China outlaws global activism

[Stevicus]

With new security law, China outlaws global activism

The draconian security law that Beijing forced upon Hong Kong last week contains an article making it illegal for anyone in the world to promote democratic reform for Hong Kong.

Why it matters: China has long sought to crush organized dissent abroad through quiet threats and coercion. Now it has codified that practice into law — potentially forcing people and companies around the world to choose between speaking freely and ever stepping foot in Hong Kong again.

What's happening: Article 38 of the national security law states, "This Law shall apply to offences under this Law committed against the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region from outside the Region by a person who is not a permanent resident of the Region."

• In other words, every provision of the law applies to everyone outside of Hong Kong — including you.

Several experts in Chinese and international law confirmed this interpretation of the law to Axios.

• "It literally applies to every single person on the planet. This is how it reads," said Wang Minyao, a Chinese-American lawyer based in New York. "If I appear at a congressional committee in D.C. and say something critical, that literally would be a violation of this law."

So, I guess that puts all on notice. No criticizing China, or else you'll be violating Chinese law.

The article even mentions that they're kidnapping people of Chinese heritage who are no longer Chinese citizens, so they can take them back to China and charge them with crimes.

The new law codifies and extends to non-Chinese nationals the extraterritorial practices that the Chinese Communist Party has long applied to its own citizens abroad.

• Earlier this year a Chinese student at the University of Minnesota was sentenced to six months in prison after returning home to China for the summer, for a tweet criticizing Xi Jinping that he posted while in the U.S.
• Chinese officials have also threatened people of Chinese heritage abroad who are no longer Chinese citizens, in some cases kidnapping them, taking them back to China, and forcing them to renounce their foreign citizenship so that Chinese authorities can prosecute them as Chinese nationals without foreign involvement.

China is also using its economic power to enforce its will on private companies.

Beijing is also increasingly using market access as a form of leverage to silence foreign companies and organizations.

• Hollywood movie studios make sure their films don't offend China's censors so they can retain access to China's massive domestic movie market.
• After Beijing complained, Marriott fired an employee who used a company social media account to like a post about Tibet.

Until now, this was informal coercion. Now it's the law.

• An example: The tweet that Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey posted last year in the support of the Hong Kong protests got the NBA in a lot of trouble in China.
• That tweet would likely be illegal under the new law.

Well, I'm sure I probably violated this law at some point or another. In fact, this very post might get me in hot water with the Beijing authorities. I guess I won't be going to China anytime soon, otherwise they might arrest me upon arrival.

 

[Cooky]

With new security law, China outlaws global activism


So, I guess that puts all on notice. No criticizing China, or else you'll be violating Chinese law.

The article even mentions that they're kidnapping people of Chinese heritage who are no longer Chinese citizens, so they can take them back to China and charge them with crimes.

China is also using its economic power to enforce its will on private companies.


Well, I'm sure I probably violated this law at some point or another. In fact, this very post might get me in hot water with the Beijing authorities. I guess I won't be going to China anytime soon, otherwise they might arrest me upon arrival.

I would denounce this, but it's illegal to do so. So I can't.

 

[Tambourine]

What would meaningfully change? In practice, the Xi regime can't arrest people who aren't in Chinese territory, and those Western companies prone to kowtow to large markets are already doing so.

Is this so they can threaten US companies, in case the US inevitably kidnaps the next Huawei COO?

 

[Quintessence]

Is "Axios" a reliable source of information? I've never heard of it. Is this being reported on by known, reputable sources?

 

[Stevicus]

What would meaningfully change? In practice, the Xi regime can't arrest people who aren't in Chinese territory, and those Western companies prone to kowtow to large markets are already doing so.

Is this so they can threaten US companies, in case the US inevitably kidnaps the next Huawei COO?

As the article mentioned:

What's at stake: The point of the law isn't necessarily to immediately launch a sweeping global dragnet, but rather "to put the fear of God into all China critics the world over," wrote Donald Clarke, a professor Chinese law at George Washington University, in an analysis of the law.

• "It’s the obsession with seizing the narrative-setting power," said Alvin Cheung, a legal scholar at New York University.

It does appear that the Chinese government is obsessed with wanting the power to set the narrative and quash any criticisms against the regime.

