A new visa scheme will offer millions of Hong Kongers pathway to British citizenship. But China & Hong Kong have said that they will no longer recognise the British national overseas passport as a valid travel document.

UK opens a special visa route for Hong Kong residents

Britain's government on Friday vowed to stand by the people of its former colony Hong Kong against a Chinese crackdown as it prepared to launch a new visa scheme potentially benefiting millions.

China: Will not recognise British passport for Hong Kong residents

After the UK announced the launch of a new visa scheme potentially benefiting millions of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-slams-interference-by-eu-lawmakers-on-hong-kong-358574">Hong Kongers</a>, China said it will "no longer recognise" the British national (overseas) passport.

Watch:

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"From January 31, China will no longer recognise the so-called BNO passport as a travel document and ID document, and reserves the right to take further actions," foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said.

According to the British government, starting January 31, &nbsp;holders of British national overseas status will be able to apply to live and work in the UK for up to five years and they can eventually seek a UK citizenship.

The new visa path opens up entry to the UK to an estimated 2.9 million adults in Hong Kong and their dependents who number nearly 2.3 million.

According to the British government, starting January 31, &nbsp;holders of British national overseas status will be able to apply to live and work in the UK for up to five years and they can eventually seek a UK citizenship.

The new visa path opens up entry to the UK to an estimated 2.9 million adults in Hong Kong and their dependents who number nearly 2.3 million. The BN(O) is a special status created under British law in 1987 that relates to Hong Kong.

"The UK is trying to turn large numbers of Hong Kong residents into second-class UK citizens... and has already completely changed the nature of the BNO," the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman asserted.

The Boris Johnson government has said it is acting in response to a national security law imposed by China in June last year on Hong Kong which has targeted the anti-government protests and shredded freedom meant to last 50 years under the 1997 handover accord between the UK and China agreed upon in 1997 when the British handed over Hong Kong to China under the "one country, two systems" rule.

After the UK announced the launch of a new visa scheme potentially benefiting millions of Hong Kongers, China said it will "no longer recognise" the British national (overseas) passport.

After the UK announced the launch of a new visa scheme potentially benefiting millions of Hong Kongers, China said it will "no longer recognise" the British national (overseas) passport. Watch: "From January 31, China will no longer recognise the so-called BNO passport as a travel document and ID document, and reserves the right to take further actions," foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said. According to the British government, starting January 31, holders of British national overseas status will be able to apply to live and work in the UK for up to five years and they can eventually seek a UK citizenship. The new visa path opens up entry to the UK to an estimated 2.9 million adults in Hong Kong and their dependents who number nearly 2.3 million. According to the British government, starting January 31, holders of British national overseas status will be able to apply to live and work in the UK for up to five years and they can eventually seek a UK citizenship. The new visa path opens up entry to the UK to an estimated 2.9 million adults in Hong Kong and their dependents who number nearly 2.3 million. The BN(O) is a special status created under British law in 1987 that relates to Hong Kong. "The UK is trying to turn large numbers of Hong Kong residents into second-class UK citizens... and has already completely changed the nature of the BNO," the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman asserted. The Boris Johnson government has said it is acting in response to a national security law imposed by China in June last year on Hong Kong which has targeted the anti-government protests and shredded freedom meant to last 50 years under the 1997 handover accord between the UK and China agreed upon in 1997 when the British handed over Hong Kong to China under the "one country, two systems" rule.

Will no longer recognise UK's BNO passport for Hong Kongers: China

UK says upholding 'freedom and autonomy' with new HK visas

Hong&nbsp;Kong's government locked down an area of Kowloon peninsula on Saturday, saying its 10,000 residents must stay home until all of them have been tested for the new coronavirus and results largely determined.

The government said there are 70 buildings in the "restricted area" of Jordan and that it aims to finish the process within about 48 hours, so that people can start getting to work on Monday.

Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;authorities have taken aggressive measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in the Asian financial and airline hub, but Saturday's move is the first lockdown in the Chinese-ruled city.

Many buildings are old and poorly maintained in the small, densely populated area, where subdivided units are common, said health secretary Sophia Chan.

"The infection risk in the community is quite high," she told a news conference. "After assessment, we think it's necessary to make a restriction-testing declaration in the restricted area to achieve the goal of zero cases."

The restricted area has confirmed 162 confirmed cases of COVID-19 this month, and the ratio of virus detected in sewage samples from buildings there was higher than that of other areas.

Hong Kong's government locked down an area of Kowloon peninsula on Saturday, saying its 10,000 residents must stay home until all of them have been tested for the new coronavirus and results largely determined.

Hong Kong's government locked down an area of Kowloon peninsula on Saturday, saying its 10,000 residents must stay home until all of them have been tested for the new coronavirus and results largely determined. The government said there are 70 buildings in the "restricted area" of Jordan and that it aims to finish the process within about 48 hours, so that people can start getting to work on Monday. Hong Kong authorities have taken aggressive measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in the Asian financial and airline hub, but Saturday's move is the first lockdown in the Chinese-ruled city. Many buildings are old and poorly maintained in the small, densely populated area, where subdivided units are common, said health secretary Sophia Chan. "The infection risk in the community is quite high," she told a news conference. "After assessment, we think it's necessary to make a restriction-testing declaration in the restricted area to achieve the goal of zero cases." The restricted area has confirmed 162 confirmed cases of COVID-19 this month, and the ratio of virus detected in sewage samples from buildings there was higher than that of other areas.

Hong Kong put under lockdown for first time since beginning of pandemic

The Hong Kong government has announced its first-ever COVID-19 lockdown. Thousand of people residing in at Yau Ma Tei and Jordan areas have been ordered to stay in their homes for the weekend.

Hong Kong authorities impose first-ever COVID-19 lockdown

China on Friday slammed an EU resolution condemning its crackdown on Hong Kong democracy activists, accusing the lawmakers of "gross interference" in its governance of the city.

Members of the European Parliament on Thursday passed the resolution calling for "targetted sanctions" against Chinese and Hong Kong officials held responsible for recent arrests of activists.

The lawmakers also said they "regret" the handling of a landmark investment deal with China pending ratification by MEPs, saying that talks over the deal should have been seized "as a leverage tool aimed at preserving Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy, as well as its basic rights and freedoms".

