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One country, one system: The week that China shredded its promise on Hong Kong
Washington Post ^ | April 24 at 5:00 AM | Shibani Mahtani Timothy McLaughlin

Posted on 04/24/2020 3:23:10 PM PDT by BenLurkin

Seven officers appeared at Lee’s home and arrested the 81-year-old for participating in an unauthorized protest last year that 1.7 million people attended. More than a dozen other democracy activists were detained the same day.

The arrests buttressed a week of coordinated actions by Beijing that experts say have redefined the status of Hong Kong. The effect was to demolish the “one country, two systems” framework that prohibits Beijing’s involvement in local affairs and is supposed to afford the financial center a high level of autonomy.

With the world distracted by the novel coronavirus pandemic, China has carried out a power grab in the former British colony, whose way of life it had pledged to preserve until 2047. In recent days, authorities have said for the first time that Beijing’s representative offices in the territory can “supervise” Hong Kong’s internal affairs — a step that legal experts say violates its constitutional firewall with the mainland. The Basic Law stipulates that the city should run its own affairs, including the police and immigration system, apart from defense and foreign relations.

Beijing officials also called for Hong Kong to introduce a national security law — shelved when an earlier attempt at its introduction sparked massive protests in 2003 — and reached further into the city’s legislature with attacks on pro-democracy lawmakers.

The upshot is that the Hong Kong the world knew...where political freedoms were protected and the rule of law applied — is severely compromised.

As Washington prepares its annual report on the Hong Kong Policy Act, the legislation that allows the United States to treat the territory differently from mainland China and underpins Hong Kong’s status as a financial center, China’s actions raise an urgent question: How long can Hong Kong be seen as apart from the mainland?

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: hongkong; redchina; suckers
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1 posted on 04/24/2020 3:23:10 PM PDT by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin

“ whose way of life it had pledged to preserve until 2047.”

Anyone who believed that is a moron.

L


2 posted on 04/24/2020 3:25:19 PM PDT by Lurker (Peaceful coexistence with the Left is not possible. Stop pretending that it is.)
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To: BenLurkin

China upholds their Agreements with Hong Kong as well as the Deep State does with our Constitution.


3 posted on 04/24/2020 3:25:43 PM PDT by KC_Lion (I fear we are approaching the "American War of Liberation")
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To: BenLurkin

It’s all very sad.


4 posted on 04/24/2020 3:25:57 PM PDT by Dogbert41 (Jerusalem is the city of the Great King!!!)
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To: BenLurkin

Never let a good crisis go to waste.


5 posted on 04/24/2020 3:27:30 PM PDT by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizens Are Born Here of Citizen Parents_Know Islam, No Peace-No Islam, Know Peace)
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To: BenLurkin

Very sad. Hong Kong was a wonderful place. A few years ago we had hopes that China was evolving in the right direction. Now China is going Stalinist, powered by modern tech, and Hong Kong is being erased. Communists do what communists do.


6 posted on 04/24/2020 3:31:28 PM PDT by sphinx
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To: BenLurkin
The arrests buttressed a week of coordinated actions by Beijing that experts say have redefined the status of Hong Kong. The effect was to demolish the “one country, two systems” framework that prohibits Beijing’s involvement in local affairs and is supposed to afford the financial center a high level of autonomy.

The Chicoms lied. Geez, what a surprise.

7 posted on 04/24/2020 3:31:34 PM PDT by FreeReign
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To: BenLurkin

I posted earlier this year at another site that I believed the Wuhan virus was about ending the Hong Kong demonstrations and hurting Trump economy. Nothing has happened since to disuade me.


8 posted on 04/24/2020 3:32:48 PM PDT by apoliticalone (Without freedom of speech we have no democracy and will lose all our freedoms.)
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To: BenLurkin

Not our problem! The U.K. wash their hands of Hong Kong and its citizens when they gave it back,. Hong Kong is part of China.


9 posted on 04/24/2020 3:35:33 PM PDT by Reno89519 (Buy American, Hire American! End All Worker Visa Programs. Replace Visa Workers w/ American Workers)
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To: BenLurkin

The US needs to recognize Taiwan and also stand firm with HK. In other words, flip off the ChiComs.


10 posted on 04/24/2020 3:36:53 PM PDT by llevrok (Vote while it is still legal)
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To: BenLurkin

“China is asshoe!”


11 posted on 04/24/2020 3:38:09 PM PDT by RushIsMyTeddyBear ("Progressives" (elitist Communists) "Love you to death".)
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To: apoliticalone

I felt and posted the same early on. Also Wuhan itself was a city not aligned with and a thorn in the side of Peking.


12 posted on 04/24/2020 3:41:17 PM PDT by Cold Heart (.)
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To: Lurkinanloomin

“Never let a good crisis go to waste.”

If you mean covid, it doesn’t apply when it comes to HK. It has always been China’s plan to totally subjugate Hong Kong, it’s not a new development. China won’t hesitate to go Tienanmen Square on HK if they have to, it was in the cards long before any virus problem.


13 posted on 04/24/2020 3:43:29 PM PDT by LouieFisk
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To: LouieFisk

The Brits should have held on. Just like we should have held onto the Canal Zone.


14 posted on 04/24/2020 3:47:47 PM PDT by Vaquero ( Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.)
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To: Reno89519

,,, the 99 year lease ran out so the Brits had to give it back. The deal the people of Diego Garcia is worth a look if you want comparisons.


15 posted on 04/24/2020 4:04:31 PM PDT by shaggy eel (As for me and my house - we will serve the Lord.)
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To: BenLurkin

16 posted on 04/24/2020 4:09:59 PM PDT by Bonemaker (invictus maneo)
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To: shaggy eel

“,,, the 99 year lease ran out so the Brits had to give it back. The deal the people of Diego Garcia is worth a look if you want comparisons.”

Lie.

Standard propaganda or misunderstanding, but not true in any way.

Tiring to hear this crap over and over.


17 posted on 04/24/2020 4:20:11 PM PDT by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: Reno89519

“Not our problem!”

If you think the Chinese Communist Party is our ally then, then yes, it’s not our problem.


18 posted on 04/24/2020 4:22:47 PM PDT by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: ifinnegan

,,, take what the doctor’s prescribed you and let’s hear your story.


19 posted on 04/24/2020 4:38:57 PM PDT by shaggy eel (As for me and my house - we will serve the Lord.)
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To: shaggy eel

“,,, take what the doctor’s prescribed you and let’s hear your story.”

What are you talking about?


20 posted on 04/24/2020 5:13:32 PM PDT by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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