UK extends visa rights to 3 million Hong Kongers

[Monoriu]

What percentage of government workers on the mainland and apolitical, that is to say not part of the Communist party?

No clue.  Civil servants in HK are barred from political activities. 

[Tamas]

That pollster is very pro-democratic.  I am not saying his polls are biased, but his political stance is very clear.  People who are familiar with HK's political scene won't be unfamiliar with him, and people will conclude that he doesn't run a normal business.  He is part of the pan-democratic establishment, and those who don't belong to that establishment don't have much to worry about.

Okay. What about other businesses though? You've mentioned the restaurants in the yellow economic circle, there's this pollster. I mean what about if you're the banker or lawyer for a pan-democractic party? Is that within the pan-democratic establishment or just a normal business providing services to the pan-democrats?

I think you are looking for certainties where none exists. The safety and fate of those people will depend on palace intrigues and other political developments ad hoc.

[Razgovory]

What percentage of government workers on the mainland and apolitical, that is to say not part of the Communist party?

No clue.  Civil servants in HK are barred from political activities.

Yes, you have told us repeatedly how civil servants in Hong Kong are not loyal to the Communist Party.

[Sheilbh]

Interesting holding statement from the President of the UK Supreme Court (which traditionally provides judges to the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal).

Statement from the President of the UK Supreme Court, The Right Hon Lord Reed of Allermuir
17 July 2020

Until the return of Hong Kong by the UK to China in 1997, Hong Kong's final appeal court was the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London, whose judges were the members of the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords. Following the Handover, the final appeal court became the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal. Article 82 of the Hong Kong Basic Law provides that 'the power of final adjudication of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall be vested in the Court of Final Appeal of the Region, which may as required invite judges from other common law jurisdictions to sit on the Court of Final Appeal'.

At the time of the Handover, the then Lord Chancellor (the Rt Hon Lord Irvine of Lairg) and the Chief Justice of Hong Kong (the Hon Andrew Li) agreed that the House of Lords would provide two serving Law Lords to sit on the newly created Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal, as part of the UK's continuing commitment to safeguarding the rule of law in Hong Kong. Details of this agreement were announced by Lord Irvine in Hong Kong on 8 September 1997.

Ever since, two serving judges of the House of Lords and, since its establishment in 2009, the UK Supreme Court, have been provided in accordance with that agreement. They have made an important contribution to the work of the Court of Final Appeal, not only in civil and commercial cases, but also in cases concerned with rights of protest and free speech. Serving judges do not receive any additional remuneration for their work in Hong Kong, but a fee is paid to the Supreme Court. The Court of Final Appeal also includes retired judges from the UK and from other common law jurisdictions, including Australia and Canada.

Currently, I am the only serving judge provided under the agreement, as the other serving judge, Lady Hale, retired from the Supreme Court earlier this year and has not yet been replaced on the Hong Kong court. No serving UK judge has been scheduled to sit in Hong Kong this year.

The new security law contains a number of provisions which give rise to concerns. Its effect will depend upon how it is applied in practice. That remains to be seen. Undoubtedly, the judges of the Court of Final Appeal will do their utmost to uphold the guarantee in Article 85 of the Hong Kong Basic Law that 'the Courts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall exercise judicial power independently, free from any interference.' As the Chief Justice of Hong Kong, the Hon Geoffrey Ma, recently said: 'The independence of the Judiciary and the rule of law are cornerstones of the Hong Kong community, and they are guaranteed under the Basic Law. It remains the mission and the constitutional duty of the Hong Kong Judiciary to maintain and protect them.'

The Supreme Court supports the judges of Hong Kong in their commitment to safeguard judicial independence and the rule of law. It will continue to assess the position in Hong Kong as it develops, in discussion with the UK Government. Whether judges of the Supreme Court can continue to serve as judges in Hong Kong will depend on whether such service remains compatible with judicial independence and the rule of law.

[Sheilbh]

In latest news UK is looking at suspending the extradition treaty we have with Hong Kong. And the Home Office of all places is apparently looking into setting up a settlement/residence scheme for young Hong Kongers who won't have BNO status:
https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/priti-patel-china-clash-hong-kong-556618

[Valmy]

Build a new Hong Kong in the Falklands.

[Sheilbh]

Someone semi-seriously suggested building a new Hong Kong in Lincolnshire. It's not the worst idea doing the rounds.

[Duque de Bragança]

Someone semi-seriously suggested building a new Hong Kong in Lincolnshire. It's not the worst idea doing the rounds.

Who will build it? Central/Eastern European workers? 

[Monoriu]

Someone semi-seriously suggested building a new Hong Kong in Lincolnshire. It's not the worst idea doing the rounds.

"Building a new HK" wasn't a new idea.  It was mentioned back in the 80s, during the negotiations between the UK and Mainland China over HK's future.  Some released UK government documents also talked about it.  Even now, some of the rioters daydream about it. 

This is all pie in the sky.  These people all conveniently overlook the fact that Hong Kong's location is key. 

[Sheilbh]

Of course. It's 90% tongue in cheek: just set up a charter city somewhere in the coast with Hong Kong regulations and tax rates. Build it and they (and lots of Brits) will come.

[Monoriu]

Of course. It's 90% tongue in cheek: just set up a charter city somewhere in the coast with Hong Kong regulations and tax rates. Build it and they (and lots of Brits) will come.

The biggest, and most difficult question about HK has been how to deal with Mainland China.  Building a new HK and HK independence are all escapism - I just do whatever I want to do, totally ignoring the Mainland angle. 

[Valmy]

This is all pie in the sky.  These people all conveniently overlook the fact that Hong Kong's location is key. 

This new Falklands Hong Kong would be the gateway to South America!

[Monoriu]

Hong Kong's success so far is a very specific product of geopolitics.  The only gateway to the huge Chinese market that has rule of law.  The tax rates and the regulations help, but are not the main attractions.  I don't think anyone can replicate Hong Kong anywhere in the world.  Just like nobody can repeat the success of Venice by copying their political and government systems.  It is not about the systems; it is about the geopolitics. 

[Valmy]

Hong Kong's success so far is a very specific product of geopolitics.  The only gateway to the huge Chinese market that has rule of law.  The tax rates and the regulations help, but are not the main attractions.  I don't think anyone can replicate Hong Kong anywhere in the world.  Just like nobody can repeat the success of Venice by copying their political and government systems.  It is not about the systems; it is about the geopolitics. 

Yes it was a joke. I mean you might build a city to put former Hong Kong residents in but it would not be exactly like Hong Kong.

[Sheilbh]

It is extraordinary how much the sort of "elite" consensus on China is moving from the days of Cameron's "Golden century" or Osborne visiting Xinjiang to promote business opportunities - which was just 5 years ago.

Calls to consider banning Tik Tok, in part this is about security fears. But it's also about children's data and revelations that that company has been receiving complaints about individuals grooming children through TikTok, but then only banning those accounts for one week.

Labour have called for sanctions (including individual sanctions) over treatment of Uyghurs. The government haven't ruled it, out but said you need to build the case through evidence to justify individual sanctions.

The Chinese ambassador to the UK had a pretty dreadful interview on UK TV this weekend. He was shown that footage of Uyghurs blindfolded, heads shaved transferring to trains and responded, after a long pause, by talking about how Xinjiang is one of the most beautiful parts of China. He also said he couldn't guarantee no individual has been sterilised in a Chinese prison in Xinjiang. And, which I think indicates the Chinese view, compared the UK now to the Qianlong emperor.