To this end, Beijing struck back on Friday and urged EU lawmakers to "face up to the reality that Hong Kong has returned to China".

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the resolution showed that some MEPs had "confused right and wrong" and engaged in "gross interference in the affairs of China's Hong Kong".

The European Parliament should "stop any form of meddling", Hua said at a regular press briefing.

Beijing has imposed a draconian national security law on Hong Kong that effectively criminalises much dissent in a city supposedly guaranteed key liberties and autonomy -- following huge and often violent pro-democracy protests in 2019.

It also toppled the legal firewall between the two territories, giving China jurisdiction over major national security cases and allowing its security agents to operate openly in the city for the first time.&nbsp;

Nearly 100 people have been arrested since the law came in and could face life sentences if convicted.

China on Friday slammed an EU resolution condemning its crackdown on Hong Kong democracy activists, accusing the lawmakers of "gross interference" in its governance of the city.

China on Friday slammed an EU resolution condemning its crackdown on Hong Kong democracy activists, accusing the lawmakers of "gross interference" in its governance of the city. Members of the European Parliament on Thursday passed the resolution calling for "targetted sanctions" against Chinese and Hong Kong officials held responsible for recent arrests of activists. The lawmakers also said they "regret" the handling of a landmark investment deal with China pending ratification by MEPs, saying that talks over the deal should have been seized "as a leverage tool aimed at preserving Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy, as well as its basic rights and freedoms". To this end, Beijing struck back on Friday and urged EU lawmakers to "face up to the reality that Hong Kong has returned to China". Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the resolution showed that some MEPs had "confused right and wrong" and engaged in "gross interference in the affairs of China's Hong Kong". The European Parliament should "stop any form of meddling", Hua said at a regular press briefing. Beijing has imposed a draconian national security law on Hong Kong that effectively criminalises much dissent in a city supposedly guaranteed key liberties and autonomy -- following huge and often violent pro-democracy protests in 2019. It also toppled the legal firewall between the two territories, giving China jurisdiction over major national security cases and allowing its security agents to operate openly in the city for the first time. Nearly 100 people have been arrested since the law came in and could face life sentences if convicted.

China slams interference by EU lawmakers on Hong Kong

The EU has lost credibility on human rights by sealing an investment deal with China, a resolution in the European Parliament warned on Thursday. &nbsp;

MEPs meeting by videolink in Brussels overwhelmingly passed the resolution which broadly condemned the crackdown on Hong Kong activists by the central government in China.

The resolution also called for "targeted sanctions" against Chinese and Hong Kong officials held responsible for the police action.

The opinion of EU lawmakers is important as they will need to approve the German-backed investment deal that was agreed in principle last month after years of talks.

Given the Hong Kong crackdown, doubts about the accord have quickly emerged, with ratification by MEPs very much uncertain, though the vote is not expected until the end of the year at the earliest.

The resolution said that MEPs "regret" that the EU-China investment talks were not seized&nbsp;"as a leverage tool aimed at preserving Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy, as well as its basic rights and freedoms".

"By rushing to reach this agreement while not taking concrete action against ongoing, grave human right violations, for example in Hong Kong, Xinjiang province and Tibet, the EU risks undermining its credibility as a global human rights actor," it said.

China is accused of grave human rights abuses against the Uighur minority in Xinjiang.

The resolution said parliament will "carefully scrutinise" the deal and will take the human rights situation in China into account when it votes on the deal.

The EU commission, which began negotiating the deal in 2014, said it helps rectify the long-standing imbalance in the way Brussels and Beijing treat investors and the access they allow them.

It also says that China agreed through the deal -- known as the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) -- to work harder towards approving International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions on forced labour.

The EU has lost credibility on human rights by sealing an investment deal with China, a resolution in the European Parliament warned on Thursday. MEPs meeting by videolink in Brussels overwhelmingly passed the resolution which broadly condemned the crackdown on Hong Kong activists by the central government in China.

The EU has lost credibility on human rights by sealing an investment deal with China, a resolution in the European Parliament warned on Thursday. MEPs meeting by videolink in Brussels overwhelmingly passed the resolution which broadly condemned the crackdown on Hong Kong activists by the central government in China. The resolution also called for "targeted sanctions" against Chinese and Hong Kong officials held responsible for the police action. The opinion of EU lawmakers is important as they will need to approve the German-backed investment deal that was agreed in principle last month after years of talks. Given the Hong Kong crackdown, doubts about the accord have quickly emerged, with ratification by MEPs very much uncertain, though the vote is not expected until the end of the year at the earliest. The resolution said that MEPs "regret" that the EU-China investment talks were not seized "as a leverage tool aimed at preserving Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy, as well as its basic rights and freedoms". "By rushing to reach this agreement while not taking concrete action against ongoing, grave human right violations, for example in Hong Kong, Xinjiang province and Tibet, the EU risks undermining its credibility as a global human rights actor," it said. China is accused of grave human rights abuses against the Uighur minority in Xinjiang. The resolution said parliament will "carefully scrutinise" the deal and will take the human rights situation in China into account when it votes on the deal. The EU commission, which began negotiating the deal in 2014, said it helps rectify the long-standing imbalance in the way Brussels and Beijing treat investors and the access they allow them. It also says that China agreed through the deal -- known as the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) -- to work harder towards approving International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions on forced labour.

EU Parliament condemns China deal over Hong Kong crackdown

They are businessmen, born in mainland China, who serve on top advisory committees to Beijing and profess patriotism for the motherland. One recently traveled to an obscure village in southeastern China to study Xi Jinping’s doctrine for guiding the country to greatness.

Now, they are seeking to bring that ardor to Hong Kong, as the founders of the city’s newest political party. They are calling for social stability to unify a deeply fractured society and mend a damaged economy.

“You cannot have a protest every day,” said Li Shan, founder and chairman of the party.

The arrival of the Bauhinia Party has fueled furious speculation about the future of Hong Kong’s once-vibrant, at times unruly, political scene. The party, led by business executives who moved to Hong Kong from the mainland, is entering the fray amid forceful moves by the Chinese government to quash dissent, after huge pro-democracy protests in 2019 challenged its rule.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-blocks-popular-pro-democracy-website-hkchronicles-356946">Hong Kong blocks popular pro-democracy website HKChronicles</a>

Already, authorities have ejected opposition lawmakers from the Hong Kong legislature and disqualified and arrested would-be candidates. Many in the pro-democracy camp see the new party as yet another sign that Hong Kong — a former British colony that was promised 50 years of semi-autonomy when it returned to China in 1997 — is becoming just another mainland city.