I don't understand it myself. If China's government believes they're right, why wouldn't they just make their case in the open marketplace of ideas? They should try using honey instead of vinegar.

 

[Thief]

With new security law, China outlaws global activism


So, I guess that puts all on notice. No criticizing China, or else you'll be violating Chinese law.

The article even mentions that they're kidnapping people of Chinese heritage who are no longer Chinese citizens, so they can take them back to China and charge them with crimes.

China is also using its economic power to enforce its will on private companies.


Well, I'm sure I probably violated this law at some point or another. In fact, this very post might get me in hot water with the Beijing authorities. I guess I won't be going to China anytime soon, otherwise they might arrest me upon arrival.

yeah...there's a guy on youtube who specializes in news about China
(name eludes me .....sorry)

got the report last week about the scope of the law
and he ain't going back to do any more reporting

any word about Chinese ninjas?......taking out critics

 

[Stevicus]

Is "Axios" a reliable source of information? I've never heard of it. Is this being reported on by known, reputable sources?

I can't say for certain, although the new security law has been reported by the NY Times, BBC, and Time.

Hong Kong Says Common Protest Slogan Calling for ‘Revolution’ Is Now Illegal Under National Security Law

China opens new security office in Hong Kong

Hong Kong, Changed Overnight, Navigates Its New Reality

 

[Stevicus]

yeah...there's a guy on youtube who specializes in news about China
(name eludes me .....sorry)

got the report last week about the scope of the law
and he ain't going back to do any more reporting

any word about Chinese ninjas?......taking out critics

I thought ninjas were Japanese, not Chinese.

 

[Quintessence]

Yes, I've been following it, but I'm not under the impression that this applies to anywhere other than China. They can't do squat if you stay out of China. It's very misleading for this "Axios" place to say they are outlawing global activism.

 

[Thief]

I thought ninjas were Japanese, not Chinese.

hehehehe

I simply don't know the word in Chinese

 

[Stevicus]

Yes, I've been following it, but I'm not under the impression that this applies to anywhere other than China. They can't do squat if you stay out of China. It's very misleading for this "Axios" place to say they are outlawing global activism.

I just came across the link while browsing various news feeds as I usually do, but to be honest, I'm not that familiar with Axios either.

Here's the Wiki article on them, FWIW: Axios (website) - Wikipedia

 

[February-Saturday]

How long until these forums ban us from making jokes like these?

"Which China? The one run by Winnie the Pooh or Taiwan?"

"Don't they have organs to harvest from the Falun Gong?"

"Isn't it weird how the 'feelings of the Chinese people' seem to be deeply insecure about their leader?"

"They call it the Golden Shield, I call it the Golden Shower because it pisses me off."

 

[Secret Chief]

I would denounce this, but it's illegal to do so. So I can't.

I'd give you a Like but that would make me a criminal.

 

[Secret Chief]

kowtow

I saw what you did there.

 

[sun rise]

Is "Axios" a reliable source of information? I've never heard of it. Is this being reported on by known, reputable sources?

Axios has been known to me for quite some time and I find them reliable.

But as far as this story goes, everyone is reporting it.

 

[Brickjectivity]

What would meaningfully change? In practice, the Xi regime can't arrest people who aren't in Chinese territory, and those Western companies prone to kowtow to large markets are already doing so.

Is this so they can threaten US companies, in case the US inevitably kidnaps the next Huawei COO?

We have members here who live in Hong Kong.

 

[Stevicus]

We have members here who live in Hong Kong.

I hope they're okay. One hasn't posted here in a while.

 

[columbus]

I hope they're okay. One hasn't posted here in a while.

They're a favorite of mine. I think about them commonly.

But I wouldn't even tag A in a post for fear of repercussions.
Tom

 

[Stevicus]

They're a favorite of mine. I think about them commonly.

But I wouldn't even tag A in a post for fear of repercussions.
Tom

I know what you mean, which is also why I refrained from using names. Still, the Chinese government probably has files on all of us. The file for @Revoltingest probably takes up two or three file cabinets.

 

[Revoltingest]

I know what you mean, which is also why I refrained from using names. Still, the Chinese government probably has files on all of us. The file for @Revoltingest probably takes up two or three file cabinets.

You accuse me of being that interesting?
Thank you!