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SPECIAL EVENT: Next Tuesday, 18 July, the CFHK Foundation will host a virtual event featuring Anna Kwok, Finn Lau and Ted Hui, three of the eight exiled Hong Kong pro-democracy activists with bounties on their heads who now live in the US, UK and Australia. RSVP here.
The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation (CFHK Foundation) utterly condemns the Hong Kong national security police questioning Nathan Law’s family in Hong Kong. Mark Sabah, UK and EU Director for the CFHK Foundation, told The Guardian, “This latest escalation is clearly designed to intimidate and silence Hongkongers abroad from exposing the true nature of the Hong Kong authorities and their Beijing masters.” Calling the incident sinister, Mr Sabah told The Sydney Morning Herald, “This tactic mirrors how the Chinese government targets the families of Uyghurs, Tibetans and other dissidents abroad.”
Frances Hui, Policy and Advocacy Coordinator for the CFHK Foundation, spoke to BBC about the HK$1 million bounties the Hong Kong government placed on the heads of eight exiled pro-democracy activists worldwide. “It’s an act to intimidate dissidents all across the world. It is also a test for the international community to see how far they could go. A lot of Hong Kongers are facing these threats… I have been followed in the past and have been constantly suppressed by Chinese Communist Party supporters.”
Olivia Enos, Washington Director for the CFHK Foundation, wrote in Forbes about three ways the international community can turn up the heat in response to the bounties placed on the heads of eight Hong Kong activists in the US, UK and Australia. This includes the US State Department barring Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee from attending the US-hosted Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in San Francisco, sanctioning Hong Kong government officials who continue to abuse human rights, and offering safe haven to Hong Kongers who choose to flee from the oppressive hand of the Chinese Communist Party.
Mark Sabah responded to Liu Jianchao’s, head of the International Liaison Department of the Chinese Communist Party, visit to Ireland in The Sunday Times Ireland. “Chinese and Irish officials agreed to strengthen political and people-to-people exchanges between Ireland and China. Ireland must not be fooled,” said Sabah. “By continuing to engage with Liu the only thing that will be strengthened is ongoing abuse of human rights around the world,” said Mr Sabah.
The Daily Mail reported that a Chinese ‘spy’ tried to infiltrate the Hong Kong parliamentary briefing hosted by Bob Seely MP and the CFHK Foundation last week in the British Parliament. Mark Sabah commented, “Chinese Communist Party operatives regularly infiltrate meetings and gatherings right across the UK, especially events organised by people critical of the Beijing regime.”
Francis Clarke, Editorial Assistant and Tim Hetherington Fellow at Index on Censorship, wrote in the CFHK Foundation’s ‘Flame of Freedom’ blog about the bounties on the exiled Hong Kong activists around the world. He wrote, “by offering financial incentives to members of the public to report on these pro-democracy activists, the authorities are trying to turn society against itself to isolate those who have spoken out against China’s attack on human rights.”
Hong Kong
American television presenter John Stossel wrote a tribute to British citizen Jimmy Lai, who has been behind bars in Hong Kong for 925 days. “Jimmy Lai is a remarkable man, and a hero of freedom. You can watch the whole documentary about him at FreeJimmyLai.com.”
The Hong Kong national security police searched the home of Derek Lam, a member of Nathan Law’s former pro-democracy political party Demosito.
Regina Ip, convenor of the Executive Council of Hong Kong, said sending money or food to support the eight wanted Hong Kong democrats overseas is “akin to supporting their illegal activities”.
In a North Korean-like fashion, the Hong Kong authorities outlawed online criticism of the regional flag to show “respect and love” for the symbol of Hong Kong.
North America-China Relations
The US government extended the US national emergency with respect to Hong Kong due to the city’s unstable political and social environment under the National Security Law. It is no surprise that China’s foreign affairs office in Hong Kong “firmly rejected” this move, condemning it as “hegemonic” and “self-defeating”. Canada simplified the path for Hong Kongers to secure permanent residency in Canada, effective from 15 August.