But the news was equally, if not more, unsettling for Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing bloc, the coalition of local business tycoons, established politicians and trade unions that has long been allowed to govern as the central government’s proxy. Many have wondered if the emergence of the new party is Beijing’s signal that it has less use for those traditional power brokers and may replace them with figures deemed more effective or trustworthy.

While the pro-Beijing camp has always professed loyalty to the central government, its members have taken care to emphasize the differences between their city and the mainland.

Also read|<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-strained-us-ties-xi-jinping-writes-to-former-starbucks-chairman-356731">&nbsp;Amid strained US ties, Xi Jinping writes to former Starbucks chairman</a>

The Bauhinia Party appears to be offering itself to Beijing as a new model for allies, ones who are more overt about their ties to the central government and their admiration for its top-down approach.

Li is a delegate to the national Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, an advisory body to Beijing, and speaks hardly any Cantonese, Hong Kong’s local language. Another co-founder, Chen Jianwen, is a delegate to a regional arm of the advisory body and leads an association for alumni of a training academy for Communist Party officials.

Central planks of the party’s platform include combating discrimination against mainland transplants to Hong Kong and fostering a love of Chinese language and culture. Li said he wants to encourage more Hong Kong students to study at mainland universities and undergo “patriotic education,” an echo of Xi’s own calls for young Hong Kongers to “increase their sense of belonging to the motherland.”

Even the way Li established the party nodded to the central government. He officially founded it aboard a cruise ship in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor, a reference to Mao Zedong’s founding of the Chinese Communist Party aboard a boat in eastern China, according to party lore.

Perceived allegiance to Beijing could be the most important factor for securing the central authorities’ blessing in the coming years, said Willy Lam, a professor of Chinese politics at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-plans-further-hong-kong-crackdown-after-mass-arrest-sources-356229">China plans further Hong Kong crackdown after mass arrest: Sources</a>

If more people with mainland backgrounds participated in Hong Kong politics, Beijing could “rest assured” that the city would be led by those who “would presumably be more loyal to the motherland,” he added.

The Bauhinia Party’s founders deny that they are puppets of Beijing or that they seek to supplant existing parties. Li said the party is focused on the selection of the city’s chief executive, not on winning legislative seats.

The chief executive is chosen by a committee of just 1,200 electors, many with close ties to Beijing.

While Li said he was not planning to run in next year’s chief executive race, he hinted repeatedly that he was interested in the job someday.

“If the community requires me to devote myself for such a job or responsibility, I’m willing to sacrifice myself,” he said in an interview in Beijing last month.

Li said he did not tell the central or Hong Kong authorities that he was starting a party until after he had done so. Then he notified Hong Kong’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, and the Central Liaison Office, Beijing’s official arm in Hong Kong.

He bristled at suggestions that he was an outsider. “I have been a permanent resident for 20 years,” said Li, a financier who moved to Hong Kong in 1993 after completing a doctorate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The co-founders say they want to reach opponents of the government as well as supporters.

In its stated principles, the party professes a commitment to universal suffrage — a central demand of the pro-democracy camp — and a promise to make Hong Kong “one of the world’s most free, democratic and open” cities. Li said he wants to preserve the structure of “one country, two systems,” for an additional 50 years.

But the pro-democracy camp has dismissed those overtures as lip service. An editorial in Apple Daily, a fervently pro-democracy newspaper, called the party a “Trojan horse” that would allow the Communist Party to operate openly in Hong Kong. Lo Kin-hei, chairman of the Democratic Party, wrote on Twitter that it was the “Hong Kong branch” of the Communist Party.

The pro-Beijing camp has been equally hostile. Many have sneered at the Bauhinia Party’s stated goal of attracting 250,000 members, about five times more than the largest pro-Beijing party in Hong Kong has. Li said on Friday that the party had fewer than 100 members so far.

“It is easy to start a party, but it is not that easy to establish your party as a viable political force,” said Jasper Tsang, founder of that largest party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong.

Tsang dismissed the idea that the Bauhinia Party had Beijing’s backing or that Li could become chief executive. He pointed out that Hong Kong’s two major state-backed newspapers had paid little attention to the new party, which he said suggested a lack of official support.

Regina Ip, the founder of another pro-Beijing party, said Li had approached her about possible collaboration and that she was “not in any way interested.”

“I don’t think he begins to understand how complex the job is,” she said of Li’s hints about running for chief executive. “If you have some financial credentials, it doesn’t mean you are qualified.”

Li acknowledged that he was not fluent in Hong Kong politics, despite his long residence in the city. He said he had never voted until late 2019. Asked about his position on a contentious proposal to allow Hong Kong residents living in mainland China to vote in the city’s elections, he said he had not heard of the issue.

Some have been more amenable to the Bauhinia Party.

Christine Loh, a former pro-democracy lawmaker who also worked in the administration of a pro-Beijing chief executive, said she did not know much about the new party. But she said that Hong Kongers should be more open to political figures more aligned with the mainland system.

“It isn’t that it’s going to be extended to Hong Kong, but it’s not totally unconnected,” she said of the mainland system. It is possible, she said, that people with ties to it might be able to help Hong Kong.

While Li insists that he did not consult any Chinese officials before establishing his party, he acknowledged discussing some of its proposals with officials since then.

Last month, he visited a museum in Xiadang, a village where Xi worked as a young Communist Party cadre in the 1980s. Li said he wanted to learn more about the early development of “Xi Jinping Thought,” Xi’s ideological manifesto.

Another co-founder, Wong Chau-chi, demurred in an interview with The South China Morning Post when asked whether Bauhinia Party members were secretly Communist Party members.

“It’s not correct to judge our party on whether we have underground members or not,” he said. “It’s something not relevant to our governance.”

They are businessmen, born in mainland China, who serve on top advisory committees to Beijing and profess patriotism for the motherland. One recently traveled to an obscure village in southeastern China to study Xi Jinping’s doctrine for guiding the country to greatness.

