China has been had. It has been had by Western freedom. It has been had by its own culture’s psychopathology. It has been had by the concept of a promise—something the Chinese can’t understand, let alone keep. It has been had by Marxist propaganda. And, it is still being had by its obsession with power.
British officials are turning their eyes toward Hong Kong. This is a move of revival in the English-speaking world. The English have a conscience. It is more than political smoke-blowing. Britain fully intends to protect the people of Hong Kong. And, they can do it because China has already reneged on a treaty registered with the United Nations.
China has difficulty understanding the concept of a promise. Living fully and wholly by the psychopathology of Gorgias—that all statements are lies and only rhetoric matters—the Chinese truly believe that their promise to not interfere with Hong Kong until 2047 is irrelevant trivia. They truly believe that if the world distrusts China for breaking treaty, it would be the world just looking for ways to be mean to poor, suffering, victimized China. They truly believe that any “distrust” from the West, citing broken promises, would be pure propaganda from any and all, everywhere on Earth.
The British dealt with China for centuries. They must have at least suspected that China would break treaty. In fair honesty, by allowing a fifty year window, they showed high hopes that China would at least be capable of pretending to have a conscience for half a century. If China could lie to the world for fifty years and conceal its spite for any race lacking Han blood—if China could at least pretend to be nice for fifty years—then perhaps Hong Kong would be safe long after 2047. Britain gave China the benefit of the doubt.
But, China didn’t make it fifty years, not even half that.
Call it temptation. Call it the “Tienanmen fix”. China can’t not oppress and boss and dominate. From Beijing, Hong Kong calls, begging, “Oppress me! Oppress me!”
From Xi Jinping’s perspective is one of power. He believes that the Russian Communist downfall of 1989 happened because the Communists didn’t oppress enough. It never occurs to him that people do not overthrow governments that they trust—but to a psychopath, all statements are lies and all protests are propaganda. People would only hate an oppressive government, so they think, because someone told them to.
Hong Kong knows differently. Though they do not have complete self-rule, they do have free speech, free markets, free press, and free religion. To them, China stinks, and not only from the pollution of mismanagement.
Still, China wants to force its embrace upon the free people of Hong Kong. The legal justice system has a term for criminals who force their love on unwilling victims. In that scenario, everyone knows who everyone is.
Like an alcoholic claiming that alcohol is the medicine, China sees voluntary support as a threat—as a lack of power—and that power is the cure for power resisted. China has been had by everyone, its own vices above all else.
Trade & Tech
Huawei is helping all the UK’s top carriers build their 5G networks // Engadget
(URGENT) Samsung Electronics Q2 operating profit dips 56.3 pct to W6.5tln // Yonhap News
Global Chip Supply In Jeopardy As New Trade Feud Erupts Between Japan And South Korea // Zero Hedge
Trump move to ease Huawei sanctions sparks anger, confusion // Yahoo News
Wait, What the Hell Is Going on With Huawei Now? // Gizmodo
U.S.-China Trade Deal No More Likely After Truce, Chinese Adviser Says // Bloomberg
DealBook Briefing: Trump Gives Huawei a Breather. Sort of. // NY Times
G20 summit aftermath: Huawei-related stocks surge // CNN
China
Anti-China Bonds Between Hong Kong and Taiwan Are Growing // The Atlantic
China says there will be no trade deal unless existing tariffs are stripped // CNBC
Chinese studios impose informal ban on American actors // Financial Times
Acting Pentagon Chief Criticizes China’s Behavior in Cyber, South China Sea // VOA
China’s Military Closed Off Area Of South China Sea For ‘Anti-Ship’ Missile Tests // Zero Hedge
Pentagon Calls China’s South Sea Missile Test ‘Truly Disturbing’ // Bloomberg
Pentagon: China Missile Test in South China Sea ‘Disturbing’ // VOA
China Snares Tourists’ Phones in Surveillance Dragnet by Adding Secret App // NY Times
Taiwan
Tsai vows to outlaw China ‘surrogates’ // Taipei Times
‘National dignity’ rules passed // Taipei Times
PLA putting pressure on Xi Jinping over Taiwan: CSIS analyst // Taiwan News
China covers up extent of swine fever crisis, neighboring countries concerned // Taiwan News
Taiwan to crack down on unauthorized research collaborations with mainland China // Nature
UPDATE 3-Taiwan president to visit U.S. this month, angering China // Yahoo News
Hong Kong
China looks at Britain and sees only weakness and hypocrisy // Guardian
China crisis: Britain ‘must act’ one Hong Kong chaos – crisis with Beijing looms // Express
China slashes British foreign secretary’s Hong Kong comments // Xinhua News
Hong Kong protesters take message to Chinese tourists // Sunday Times
‘Free Hong Kong!’: protesters’ demands widen as rallies continue // Guardian
Hong Kong protests’ anti-extradition bill message to mainland Chinese // CNBC
Pro-democracy protesters rally in Hong Kong’s shopping district // YouTube @ RT
China station next target for Hong Kong protesters // CNA
Rights under threat: how China is bringing Hong Kong to heel // Guardian
First charges against Hong Kong anti-government protester // CNA
The Disillusion and Frustration of a New Generation is Fuelling Hong Kong’s Protests // New Yorker
Chinese state media blames ‘Western ideologues’ for Hong Kong protests // CNA
UK summons China ambassador after he slams ‘colonial’ attitude to Hong Kong // CNN
Hong Kong protests: police make first arrests after storming of parliament // Guardian
Jeremy Hunt refuses to rule out sanctions against China // Guardian
Hong Kong Christians and the Protest Movement | Cardinal Zen // YouTube @ China Uncensored
Hong Kong protests: China tells UK not to interfere in ‘domestic affairs’ // BBC News
Commentary: Hong Kong protests may have crossed the point of no return // CNA
‘Hands off Hong Kong’: China sends warning to Britain // TheJournal.ie
China ambassador tells UK to back off Hong Kong // YouTube @ Sky News
Hong Kong grapples with protest aftermath as China demands criminal probe // ABS-CBN News
The Water Movement: Inside the fight for Hong Kong // Maclean’s
Police Crack Down on Un-Independence Day // YouTube @ China Uncensored
Still at it…
PHOTOS: Hong Kong protesters take over legislative chambers // Yahoo News
Riot Police Fire Tear Gas to Clear Protesters in Hong Kong // Yahoo News
Russia proposes prisoner swap with U.S.: Ifax // Yahoo News
Hong Kong police evict protesters who stormed parliament // BBC News
Keep track…
The Latest: Hong Kong leader condemns protest in legislature // AP
China Vowed to Protect Hong Kong’s Freedoms. Why Are So Many Protesting? // NY Times
Why Many in China Oppose Hong Kong’s Protests // NY Times
Korean Peninsula
Australian student arrives in Japan after detention in North Korea // Sydney Morning Herald
Alek Sigley: North Korea releases detained Australian student // BBC News
South Korea leader says Trump-Kim meeting marked ‘end of hostile relations’ // Fox News
Trump’s North Korean gambit is already a political win // CNN