Cadence of Conflict: Asia, November 25, 2019

Hong Kong’s election results from yesterday have confirmed the general public’s view: Hong Kongers reject China’s actions. Not that it will make a difference—elected officials don’t hold a majority in Hong Kong’s legislative process. But, pro-Beijing officials were voted-out, replaced with pro-democracy candidates who campaigned on “5-demands”. There had been speculation as to how much Hong Kongers supported the “5-demand” protests; this morning there is no doubt. Taiwan, the US, and the UK generally oppose the manner of Chinese expansion; this morning we know Hong Kong does too.

It was always easy to see why.

When the US Senate unanimously passed its own version of a bill that would annually evaluate whether Hong Kong was autonomous enough for it to be treated autonomously, China went berserk and accused the US of interfering. When Hong Kong’s High Court overturned Hong Kong’s recent ban on masks, Beijing rebuked the court, thereby proving that Beijing believes Hong Kong is not a separate jurisdiction from the rest of China. Apparently, Beijing thinks Hong Kong should have its government utterly determined by Beijing, but should be treated as if the opposite were true. In America we call this “wanting to have your cake and eat it too”; in China it’s called “Communism”.

US Congress has sweeping bipartisan agreement to determine what the US does in its foreign relations. The US decides whether to sell riot gear to another country. China calls this “interference”; in America that’s called “blame-shifting”. Albeit, China has been illegally interfering in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and even working to undermine Australia’s government, according to a Chinese Communist spy who recently defected Down Under. $200M USD to thwart Taiwan’s election—and China thinks the US is meddling by not selling rubber bullets to Hong Kong police. It’s no wonder yesterday’s election turned out as it did.

Several students holed up in Polytechnic University in Hung Hom tried to walk out, but police chased them back in with tear gas—purportedly because they wanted the students to leave. That was a few days before the US Senate passed its bill about Hong Kong’s autonomy being defined by autonomy. While the intentions of the police seem to be contradictory, there is a greater danger Hong Kong’s government is blind to.

While under siege and later trying to escape, the students and countless new protestors who joined the cause because of the police response, have learned new skills. They are gaining practice at launching Molotov cocktails, shooting police officers with old fashion archery, rappelling in free air, organizing supply and movement lines, along with other aspects of urban guerilla resistance that neither Hong Kong’s police nor China’s PLA are trained for. Carrie Lam has turned these now three plus million protestors into one of the most formidable military forces in Asia, if not the most per capita.

A civilian military is necessary for any nation’s independence. Before these protests, Hong Kong never met that unwritten-yet-real requirement. Since Carrie Lam made the decisions that she did, now Hong Kong has a different truth. As relevant and telling as yesterday’s election was, the more important election is coming in March, when Hong Kong’s October 4 Declaration of Independence scheduled its provisional election. With a now-experienced civilian militia, Hong Kong has all the pieces it needs for a successful revolution. That should not be ignored, but it is.

Great Pacific

Taiwan investigates spy’s claim Beijing spent US$200 million trying to influence presidential election // SCMP

‘China is attempting a “takeover” of the Australian government’
Wang Liqiang admits to covert operations against Hong Kong // NY Post

Defector claims rare glimpse into life as a Chinese spy // MSN News

Chinese defector gives Australia details of Beijing espionage -paper // MSN News

China

China attacks US at G20 as the world’s biggest source of instability // CNBC

Was it the goal?
House passes Hong Kong rights bill amid Trump China trade talks // CNBC

China slowdown vs. US strength may cause China to fold in trade war: Nomura // CNBC

Trump threatens higher tariffs if China doesn’t make a trade deal // CNBC

And now this
LIVE: President Xi Jinping arrives in Brasilia, Brazil // YouTube @ New China TV

US-China trade deal mood is pessimistic in Beijing, according to government source // CNBC

From the source:
‘Absolutely No Mercy’: Leaked Files Expose How China Organized Mass Detentions of Muslims // NY Times

BREAKING from NY Times!
Leaked Documents Show Xi Jinping’s Secret Speeches About China’s Uighur Crackdown // Forbes

Taiwan

Taiwan’s TSMC set to rank as world’s No. 3 chip supplier // Taiwan News

Hong Kong

Map, process breakdown…
Hong Kong election results: Pro-democracy parties make major gains // CNN

What you need to know about Hong Kong’s district council elections // Quartz

Vindicated!
Hong Kong voters deliver landslide victory for pro-democracy campaigners // Guardian

UPDATE 10-Record numbers vote in Hong Kong amid angry calls for democracy // Yahoo News

After months of unrest and uncertainty, Hong Kong is holding a de facto referendum on protests // CNN

Damocracy a ‘basic human right’; ‘peaceful means can’t accomplish’
A Hong Kong protester shot by police says they ‘shouldn’t have to give our lives’ for democracy // CNN

China accuses US of seeking to ‘destroy’ Hong Kong with human rights act // HKFP

Secret support in China!
Hong Kong campus sieges prompt secret notes from China // Quartz

China threatening autonomy of Hong Kong, says Chris Patten // Guardian

Flashback to August…
Meet Hong Kong’s Teenage Protester // YouTube @ The New York Times

Poly-U: How it decayed
Hong Kong protests: The battle of PolyU // YouTube @ BBC Newsnight

Poly-U: How it began
Hong Kong: Violent standoff between police and students // YouTube @ BBC Newsnight

Culture war
Hong Kong protests: A city’s identity crisis // YouTube @ BBC News

Hong Kong protests: 1,100 people arrested in a day, 3,900 petrol bombs found at university // CNA

Hong Kong showdown: Protesters close in on trapped allies as police try to clear occupied university // Fox News

US Senate passes Hong Kong rights bill, angering China // Yahoo News

Hong Kong campus holdouts desperately seek escape routes // MSN News

Hong Kong Protests: Hundreds Arrested at a University and a Warning from Beijing // MSN News

Police behave as hostage holders
Desperate Hong Kong protesters explore sewers in campus escape bid // Yahoo News

Good work, China…
Hong Kong Airport Is Losing A Serious Amount Of Flights // simpleflying.com

Hong Kong mask ban ruled ‘unconstitutional’ as siege of Polytechnic University continues // ABC News Australia

No-mask law unconstitutional!
Hong Kong Polytechnic University: Protesters arrested as they run from campus // BBC News

Korean Peninsula

China signs defence agreement with South Korea as US angers Seoul with demand for $5bn troop payment // Telegraph (UK)