They are businessmen, born in mainland China, who serve on top advisory committees to Beijing and profess patriotism for the motherland. One recently traveled to an obscure village in southeastern China to study Xi Jinping’s doctrine for guiding the country to greatness. Now, they are seeking to bring that ardor to Hong Kong, as the founders of the city’s newest political party. They are calling for social stability to unify a deeply fractured society and mend a damaged economy. “You cannot have a protest every day,” said Li Shan, founder and chairman of the party. The arrival of the Bauhinia Party has fueled furious speculation about the future of Hong Kong’s once-vibrant, at times unruly, political scene. The party, led by business executives who moved to Hong Kong from the mainland, is entering the fray amid forceful moves by the Chinese government to quash dissent, after huge pro-democracy protests in 2019 challenged its rule. Also read| Hong Kong blocks popular pro-democracy website HKChronicles Already, authorities have ejected opposition lawmakers from the Hong Kong legislature and disqualified and arrested would-be candidates. Many in the pro-democracy camp see the new party as yet another sign that Hong Kong — a former British colony that was promised 50 years of semi-autonomy when it returned to China in 1997 — is becoming just another mainland city. But the news was equally, if not more, unsettling for Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing bloc, the coalition of local business tycoons, established politicians and trade unions that has long been allowed to govern as the central government’s proxy. Many have wondered if the emergence of the new party is Beijing’s signal that it has less use for those traditional power brokers and may replace them with figures deemed more effective or trustworthy. While the pro-Beijing camp has always professed loyalty to the central government, its members have taken care to emphasize the differences between their city and the mainland. Also read| Amid strained US ties, Xi Jinping writes to former Starbucks chairman The Bauhinia Party appears to be offering itself to Beijing as a new model for allies, ones who are more overt about their ties to the central government and their admiration for its top-down approach. Li is a delegate to the national Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, an advisory body to Beijing, and speaks hardly any Cantonese, Hong Kong’s local language. Another co-founder, Chen Jianwen, is a delegate to a regional arm of the advisory body and leads an association for alumni of a training academy for Communist Party officials. Central planks of the party’s platform include combating discrimination against mainland transplants to Hong Kong and fostering a love of Chinese language and culture. Li said he wants to encourage more Hong Kong students to study at mainland universities and undergo “patriotic education,” an echo of Xi’s own calls for young Hong Kongers to “increase their sense of belonging to the motherland.” Even the way Li established the party nodded to the central government. He officially founded it aboard a cruise ship in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor, a reference to Mao Zedong’s founding of the Chinese Communist Party aboard a boat in eastern China, according to party lore. Perceived allegiance to Beijing could be the most important factor for securing the central authorities’ blessing in the coming years, said Willy Lam, a professor of Chinese politics at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Also read| China plans further Hong Kong crackdown after mass arrest: Sources If more people with mainland backgrounds participated in Hong Kong politics, Beijing could “rest assured” that the city would be led by those who “would presumably be more loyal to the motherland,” he added. The Bauhinia Party’s founders deny that they are puppets of Beijing or that they seek to supplant existing parties. Li said the party is focused on the selection of the city’s chief executive, not on winning legislative seats. The chief executive is chosen by a committee of just 1,200 electors, many with close ties to Beijing. While Li said he was not planning to run in next year’s chief executive race, he hinted repeatedly that he was interested in the job someday. “If the community requires me to devote myself for such a job or responsibility, I’m willing to sacrifice myself,” he said in an interview in Beijing last month. Li said he did not tell the central or Hong Kong authorities that he was starting a party until after he had done so. Then he notified Hong Kong’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, and the Central Liaison Office, Beijing’s official arm in Hong Kong. He bristled at suggestions that he was an outsider. “I have been a permanent resident for 20 years,” said Li, a financier who moved to Hong Kong in 1993 after completing a doctorate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The co-founders say they want to reach opponents of the government as well as supporters. In its stated principles, the party professes a commitment to universal suffrage — a central demand of the pro-democracy camp — and a promise to make Hong Kong “one of the world’s most free, democratic and open” cities. Li said he wants to preserve the structure of “one country, two systems,” for an additional 50 years. But the pro-democracy camp has dismissed those overtures as lip service. An editorial in Apple Daily, a fervently pro-democracy newspaper, called the party a “Trojan horse” that would allow the Communist Party to operate openly in Hong Kong. Lo Kin-hei, chairman of the Democratic Party, wrote on Twitter that it was the “Hong Kong branch” of the Communist Party. The pro-Beijing camp has been equally hostile. Many have sneered at the Bauhinia Party’s stated goal of attracting 250,000 members, about five times more than the largest pro-Beijing party in Hong Kong has. Li said on Friday that the party had fewer than 100 members so far. “It is easy to start a party, but it is not that easy to establish your party as a viable political force,” said Jasper Tsang, founder of that largest party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong. Tsang dismissed the idea that the Bauhinia Party had Beijing’s backing or that Li could become chief executive. He pointed out that Hong Kong’s two major state-backed newspapers had paid little attention to the new party, which he said suggested a lack of official support. Regina Ip, the founder of another pro-Beijing party, said Li had approached her about possible collaboration and that she was “not in any way interested.” “I don’t think he begins to understand how complex the job is,” she said of Li’s hints about running for chief executive. “If you have some financial credentials, it doesn’t mean you are qualified.” Li acknowledged that he was not fluent in Hong Kong politics, despite his long residence in the city. He said he had never voted until late 2019. Asked about his position on a contentious proposal to allow Hong Kong residents living in mainland China to vote in the city’s elections, he said he had not heard of the issue. Some have been more amenable to the Bauhinia Party. Christine Loh, a former pro-democracy lawmaker who also worked in the administration of a pro-Beijing chief executive, said she did not know much about the new party. But she said that Hong Kongers should be more open to political figures more aligned with the mainland system. “It isn’t that it’s going to be extended to Hong Kong, but it’s not totally unconnected,” she said of the mainland system. It is possible, she said, that people with ties to it might be able to help Hong Kong. While Li insists that he did not consult any Chinese officials before establishing his party, he acknowledged discussing some of its proposals with officials since then. Last month, he visited a museum in Xiadang, a village where Xi worked as a young Communist Party cadre in the 1980s. Li said he wanted to learn more about the early development of “Xi Jinping Thought,” Xi’s ideological manifesto. Another co-founder, Wong Chau-chi, demurred in an interview with The South China Morning Post when asked whether Bauhinia Party members were secretly Communist Party members. “It’s not correct to judge our party on whether we have underground members or not,” he said. “It’s something not relevant to our governance.”

