HK Govt Continues the Spin

Lam, in jacket matching orchids, explains electoral changes

The Hong Kong government continues its verbal gymnastics to explain the changes to the city's electoral system that makes one wonder if it is a parallel universe or completely illogical.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor gave an interview with state media broadcaster CGTN, where she said pro-democracy politicians will see their chances of winning office increase after these electoral reforms -- as long as they prove themselves to be "patriots".

"Hong Kong is a very free and diverse society, we welcome people with different political positions and different views about the best system to serve Hong Kong... there is absolutely no intention to undermine the system of Hong Kong and dilute this diversity and freedoms in Hong Kong," she said.

Xi (centre) casts his vote on HK electoral reform

"If we have the same number of so-called pro-democratic persons in Hong Kong, as long as all these people are able to meet the standards of a patriot, then they now have more opportunities to take part in [an] election and win an election."

She really did say that. Are we talking about the same place, Hong Kong, where the Election Committee has increased to 1,500 members, and it will arbitrarily decide who is patriotic enough to run for the Legislative Council elections.

And while she said there is no intention to dilute diversity in Hong Kong, then why did the National People's Congress agree to add another 20 pro-establishment lawmakers in Legco?

Besides, most of the pan-democrats are either charged with subversion under the national security law, currently in prison serving for other convictions, or have fled Hong Kong.

Who is left to even dare to try to run?

Tsang says being a patriot is like family

Meanwhile Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai said maybe the analogy of family could help the public understand the requirement of being a patriot.

"If you love your family, you will sincerely accept, endorse and respect them. You may criticize them when they are not doing good. But you won't ask outsiders to confront them... It's not something difficult to achieve," he told a radio program.

Perhaps Tsang doesn't understand that not everyone loves their family, and sometimes you do need outsiders to intervene because the situation is untenable.

And there are some families where no criticism is allowed whatsoever; if you do then you have to get out.

So the spinning continues and not many are convinced. 

It also explains why the take up rate for vaccinations is poor, perhaps because the government lost its integrity ages ago?

No Choice But to Flee

 

Michael Smith (L) and Bill Birtles (R) when they departed Shanghai

This morning I woke up to the shocking news that two Australian journalists had to flee China after the Chinese government claimed they were involved in "a case", which was later revealed to be detained Australian-Chinese TV anchor Cheng Lei.

Bill Birtles of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and China correspondent Michael Smith of The Australian Financial Review are back in Sydney (in hotel quarantine) and trying to process what happened to them in the last few days.

They are upset to have left China so abruptly, unable to properly say good-bye to friends and colleagues, or finish ticking off their bucket list of places to see and things to do in the Middle Kingdom.

Birtles stayed at the Australian Embassy in Beijing

But earlier both were warned by Australian diplomats they should leave China, following the escalating tensions between the two countries. Things probably ratcheted up several notches following the detention of CGTN anchor Cheng Lei last month.

So they both packed their bags in anticipation of leaving this Thursday.

Then last Wednesday evening, while Birtles was holding a farewell gathering at his Beijing apartment, seven Chinese officers showed up at his door at midnight including a translator, telling him he was involved in a case and that he could not leave China. But at the same time, could he leave them his number so they could contact him in the afternoon to arrange a time to discuss this "case"?

At the same time in Shanghai, Smith got a knock on the door too, and was awoken from his sleep. After the encounter with the officers, he found it hard to go back to sleep.

The next day both sought advice from the Australian consulates in both cities, and they advised them to stay in the diplomatic compound for their safety. Luckily their stuff had been packed and consular staff picked up their luggage for them.

Smith wondered if his fate would be like Julian Assange

Then they were holed up in the consulates for five days as negotiations began between Australia and China to allow to the two journalists to leave without incident. At one point Smith wondered if his fate would be similar to Julian Assange's, being holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy for years.

But luckily an agreement came together in days that they could leave, though there was one catch -- they had to be questioned about the Cheng Lei case.

In separate hotel rooms in the Kerry Hotel in Shanghai, Smith and Birtles were questioned for an hour, and Birtles says the questions were about which stories he had done, how well he knew Cheng Lei (only met once), and even asking if he covered Hong Kong's national security law.

Afterwards, they were free to go. They were escorted to the airport gate by a diplomat and then left China, wondering what had just happened.

CGTN anchor Cheng Lei was suddenly detained last month

What happened was Beijing's bizarre way of kicking out journalists. While Birtles and Smith were going to leave anyway, China wanted them to depart the country on its terms.

This was not about Cheng Lei, but about a tit-for-tat between Australia and China, and the two journalists were caught in the middle. Australia has called for an investigation for the origins of the coronavirus, while Beijing adamantly refuses to delve into it.

Birtles wonders if he stayed in China would he face further harassment or none at all? It's quite possible the Chinese would have made it practically impossible for him to continue doing his job there and he would have to leave eventually.

Now both journalists will have to figure out how to continue to report on China from Australia, and wonder if and when they will ever get to go back.