Who will defend Hong Kong?

[Svartalf]

So China, which has been largely ignoring the "one country, two systems" doctrine and trampling the rights and supposed democratic warranties of Hong Kong forl for years, just passed and implemented a law concerning political crimes in Hong Kong, totally bypassing the local legislative council and directly contravening the retrocession agreements that were passed before UK gave the HK back in 97.

Will anybody fight to defend them? or is it confirmed that the reds just got away with using their own word for toilert paper, and HK now is just another Chinese possession and, given its rebellious tendencies, can expect the Xinjiang or Tibet treatment?

[pErvinalia]

Who's going to stop them? No one has stood up to them in the last 10 or 20 human rights and international law violations. The horse has well and truly bolted. They can pretty much do what they like. For Australia's part, it was announced today we are buying long range missiles and possibly missile defence. The government didn't say it explicitly but everyone knows it is a countermeasure to China's growing aggression in the region.

[Svartalf]

Well, if those silly brits hadn't brexited off, Human Rights loving Europe might have done it, but now, I doubt our wise rulers will have the balls to do anything, and bojo would shit his knickers if the idea of retaliating even came to what he tries to pass off for a mind. frump could not care less, and nobody else is likely to either.

[NineBerry]

HK has about 8 million people. Half of those might actually like living under Chinese rule. Just let the other 4 million migrate to the US and the UK. There might be a lot of space in the UK and the US after the Rona has taken its tolls.

[Hermit]

During her visit to China in 1982 the UK's incumbent Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, declared: "There are three treaties in existence; we stick by our treaties unless we decide on something else. At the moment, we stick by our treaties." With this unnecessary* and unspeakably arrogant utterance she basically handed total control of Hong Kong over to the People's Republic of China, for the Chinese government is doing exactly what Thatcher was OK with 38 years earlier. The only difference is that now the boot is on the other foot.

And now, as ever, no ruler gives a fuck about any rights or freedoms of "the people". Mentions of their rights and freedoms are either rhetorical devices / bargaining chips or sops to the hoi polloi.


*Unnecessary because Thatcher was only mouthing a truism. Contracts will always be torn up if a signatory thinks that two conditions pertain: 1) The contract has turned from being an advantage, or at least a best possible compromise, to an encumbrance. 2) The signatory will get away with breaking it.

[laklak]

To paraphrase Chairman Mao, Rights come from the barrel of a gun.

[Svartalf]

meaning that premier xi is in urgent need of several thousands of grains of molybdotherapy, preferably in close fire multiple injections

[Hermit]

To paraphrase Chairman Mao, Rights come from the barrel of a gun.

Then there is Stalin's dismissive reply to Pierre Laval in 1935: "The Pope! How many divisions has he got?"

[JimC]

There is absolutely nothing that can be done. Simple as that.

[pErvinalia]

Yep. Short of the US engaging militarily with China, nothing can be done. And I doubt the US would seriously entertain military conflict with China. Maybe if George Bush and Dick Cheney were still in power...

[NineBerry]

Local authorities have just increased their stockpile of iodine tablets. So bring on the nuclear war.

[rainbow]

Local authorities have just increased their stockpile of iodine tablets. So bring on the nuclear war.

Gamma rays destroy virusses, so two problems solved in one.

[JimC]

My optimism is slowly leaching away...

[Svartalf]

I havenn't had faith in mankind for decades, but all my respect for Chinese culture is vanishing rather fast.

[JimC]

I still like Peking Duck...