In Hong Kong, a new party’s calls for stability only raise suspicions

Lai Chi-wai became the first person to climb over 250 metres of a skyscraper in a wheelchair in the city of Hong Kong.

The 37-year-old reportedly took up the painstaking task to raise money for spinal cord patients. Reuters reported that Chi-wai pulled himself up for over 10 hours to reach the height.

The climber was left paralysed waist down 10 years ago after a car accident. Even though he was not able to make it to the top of Nina Tower in Kowloon peninsula, which is 300 metres, he almost reached the top.

<img alt="Lai Chi-wai, a paraplegic climber, attempts to climb the 320-metre tall Nina Tower using only his upper body strength, in Hong Kong, China January 16, 2021. On this attempt, Lai completed 250-meters (75/f), as he faced strong winds. Picture taken January 16, 2021" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f314ddfe-1a9b-4f82-8db3-5c85c8d024fb" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/1_44.jpg" />

In addition, Chi-wai was able to gather $670,639 in donations.

Lai told Reuters that he was “quite scared”. "Climbing up a mountain, I can hold onto rocks or little holes, but with glass, all I can really rely on is the rope that I'm hanging off”, he said.

Before 2011, Lai was ranked Asia champion for rock climbing four times. He also ranked eighth globally for rock climbing.

<img alt="Lai Chi-wai, a paraplegic climber, attempts to climb the 320-metre tall Nina Tower using only his upper body strength, in Hong Kong, China January 16, 2021. On this attempt, Lai completed 250-meters (75/f), as he faced strong winds. Picture taken January 16, 2021" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f81a6122-d532-4f08-84d6-2b1ce9c92eec" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/2_30.jpg" />

After the accident, Lai took up climbing by attaching his wheelchair to a pulley system.

Just five years ago, he was able to summit the 495-metre high Lion Rock mountain, which is a local cultural symbol of Hong Kong’s strength.

<img alt="Lai Chi-wai, a paraplegic climber, attempts to climb the 320-metre tall Nina Tower using only his upper body strength, in Hong Kong, China January 16, 2021. On this attempt, Lai completed 250-meters (75/f), as he faced strong winds. Picture taken January 16, 2021" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="18161b62-bbc7-49eb-85c4-cb8b575fbd1b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/4_7.jpg" />

"Apart from just living, I wondered what drives me? So I began to chase that, knowing that there was a possibility I could climb mountains, even in a&nbsp;wheelchair," Lai said.

"In a way, I forgot that I was a disabled person, I could still dream and I could still do what I liked doing”, he said.

Lai shed light on the struggles of people with physical disabilities.

<img alt="Lai Chi-wai, a paraplegic climber, attempts to climb the 320-metre tall Nina Tower using only his upper body strength, in Hong Kong, China January 16, 2021. On this attempt, Lai completed 250-meters (75/f), as he faced strong winds. Picture taken January 16, 2021" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8140ea60-8f12-4226-bd9b-0c43b2e5418d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/3_27.jpg" />

"Some people don't understand the difficulties of disabled people, some people think that we are always weak, we need help, we need assistance, we need people's pity," Lai said.

"But, I want to tell everyone, it doesn't have to be like that. If a disabled person can shine, they can at the same time bring about opportunity, hope, bring about light, they don't have to be viewed as weak”, he added.

Lai Chi-wai became the first person to climb over 250 metres of a skyscraper in a wheelchair in the city of Hong Kong. The 37-year-old reportedly took up the painstaking task to raise money for spinal cord patients.

Lai Chi-wai became the first person to climb over 250 metres of a skyscraper in a wheelchair in the city of Hong Kong. The 37-year-old reportedly took up the painstaking task to raise money for spinal cord patients. Reuters reported that Chi-wai pulled himself up for over 10 hours to reach the height. The climber was left paralysed waist down 10 years ago after a car accident. Even though he was not able to make it to the top of Nina Tower in Kowloon peninsula, which is 300 metres, he almost reached the top. In addition, Chi-wai was able to gather $670,639 in donations. Lai told Reuters that he was “quite scared”. "Climbing up a mountain, I can hold onto rocks or little holes, but with glass, all I can really rely on is the rope that I'm hanging off”, he said. Before 2011, Lai was ranked Asia champion for rock climbing four times. He also ranked eighth globally for rock climbing. After the accident, Lai took up climbing by attaching his wheelchair to a pulley system. Just five years ago, he was able to summit the 495-metre high Lion Rock mountain, which is a local cultural symbol of Hong Kong’s strength. "Apart from just living, I wondered what drives me? So I began to chase that, knowing that there was a possibility I could climb mountains, even in a wheelchair," Lai said. "In a way, I forgot that I was a disabled person, I could still dream and I could still do what I liked doing”, he said. Lai shed light on the struggles of people with physical disabilities. "Some people don't understand the difficulties of disabled people, some people think that we are always weak, we need help, we need assistance, we need people's pity," Lai said. "But, I want to tell everyone, it doesn't have to be like that. If a disabled person can shine, they can at the same time bring about opportunity, hope, bring about light, they don't have to be viewed as weak”, he added.

In pics: Man in wheelchair climbs up Hong Kong skyscraper for charity

A Hong Kong internet service provider has admitted to knowingly blocking a pro-democracy website's access from its users under the much-criticised China's National Security Law.

The provider,&nbsp;Hong Kong Broadband Network (HKBN), is a popular internet service provider in the city. The company took conscious efforts to block the pro-democracy website&nbsp;HKChronicles in the city.

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HKBN also admitted that the block was initiated only after official order. "We have disabled the access to the website in compliance with the requirement issued under the national security law," the company said.

The popular website had data, including pictures, videos, article, information and experiences of the 2019 unrest in Hong Kong against China in a battle to win their democratic rights back from the Asian country.

HKChronicles' Editor&nbsp;Naomi Chan claims the users started facing difficulty in accessing the website on January 06. Users then shifted to an overseas internet provider and found out the website was&nbsp;accessible.

Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-plans-further-hong-kong-crackdown-after-mass-arrest-sources-356229">China plans further Hong Kong crackdown after mass arrest: Sources</a>

The Chairman of Hong Kong Internet Service Providers has raised concern over this action by the police and has urged the police to "publicly explain the grounds to prevent unfounded speculation about their motives".

Talking about the disruption of the free flow of information, Lento Yip Yuk-fai, chairman of the Hong Kong Internet Service Providers Association said, "The police should come forward to explain clearly about their legal reasoning to minimise the move's impact on the city's free flow of information, as well as to prevent unfounded speculation from circulating."

"Given telecoms companies were usually cooperative with police requests, authorities should also explain avenues for appeal," he added.

A Hong Kong internet service provider has admitted to knowingly blocking a pro-democracy website's access from its users under the much-criticised China's National Security Law.

A Hong Kong internet service provider has admitted to knowingly blocking a pro-democracy website's access from its users under the much-criticised China's National Security Law. The provider, Hong Kong Broadband Network (HKBN), is a popular internet service provider in the city. The company took conscious efforts to block the pro-democracy website HKChronicles in the city. Also read| Amid strained US ties, Xi Jinping writes to former Starbucks chairman HKBN also admitted that the block was initiated only after official order. "We have disabled the access to the website in compliance with the requirement issued under the national security law," the company said. The popular website had data, including pictures, videos, article, information and experiences of the 2019 unrest in Hong Kong against China in a battle to win their democratic rights back from the Asian country. HKChronicles' Editor Naomi Chan claims the users started facing difficulty in accessing the website on January 06. Users then shifted to an overseas internet provider and found out the website was accessible. Also read| China plans further Hong Kong crackdown after mass arrest: Sources The Chairman of Hong Kong Internet Service Providers has raised concern over this action by the police and has urged the police to "publicly explain the grounds to prevent unfounded speculation about their motives". Talking about the disruption of the free flow of information, Lento Yip Yuk-fai, chairman of the Hong Kong Internet Service Providers Association said, "The police should come forward to explain clearly about their legal reasoning to minimise the move's impact on the city's free flow of information, as well as to prevent unfounded speculation from circulating." "Given telecoms companies were usually cooperative with police requests, authorities should also explain avenues for appeal," he added.

Hong Kong blocks popular pro-democracy website HKChronicles

The Hong Kong International Film Festival, delayed last year by the coronavirus outbreak, has announced plans to return to its normal Springtime slot. 
 
But with a lingering virus impact, the 2021 edition will be a hybrid, combining both in-theatre and online screenings and audience-engagement events. 
 
According to Variety, Executive director Albert Lee said that a hybrid 45th edition would allow audiences to connect through an online platform without sacrificing the irreplaceable big-screen cinematic experience. The event will run for 12 days, April 1-12, 2021.

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Selectors expect to have confirmed the full program by the end of February. They have scheduled a line-up announcement for March 9, 2021." The COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted the international film festival circuit last year. Many festivals, including our very own HKIFF44, were either cancelled or forced to move online," said Lee. 
 
"With the pandemic showing few signs of abating, we recognize the proactive need to confront the challenges by adding an online component to our festival for the first time." 
 
Besides screenings, the festival will offer online streaming of some of the seminars, post-screening talks, and other events."The HKIFF Society will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely and comply with every health measure mandated by the government.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/oscars-2021-predictions-a-look-at-the-frontrunners-355994" hreflang="en">Oscars 2021 Predictions: A look at the frontrunners</a> 
 
Public safety remains our paramount concern," Lee said. As reported by Variety, the Hong Kong Filmart and Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum, which sometimes overlap with the festival, will this year both be held earlier, in March. An all-digital FilMart will run March 15-18, 2021, and HAF operates March 15-17, 2021

The Hong Kong International Film Festival, delayed last year by the coronavirus outbreak, has announced plans to return to its normal Springtime slot. But with a lingering virus impact, the 2021 edition will be a hybrid, combining both in-theatre and online screenings and audience-engagement events.

The Hong Kong International Film Festival, delayed last year by the coronavirus outbreak, has announced plans to return to its normal Springtime slot. But with a lingering virus impact, the 2021 edition will be a hybrid, combining both in-theatre and online screenings and audience-engagement events. According to Variety, Executive director Albert Lee said that a hybrid 45th edition would allow audiences to connect through an online platform without sacrificing the irreplaceable big-screen cinematic experience. The event will run for 12 days, April 1-12, 2021. James Bond film 'No Time To Die' to be postponed yet again? Selectors expect to have confirmed the full program by the end of February. They have scheduled a line-up announcement for March 9, 2021." The COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted the international film festival circuit last year. Many festivals, including our very own HKIFF44, were either cancelled or forced to move online," said Lee. "With the pandemic showing few signs of abating, we recognize the proactive need to confront the challenges by adding an online component to our festival for the first time." Besides screenings, the festival will offer online streaming of some of the seminars, post-screening talks, and other events."The HKIFF Society will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely and comply with every health measure mandated by the government. Oscars 2021 Predictions: A look at the frontrunners Public safety remains our paramount concern," Lee said. As reported by Variety, the Hong Kong Filmart and Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum, which sometimes overlap with the festival, will this year both be held earlier, in March. An all-digital FilMart will run March 15-18, 2021, and HAF operates March 15-17, 2021

Hong Kong Film Festival makes plans for hybrid edition

Hong&nbsp;Kong's new top judge stressed on Monday the importance of the city's judicial independence and rule of law, describing them as crucial to business confidence and the international reputation of the global business hub.

Andrew Cheung made his remarks hours after he was sworn in to replace Geoffrey Ma, 65, who is retiring after a decade as chief justice in the former British colony.

Cheung, 59, takes office at a pivotal moment for the city's judges, long seen as the pillars of support for its broad rights and freedoms,&nbsp;amid rising political pressures and a new national security regime imposed by Beijing.

The first prosecutions under the security law are now moving through the courts while some pro-Beijing figures are demanding reviews of the way sentences are meted out and judges appointed.

"An independent judiciary is essential to the rule of law of in&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;and the due administration of justice," Cheung said.

"It is equally crucial to public and business confidence - whether local or overseas - in our judicial system, as well as to the international reputation of&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong."

