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We provide translation of news in English from local media and other sources, for academic use.
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#FailedState #Fake #MassSurveillance
#LeaveHomeSafe App Download Rate Surges; Top Downloads in Pacific and Caribbean Islands Causes Suspicion on Possible Scam Downloads

Source: Stand News #Feb22

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#FailedState #Fake #MassSurveillance
#LeaveHomeSafe App Download Rate Surges; Top Downloads in Pacific and Caribbean Islands Causes Suspicion on Possible Scam Downloads

The Hong Kong government announced a more relaxed social distance measure in Hong Kong on February 18, 2021 and allowed dinner dine-in until 10pm where 4 customers can share a table.

However, for those dining-in, there is a requirement to scan a QR code with the government's “LeaveHomeSafe” app which authorities use for contact tracing or to provide personal information to the restaurant.

Rhe app has triggered worries over surveillance and privacy in the city. According to the government, there is, however, a surge in the number of downloads for the “LeaveHomeSafe” app.

The government reported an "overwhelming response" from the public, with over 2.3 million downloads. But data from an app analysis website shows that the Android app has the most downloads in the Health category in many countries outside of Hong Kong and Macau.

Most of which are from the Pacific and Caribbean island countries. This raises some suspicion and the situation suggests that some might have turned to individual companies for help in “tampering with the numbers”, or “paid listing boost” which are prevalent in China, to create the illusion of high download rates.

As for App Store Optimization (#ASO) services, netizen and travel writer Pazu Kong (薯伯伯) mentioned that in China that “it only takes a couple of cents for a machine to do this, and a few bucks for a person. One person can operate more than 100 SIM cards and more than 100 smartphones to artificially build up junk download rates to boost their rankings, increase visitation volume, and give 5-star ratings. Usually, if it was done by humans, it will be less likely to be noticed.”

One of the ASO companies quoted the price stating that purchasing 500 downloads from Google Play cost just a bit over HK$100.

Source: Stand News #Feb22

#Clickrate #FakeDownloads
India to clear 45 investments from China, likely to include Great Wall, SAIC - sources

Source: Reuters #Feb22

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India to clear 45 investments from China, likely to include Great Wall, SAIC - sources

Government and industry sources said to clear 45 investment proposals which had been held up since last year after Indian tightened controls Chinese investment in the country n retaliation against alleged Chinese troop incursions in the western Himalayan region. China blamed Indian troops for the standoff. Those investment included those from Great Wall Motor and SAIC Motor Corp

About 150 investment proposals from China worth more than $2 billion were stuck in the pipeline. Companies from Japan and the U.S. routing investment through Hong Kong were also caught in the cross-fire as an inter-ministerial panel led by the interior ministry increased scrutiny of such proposals.

SAIC, which started selling cars in India in 2019 under its British brand MG Motor, has invested around $400 million of the nearly $650 million it has committed to India and would need approval to bring more investment.

Great Wall plans to invest $1 billion in India over the next few years and had planned to start selling cars in India from this year.

Source: Reuters #Feb22

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-china-investment-exclusive/exclusive-india-to-clear-45-investments-from-china-likely-to-include-great-wall-saic-sources-idUSKBN2AM0T4

#India #ChinaInvestment
US moves to support Australian push to tackle China's 'human and labour rights abuses'

Since Australia’s existing laws against modern slavery are not strong enough, the U.S. offered qualified support for a new Australian bill to ban imports from the Xinjiang region.
The bill, proposed by the South Australian independent senator Rex Patrick, would prohibit the importation into Australia of goods from Xinjiang province “as well as goods from other parts of China that are produced by using forced labour”.

In Jan, the Australian government said “closely monitoring” the actions other countries were taking, as the United Kingdom and Canada also rolled out new actions targeting imports from Xinjiang.

Source: The Guardian #Feb22

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/feb/23/us-moves-to-support-australian-push-to-tackle-chinas-human-and-labour-rights-abuses?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

#Xinjiang #Australia #ChinaForceLabour #China
#UK #Migration #Hongkonger
Hong Kong Immigrants in Britain are showing a flair for protest

Source: Economist #Feb22

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#UK #Migration #Hongkonger
Hong Kong Immigrants in Britain are showing a flair for protest

//Between January and September last year [2021] 88,000 Hong Kongers applied to move to Britain under the British National (Overseas) visa route, which was created by the government in response to the crackdown on democracy in Hong Kong. Many of them have been quick to stage in their adopted home the traditions of their old one.

The protest in Edinburgh was one of at least ten held across Britain in January alone. Some demonstrations in London have attracted almost 1,000 people. For a modest-sized group of new immigrants, the speed and scale with which the Hong Kongers have taken to the streets is striking.

Hong Kongers say that the main reason they keep protesting is because objectionable things keep happening. January’s protests have been focused on the issue of press freedom: in December and January two of Hong Kong’s last remaining independent news outlets closed after their offices were raided by police and journalists were arrested. Further protests will probably be held in February to call for a boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics, which start on February 4th...

Hong Kongers who have fled the Chinese Communist Party’s crackdown on the city were specifically driven to leave by sudden restrictions on their rights of free speech and free assembly. The point of moving was to regain those freedoms for themselves and their children. Although many Hong Kongers in Britain still fear the Communist Party, failing to protest in Britain would be cowardly, argues Ken: “If I am silent here I am just helping them.”//

Read the full article:
https://t.co/u1j42pubny

Source: Economist #Feb22

#BNO #Protest #AntiELAB
#WuhanPneumonia #5thWave
An eerie quiet across malls, metro and streets as Covid grips Hong Kong

Malls remain quiet, streets empty and the usually-packed MTR is often eerily abandoned as Hong Kong struggles with a fifth wave of Covid-19.

Authorities have urged residents to remain at home, with the health system overloaded and social distancing guidelines tightened.

Source: HKFP, Medicalinspire; #Feb22
https://t.me/hkposter777/59647?single
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Australia requests an investigation and an explanation on a Chinese warship irradiating an Australian patrol aircraft with a laser

Source: SBS #Feb22

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Australia requests an investigation and an explanation on a Chinese warship irradiating an Australian patrol aircraft with a laser

On #Feb17, a Chinese navy warship used laser irradiating an Australian royal air force patrol at the north of mainland #Australia.

Australian PM, #ScottMorrison, said that Australia requested a full investigation into the incident through diplomatic methods. He also asked China to explain why "a professional defence force" can do such a dangerous act.

Hw tod the press on #Feb21, "This is completely unacceptable to have such an act. As a result, we requested to have an investigation on the warship behaviour... It is very unprofessional for a mature navy to have these dangerous and reckless acts, so we hope China to provide us with an answer."

However, the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson, #WangWenbin, replied the accusation is not true and claimed the Chinese warship was "sailing normally", "complying with relevant international law".

#NavyWarship #RoyalAirForcePatrol

Source: SBS #Feb22

https://www.sbs.com.au/chinese/cantonese/zh-hant/scott-morrison-demands-full-investigation-into-chinese-laser-incident?cid=alc:soc:bau:con:SBSChineseTelegram::na