25 #SpecialStatus #NationalSecurityLaw
Year 2020: The Stranding and Disconnected World

Image: Apple Daily #Aug10

Previously, Part 1
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24463

Continue Reading Part 2
⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24490
#Column #Opinion #Aug25 #SpecialStatus #NationalSecurityLaw
Year 2020: The Stranding and Disconnected World

Previously, Part 1
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24463

Part 2

Since the sanction could be mis-enforced, causing unintended consequence, a certain amount of personal data was disclosed alongside the U.S. sanction list so that there would be no excuse for financial institutions worldwide for not locking on the right person and execute sanction.

All at once, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data and Chief Executive Carrie Lam jumped up and cried out their disagreement: it is an infringement of privacy.

Meanwhile, personal data of Apple Daily reporters have been deliberately disclosed on a doxxing website quietly approved by government authorities.

It’s an astonishing coincidence that disclosed data of Apple Daily reporters, including photos and telephone numbers, were provided to China Travel Services for “Home Return Permit” application. Not knowing why, the Privacy Commissioner is stretching his ruling to the U.S. while letting go a doxxing website in Hong Kong.

Is Hong Kong still a metropolitan city? As many countries have lifted their extradition treaties with Hong Kong, is the city still in good capacity to hunt down criminals absconded abroad? Can Hong Kong counteract anyone who intends to harm the interests of Hongkongers or the Hong Kong and Chinese governments?

Image: Apple Daily #Aug10

#US #Sanction #AppleDaily #Doxxing #Privacy
Weaponising of the National Security Law

The arrest of Jimmy Lai has no doubt given us concrete evidence that we are heaving the last breaths of press freedom in Hong Kong.

However, this arrest is based on a very broad, albeit vague national security law that has recently been passed. On the surface, it might seem like another 'arrest of a pro-democracy figure', but it actually is Beijing weaponising this law in a bid to rid Hong Kong's opposition voice.

Source: ABC #Aug10

#Opinion #NationlSecurityLaw #JimmyLai #AppleDaily

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-10/why-chinas-arrest-of-hong-kongs-jimmy-lai-is-important/12541550
#FirstHand #Aug10
#HongKongAthletes Return Home from #TokyoOlympics

On August 10, 2021, some of the Hong Kong athletes representing the Team Hong Kong in Tokyo Olympics returned home.

This year, 46 Hong Kong athletes entered the Olympic Games and the team has achieved s historic result of 1gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals, breaking the city's record since Hong Kong joined the Olympics as an individual team in 1952. The city's first and only gold medal was won in 1996.

Among them was Grace Lau Mo-seung who won a Brozen Medal in the "Kata" event. Her family took a photo with her while respecting social distance. The returned athletes then had to go through a quarantine.

#Hongkonger
#Education #WhiteTerror
[Union Disbanded]
#EducationBureau Chief Calls Hong Kong Teachers to "Reconsider" If the Pro-democracy Union Represents Themselves

[Latest Update: The Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union (
#HKPTU) announced its disbandment at around 16:30 on August 10, 2021, following attacks from Beijing and Hong Kong government]

Kevin Yeung, the Hong Kong SAR Government's Secretary of Education, sent a letter to all Hong Kong teachers, calling on "careful consideration" of speech and actions of the Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union (#HKPTU) in recent years, and pondering over whether the union can "represent" themselves.

He also claimed that all information, services, and enquiries "could be provided" by other organisations.

The HKPTU currently consists of 95,000 members, and the membership needs to be renewed every year. Each membership is valid from September 1 to August 31.

The letter from Yeung was titled "Adhering the Profession and Pursuing the Truth Together". The whole letter targets the HKPTU. He said that education had been "robbed" for years, some organisations "performed politics in the name of the educational profession", and that they "did not stop the violation of the teaching profession and the disregard for the well-being of students". He claimed that the HKPTU "directly or indirectly pushes teachers into illegal activities, being arrested and imprisoned".

#KevinYeung #Defamation #Censorship #PoliceState

Source: InmediaHK #Aug05 ; Now News #Aug10
https://bit.ly/37m22Ud

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Read more:

HK Government Cut Ties with Professional Teachers' Union After China Calls it "Cancer"

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30674
#WhiteTerror #PoliticalSuppression
The Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union Disbands After Attacks by Beijing and Hong Kong Authorities

Following Beijing's attack on Hong Kong's largest teachers' union, the Hong Kong government has immediately cut ties with the association, which has been providing support and training for teachers in Hong Kong for almost half a century.

Many considered that the Union's support for democratic values has turned the group intk a target of pro-Establishment and pro-Beijing voices.

It started with July 31, 2021, China's state media People's Daily and Xinhua News Agency published opinion pieces against the Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union (#HKPTU), calling it "a cancer that must be removed".

By the afternoon, the Education Bureau of the Hong Kong government announced it
that it is terminating its working relationship with the local teachers' Union.

Read more
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30674

In the following days, Hong Kong's chief executive #CarrieLam and #EducationBureau chief #KevinYeung continued to accuse the union and dissuade teachers from being affiliated with it.

Read more:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30763

On August 10, 2021, at around 16:30, the 48-year-old union, the largest one for teachers in Hong Kong, announced its disbandment.

Source: Stand News #Aug10
https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=894361151160357

#PoliceState #Censorship #Education #Regime
Opinion | Why Is China Coming After Americans Like Me in the U.S.? (Published 2020)

On Thursday, July 30, I fell asleep watching reruns of “Law and Order.” The next morning, I woke up a fugitive.

Chinese state television said that the Hong Kong authorities had issued arrest warrants for six activists who promote democracy for that supposedly semi-autonomous region.

I was one of the six. The charges? “Inciting secession” and “colluding with foreign powers” — part of the National Security Law imposed on July 1 by the Chinese Communist Party. Both crimes are punishable by up to life in prison.

It doesn’t matter that I’ve been an American citizen for 25 years — having left Hong Kong in 1990 to live in the United States.

Source: NY Times #Aug10

https://t.co/3VOwIJDPJc

#China #American #US
Cambodia: China’s ‘Belt and Road’ Dam is a Rights Disaster

A large-scale, Chinese-financed hydroelectric dam in northeastern Cambodia, completed in 2018, has undermined the lives and livelihoods of thousands of Indigenous and ethnic minority people, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The Lower Sesan 2 dam, one of Asia’s widest dams, flooded large areas upstream of the confluence of the Sesan and Srepok Rivers, two tributaries of the Mekong River.

Source: Human Rights Warch #Aug10

https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/08/10/cambodia-chinas-belt-and-road-dam-rights-disaster

#China #BeltAndRoad #Sesan #Srepok #Mekong