That independence, he said, meant in part that the courts "must not be subject to improper extraneous pressure or influence."

The law makes anything Beijing regards as subversion, secession, terrorism or colluding with foreign forces punishable by up to life in prison.

It also allows the city's chief executive to decide which judges can hear national security cases and allows for suspects to be taken across the border for trial in courts in mainland China, where the ruling Communist Party ultimately controls the legal system.

The independence of&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong's judiciary is outlined in the city's Basic Law, the mini-constitution that enshrines its extensive autonomy and freedoms following its handover from British colonial rule to Chinese sovereignty in 1997.

Cheung said those freedoms – including of assembly, speech and due process - were "fundamental" under the Basic Law.

"Society expects the courts and our judges to generously interpret and jealously protect these rights when they are threatened or otherwise interfered with," he said in remarks to formally open the legal year.

Hong Kong's new top judge stressed on Monday the importance of the city's judicial independence and rule of law, describing them as crucial to business confidence and the international reputation of the global business hub.

Hong Kong's new top judge stressed on Monday the importance of the city's judicial independence and rule of law, describing them as crucial to business confidence and the international reputation of the global business hub. Andrew Cheung made his remarks hours after he was sworn in to replace Geoffrey Ma, 65, who is retiring after a decade as chief justice in the former British colony. Cheung, 59, takes office at a pivotal moment for the city's judges, long seen as the pillars of support for its broad rights and freedoms, amid rising political pressures and a new national security regime imposed by Beijing. The first prosecutions under the security law are now moving through the courts while some pro-Beijing figures are demanding reviews of the way sentences are meted out and judges appointed. "An independent judiciary is essential to the rule of law of in Hong Kong and the due administration of justice," Cheung said. "It is equally crucial to public and business confidence - whether local or overseas - in our judicial system, as well as to the international reputation of Hong Kong." That independence, he said, meant in part that the courts "must not be subject to improper extraneous pressure or influence." The law makes anything Beijing regards as subversion, secession, terrorism or colluding with foreign forces punishable by up to life in prison. It also allows the city's chief executive to decide which judges can hear national security cases and allows for suspects to be taken across the border for trial in courts in mainland China, where the ruling Communist Party ultimately controls the legal system. The independence of Hong Kong's judiciary is outlined in the city's Basic Law, the mini-constitution that enshrines its extensive autonomy and freedoms following its handover from British colonial rule to Chinese sovereignty in 1997. Cheung said those freedoms – including of assembly, speech and due process - were "fundamental" under the Basic Law. "Society expects the courts and our judges to generously interpret and jealously protect these rights when they are threatened or otherwise interfered with," he said in remarks to formally open the legal year.

Hong Kong's new top judge points to importance of city's rule of law

According to a report, China is planning to alter Hong Kong's electoral system. This came after more than 50 pro-democracy leaders and activists were arrested last week.

News Alert: China planning to change HK's electoral system says report

The arrest of more than 50 democrats in Hong Kong last week intensifies a drive by Beijing to stifle any return of a populist challenge to Chinese rule and more measures are likely, according to two individuals with direct knowledge of China’s plans.

While stressing that plans haven’t been finalised, the individuals said it was possible that Hong Kong elections - already postponed until September on coronavirus grounds - could face reforms that one person said were aimed at reducing the influence of democrats.

Both individuals, who have extensive high-level experience in Hong Kong affairs and represent Beijing’s interests, spoke on condition of anonymity.

Beijing’s involvement was “substantial” in driving and coordinating actions with the Hong Kong government, said one of the individuals, a senior Chinese official.

He told Reuters the latest arrests were part of a wave of ongoing actions to silence activists and to “make sure Hong Kong doesn’t slide back to what we saw 18 months ago,” when massive demonstrations marked the boldest public revolt against China’s leaders since the Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing in 1989.

China has been “too patient for too long, and needs to sort things out once and for all,” he added, saying more tough moves would be rolled out for “at least a year”.

A spokesman for Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said the implementation of a national security law last June had restored stability and reduced street violence.

“The legitimate rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong have been upheld and criminals are brought to justice through our independent judiciary,” he said in an emailed response to Reuters, without responding to questions about Beijing’s role.

Hong Kong elections were scheduled for Sept 5 and officials were working to ensure an open, fair and honest poll, he added.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/news-alert-china-planning-to-change-hks-electoral-system-says-report-356191/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The Chinese government did not respond to requests for comment.

Electoral reform

The Chinese official said Beijing remained concerned the opposition could still muster a majority in the legislature should the polls go ahead, given a lingering groundswell of public support.

Chinese officials were now discussing ways to change the electoral system to address “deficiencies” in the political structure, he said, and elections might be further delayed.

The second pro-Beijing source confirmed there were advanced talks on structural changes to Hong Kong’s political system, including possibly curtailing the influence of democrats on a 1,200-person election committee to select Hong Kong’s next leader in 2022.

“It will likely shake up the whole political base,” the source said of the reforms.

Lam’s spokesman said authorities were exploring using electronic polling and setting up polling and counting stations in mainland China to allow registered electors there to vote.

Democrats worried

Any changes to electoral laws to further isolate the opposition would now be procedurally guaranteed with the legislature now controlled by pro-Beijing politicians following a mass resignation of democrats from the legislature last November.

Since the new security law was introduced, authorities have arrested 93 opposition figures under the legislation, frozen activists’ assets, confiscated phones, computers and travel documents, disqualified some lawmakers and targeted media. Hundreds have fled into exile.

Six senior democratic figures interviewed by Reuters voiced fears over what they described as a grim outlook since the most recent arrests.

Among the next steps authorities could focus on, they said, are disqualifying hundreds of democratic “district councillors” who dominate the grassroots political arena; entrenching loyalty to China within the civil service; squeezing businesses whose bosses explicitly support the democratic cause; and creeping censorship of the internet and media under the auspices of national security.

Authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong have repeatedly said the security law will only target a small minority of “troublemakers”.

Beijing denies curbing rights and freedoms in the global financial hub and has opposed criticism of the arrests as “grave interference in China’s sovereignty and domestic affairs.”

Hong Kong, a cosmopolitan metropolis of 7.6 million known for its freewheeling spirit, has seen many of those who challenged China’s authoritarian grip targeted under the sweeping security law.

