Bloomberg·
Arrest the Hong Kong opposition, Beijing sends a clear signal to Biden
[Bloomberg]- China has arrested dozens of major opposition figures in Hong Kong in an unprecedented manner, which demonstrates how difficult Joe Biden’s relations with China are. When he becomes the president of the United States, there may not be much democracy left in this Asian financial center. Hong Kong police dispatched more than 1,000 police officers on Wednesday to conduct a series of raids in this former British colony, arresting more than 50 activists, former legislators and academics, and an American human rights lawyer. These people all helped organize an informal primary election in July to nominate opposition candidates for the Legislative Council election; the election was later postponed. This is the largest arrest in Hong Kong so far under the National Security Law drafted by Beijing. Even though local opposition figures have increasingly faced criminal charges for participating in protests, raising banners, or participating in the melee in the Legislative Council Hall, the latest This action is still shocking. Those arrested included Dai Yaoting, a former law professor. The maximum sentence under the National Security Law is life imprisonment. This action shows that after months of historic democratic protests swept Hong Kong in 2019, Chinese President Xi Jinping has largely turned the balance of power back on the side of the government. Although the international community has condemned the Trump administration for resorting to sanctions on Chinese officials and withdrawing its preferential trade policy to the Asian financial center, Xi Jinping is still pushing for the suppression of the city’s opposition. The Liaison Office in Hong Kong praised the arrest as a step to put Hong Kong on the “right track.” Although Biden has promised to adopt a more coordinated approach to safeguard democracy around the world, it is difficult to see what he can do to reverse the trend in Hong Kong. The detention of American lawyer John Clancey (John Clancey)-working in a famous local law firm and serving as the treasurer of the primary election organizer is the first case of a foreign citizen arrested under the National Security Act. This will further exacerbate tensions between Washington and Beijing. What are the strict laws China has imposed on Hong Kong? : QuickTake “This mass arrest shows that the regime is relentlessly persecuting democracy activists,” said opposition politician Zhang Chaoxiong, adding that Hong Kong has seized the opportunity that the West is busy responding to the new crown epidemic. “This sends a clear signal to the new Biden government that China will work tirelessly to eradicate Hong Kong’s opposition and is determined to achieve complete control.” The original title Beijing Sends Message to Biden With HK Crackdown (Correct) For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. ©2021 Bloomberg LP
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