China said on Thursday that the United States will pay a heavy price for its wrongdoing, after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington may sanction those involved in the recent Hong Kong arrests and that its UN ambassador would visit Taiwan.
53 HK anti-govt figures arrested for subversion to ‘deter natl security law offenders’
Chen Qingqing Published: Jan 06, 2021 08:56 AM Updated: Jan 06, 2021 11:46 AM
Hong Kong Police Wanchai district headquarters, Aug. 21, 2019 (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
The Hong Kong Police Force confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that it arrested 53 people on charges of subversion, including six involved in organizing and planning it, in a move which observers said is a legitimate and long-awaited action.
Those arrested included Hong Kong law professor Benny Tai Yiu-ting and anti-government lawmakers and district councilors who took part in the so-called 35-plus political strategy last year, which was aimed at subverting the political power of Hong Kong authorities, officials and experts said.
OPINION / EDITORIAL By Global Times Published: Jan 06, 2021 10:43 PM
Hong Kong Police Wanchai district headquarters, Aug 21, 2019 Photo: Xinhua
Hong Kong police arrested 53 activists included Benny Tai Yiu-ting and Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu on Wednesday on suspicion of violating the National Security Law. Hong Kong police said at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon that the operation targeted a plan of the so-called 35-plus strategy and mutual destruction plan which were aimed at paralyzing Hong Kong. According to Hong Kong police, the 53 activists include six organizers and 47 participants.
It is conceivable that some US and Western politicians will come out to attack Beijing and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, and some Western public opinion institutions will also describe the arrest as undermining democracy and suppressing human rights.
By Tony Kwok | China Daily Asia | Updated: 2020-12-31 09:35 Share CLOSE
Tony Kwok says that the government must take steps to win votes for pro-establishment candidates, starting with reaching zero COVID-19 infections, and revamping system to facilitate greater voter participation.
We must learn from history. In 2003, after the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak, resulting in the then-unprecedented economic recession and record-high unemployment, the pro-establishment candidates suffered a humiliating defeat in the same year s District Council (DC) polls. The reason is simple, people put the blame on the government s incompetence in dealing with SARS by casting their votes for the opposition.
AFP
Authorities in Hong Kong on Thursday put pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai back behind bars after a decision to grant bail was overturned by the city s Court of Final Appeal.
Lai had been released on Dec. 23 to live under house arrest while awaiting trial under a draconian national security law imposed on Hong Kong by the ruling Chinese Communist Party following a decision by the High Court.
But the decision was revoked by a panel of three Court of Final Appeal judges after a legal challenge from the department of justice.
Lai arrived at the court with his lawyer at around 9.30 a.m. local time on Thursday, and was immediately surrounded by journalists.