Free Republic

Beijing's aggression confirms that the Chinese Communist Party is fully committed to fulfill its own great power ambition regardless of the consequences to other states. While nations worldwide were busy dealing with health care and economic crises caused by the Wuhan virus pandemic, Beijing is exploiting the attendant confusion to tighten its control over Hong Kong and the South China Sea.Beijing Tightens Its Grip on Hong Kong Since summer 2019, an extradition bill that would have eroded Hong Kong’s judicial independence ignited the city’s pro-democracy movement. The spread of the coronavirus added a new dimension to the movement in 2020....

Are Hong Kong's liberties gradually being taken away? THROW a frog into boiling water and it jumps out; gently bring it to the boil, and the frog, never noticing the incremental increases in heat, allows itself to be cooked. Is Hong Kong a frog in a pot in Beijing's kitchen? If so, then on September 24th the temperature rose another notch. On that day, Hong Kong's government formally began—by circulating a consultation paper—the process of enacting a controversial set of laws against subversion, sedition, treason and other ills, as required by Article 23 of the Basic Law, the territory's constitution....

Hong Kong police arrested 14 veteran activists Sunday — including two prominent politicians and a millionaire media mogul — in the biggest crackdown on the city’s pro-democracy movement since mass protests began last year. Among those detained were Martin Lee, 81, founder of the Democratic Party founder and a senior barrister; publishing tycoon Jimmy Lai, 71; and former legislator and barrister Margaret Ng, 72, the Associated Press reported.

...Beijing and its minions have subjected politicians, journalists and individual voters in that city to some ugly threats, and worse.... Despite widespread popular support, democratic candidates are not expected to gain effective control of the Legislative Council (LegCo).... [E]arlier this year it looked like pro-democracy forces might win at least 30 seats. Then China went on the offensive, denigrating or intimidating democratic candidates and sympathizers. The leader of the pro-democracy camp, the dignified Martin Lee, was called a "clown" and unpatriotic. Mr. Lee's late father was branded a "traitor." China's government hounded other pro-democracy candidates, throwing one into a mainland...