The China Thread

[Admiral Yi]

Again - I do not understand this approach. "Become more dependent on us or there'll be consequences (which will be even graver if once you're more dependent on us)"

China envoy warns of 'consequences' if Britain rejects Huawei
Liu Xiaoming cautions it is 'not in UK's interest' to make an enemy of Beijing

It's not rocket science.  Beijing is threatening British jobs, incomes and profits.  People like those things.

[Sheilbh]

It's not rocket science.  Beijing is threatening British jobs, incomes and profits.  People like those things.

Sure. But they're threatening that so that more British jobs, incomes and profits are dependent on Chinese goodwill. It just seems incredibly counterproductive to me.

[Admiral Yi]

Sure. But they're threatening that so that more British jobs, incomes and profits are dependent on Chinese goodwill. It just seems incredibly counterproductive to me.

How is this different in that way from any other discussion of international trade and investment? 

[Sheilbh]

How is this different in that way from any other discussion of international trade and investment?

How is it similar?

[Admiral Yi]

How is it similar?

If you do this/don't stop this, bad things will happen.

[Sheilbh]

If you do this/don't stop this, bad things will happen.

Okay. I just think this is a little bit more "nice country you got here, shame if something happened to it":

"We want to be your friend. We want to be your partner. But if you want to make China a hostile country, you will have to bear the consequences."

Normally international trade and investment is positioned as win-win and how there are opportunities for both sides, and less if you take x procurement decision in the telecoms sector you will "bear consequences" from the rest of our country's business community.

[Admiral Yi]

I agree that making it personal is out of the ordinary for this field, but the dynamic is nothing new.

[Admiral Yi]

UPDATE 3-Tech companies suspend processing Hong Kong govt data requests
4:02 PM ET 7/6/20 | Reuters
UPDATE 3-Tech companies suspend processing Hong Kong govt data requests

(Adds Google)

By Katie Paul

July 6 (Reuters) - Facebook Inc, Google Inc and Twitter Inc suspended processing government requests for user data in Hong Kong, they said on Monday, following China's establishment of a sweeping new national security law for the semi-autonomous city.

Facebook, which also owns WhatsApp and Instagram, said in a statement it was "pausing" reviews for all of its services "pending further assessment of the National Security Law."

Google, a unit of Alphabet Inc, and Twitter said they suspended their reviews of data requests from Hong Kong authorities immediately after the law went into effect last week. Twitter cited "grave concerns" about the law's implications.

Google said it would continue reviewing Hong Kong government requests for removals of user-generated content from its services. Twitter declined to comment, while Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Social networks often apply localized restrictions to posts that violate local laws but not their own rules for acceptable speech. Facebook restricted 394 such pieces of content in Hong Kong in the second half of 2019, up from eight in the first half of the year, according to its transparency report.

Tech companies have long operated freely in Hong Kong, a regional financial hub where internet access has been unaffected by the firewall imposed in mainland China, which blocks Google, Twitter and Facebook.

China's parliament passed the new national security legislation for the semi-autonomous city last week, setting the stage for the most radical changes to the former British colony's way of life since it returned to Chinese rule 23 years ago.

Some Hong Kong residents said they were reviewing their previous posts on social media related to pro-democracy protests and the security law, and proactively deleting ones they thought would be viewed as sensitive.

The legislation pushed China further along a collision course with the United States, with which it is already in disputes over trade, the South China sea and the coronavirus. (Reporting by Katie Paul in San Francisco; Additional reporting by Akanksha Rana in Bengaluru and Sheila Dang in New York; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri and Richard Chang)

[Monoriu]

I think the time to debate the National Security Law is over.  It is being enforced, and it is here to stay.  Don't like it?  Leave.  Those who stay, however, need to adapt and live with it.  The question isn't "will it scare foreign investors away?"  It is "how do we attract foreign investors and keep them here given that the law is here to stay?"

[Admiral Yi]

I think the time to debate the National Security Law is over.  It is being enforced, and it is here to stay.  Don't like it?  Leave.  Those who stay, however, need to adapt and live with it.  The question isn't "will it scare foreign investors away?"  It is "how do we attract foreign investors and keep them here given that the law is here to stay?"

Those are both questions.

The time to debate the international response to the National Security Law is beginning.

[Sheilbh]

Those are both questions.

The time to debate the international response to the National Security Law is beginning.

Yeah and there was no time to debate or prepare for the National Security Law because it was prepared in secret and then published once it was finalised and approved. So actually digesting it has only just begun as well.

[Monoriu]

I think the time to debate the National Security Law is over.  It is being enforced, and it is here to stay.  Don't like it?  Leave.  Those who stay, however, need to adapt and live with it.  The question isn't "will it scare foreign investors away?"  It is "how do we attract foreign investors and keep them here given that the law is here to stay?"

Those are both questions.

The time to debate the international response to the National Security Law is beginning.

I am sure you guys have better things to do, like the international response to COVID 19, global warming, Brexit, racial stuff, gays rights, women, dead elephants etc etc. 

[Zoupa]

All those things are related to how we deal with China is asshoe going forward.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p8Aq5BM9io

[Tamas]

Hong Kong police have been granted sweeping new powers, including the ability to conduct raids without a warrant and secretly monitor suspects, after controversial security laws were imposed on the city by the Chinese central government.

The powers allow for the confiscation of property related to national security offences, and allow senior police to order the takedown of online material they believe breaches the law. The city's chief executive can grant police permission to intercept communications and conduct covert surveillance. Penalties include HKD$100,000 (£10,300) fines and up to two years in prison.

They also allow police to enter and search premises for evidence without a warrant "under exceptional circumstances", to restrict people under investigation from leaving Hong Kong, and to demand information from foreign and Taiwanese political organisations and agents on their Hong Kong-related activities.

[mongers]

I think the time to debate the National Security Law is over.  It is being enforced, and it is here to stay.  Don't like it?  Leave.  Those who stay, however, need to adapt and live with it.  The question isn't "will it scare foreign investors away?"  It is "how do we attract foreign investors and keep them here given that the law is here to stay?"

Those are both questions.

The time to debate the international response to the National Security Law is beginning.

I am sure you guys have better things to do, like the international response to COVID 19, global warming, Brexit, racial stuff, gays rights, women, dead elephants etc etc.

Mono, this post should good for a few more loyalty points on your social credit score.