“Hong Kong has entered a harsh winter,” said Benny Tai, a former law professor who has been a key strategist for the camp, following his arrest. “The wind is blowing fierce and cold.”

When the city reverted from British to Chinese rule in 1997, China’s leaders promised, in a mini-constitution, to grant the city a high degree of autonomy and wide-ranging freedoms not allowed in mainland China including free speech, assembly and eventual full democracy.

Yam Kai-bong, a Tai Po district councillor with the localist pro-democracy ‘Neo Democrats’, said the spectre of protracted legal proceedings related to the arrests could scare off, or weaken the opposition camp’s chances in any upcoming election.

“It’s very clear that the authorities, this time, want to cast one net to capture all those who may have been planning to contest the upcoming elections - if they even take place - and to make it very difficult for them to run.”

The arrest of more than 50 democrats in Hong Kong last week intensifies a drive by Beijing to stifle any return of a populist challenge to Chinese rule and more measures are likely, according to two individuals with direct knowledge of China’s plans.

The arrest of more than 50 democrats in Hong Kong last week intensifies a drive by Beijing to stifle any return of a populist challenge to Chinese rule and more measures are likely, according to two individuals with direct knowledge of China’s plans. While stressing that plans haven’t been finalised, the individuals said it was possible that Hong Kong elections - already postponed until September on coronavirus grounds - could face reforms that one person said were aimed at reducing the influence of democrats. Both individuals, who have extensive high-level experience in Hong Kong affairs and represent Beijing’s interests, spoke on condition of anonymity. Beijing’s involvement was “substantial” in driving and coordinating actions with the Hong Kong government, said one of the individuals, a senior Chinese official. He told Reuters the latest arrests were part of a wave of ongoing actions to silence activists and to “make sure Hong Kong doesn’t slide back to what we saw 18 months ago,” when massive demonstrations marked the boldest public revolt against China’s leaders since the Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing in 1989. China has been “too patient for too long, and needs to sort things out once and for all,” he added, saying more tough moves would be rolled out for “at least a year”. A spokesman for Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said the implementation of a national security law last June had restored stability and reduced street violence. “The legitimate rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong have been upheld and criminals are brought to justice through our independent judiciary,” he said in an emailed response to Reuters, without responding to questions about Beijing’s role. Hong Kong elections were scheduled for Sept 5 and officials were working to ensure an open, fair and honest poll, he added. The Chinese government did not respond to requests for comment. Electoral reform The Chinese official said Beijing remained concerned the opposition could still muster a majority in the legislature should the polls go ahead, given a lingering groundswell of public support. Chinese officials were now discussing ways to change the electoral system to address “deficiencies” in the political structure, he said, and elections might be further delayed. The second pro-Beijing source confirmed there were advanced talks on structural changes to Hong Kong’s political system, including possibly curtailing the influence of democrats on a 1,200-person election committee to select Hong Kong’s next leader in 2022. “It will likely shake up the whole political base,” the source said of the reforms. Lam’s spokesman said authorities were exploring using electronic polling and setting up polling and counting stations in mainland China to allow registered electors there to vote. Democrats worried Any changes to electoral laws to further isolate the opposition would now be procedurally guaranteed with the legislature now controlled by pro-Beijing politicians following a mass resignation of democrats from the legislature last November. Since the new security law was introduced, authorities have arrested 93 opposition figures under the legislation, frozen activists’ assets, confiscated phones, computers and travel documents, disqualified some lawmakers and targeted media. Hundreds have fled into exile. Six senior democratic figures interviewed by Reuters voiced fears over what they described as a grim outlook since the most recent arrests. Among the next steps authorities could focus on, they said, are disqualifying hundreds of democratic “district councillors” who dominate the grassroots political arena; entrenching loyalty to China within the civil service; squeezing businesses whose bosses explicitly support the democratic cause; and creeping censorship of the internet and media under the auspices of national security. Authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong have repeatedly said the security law will only target a small minority of “troublemakers”. Beijing denies curbing rights and freedoms in the global financial hub and has opposed criticism of the arrests as “grave interference in China’s sovereignty and domestic affairs.” Hong Kong, a cosmopolitan metropolis of 7.6 million known for its freewheeling spirit, has seen many of those who challenged China’s authoritarian grip targeted under the sweeping security law. “Hong Kong has entered a harsh winter,” said Benny Tai, a former law professor who has been a key strategist for the camp, following his arrest. “The wind is blowing fierce and cold.” When the city reverted from British to Chinese rule in 1997, China’s leaders promised, in a mini-constitution, to grant the city a high degree of autonomy and wide-ranging freedoms not allowed in mainland China including free speech, assembly and eventual full democracy. Yam Kai-bong, a Tai Po district councillor with the localist pro-democracy ‘Neo Democrats’, said the spectre of protracted legal proceedings related to the arrests could scare off, or weaken the opposition camp’s chances in any upcoming election. “It’s very clear that the authorities, this time, want to cast one net to capture all those who may have been planning to contest the upcoming elections - if they even take place - and to make it very difficult for them to run.”

China plans further Hong Kong crackdown after mass arrest: Sources

Hong Kong’s biggest mobile telecom companies appear to have severed access to a website that listed the personal information of police officers, setting off fears that authorities may use a new national security law to adopt censorship tactics widely used in mainland China.

Users attempting to access the site, called HKChronicles, on their mobile devices first noticed the disruption Wednesday evening, according to the site’s owner, Naomi Chan, an 18-year-old high school student. Disruption came without any warning or explanation, she said.

A New York Times analysis confirmed that the problem accessing the site comes from the telecom service providers. At least some people in Hong Kong were still able to reach the site through their home or office internet connections.

The police in Hong Kong declined to comment on the disruption but insisted they had the power under the new national security law to block access to information online. In a statement, the police said they “can require service providers to take restrictive actions against messages posted on digital platforms, which likely constitute the offense of endangering national security or incite a national security offense.”

The disruption raised the prospect that the city, long a bastion of online freedom, could begin to fall under the shadow of the tight censorship system that separates mainland Chinese internet from the rest of the online world. On Hong Kong social media, many people worried that authorities could eventually bring the city’s overall access to the open internet to an end.

“Their talking point has been the national security law will only target a small group of people,” said Lokman Tsui, an assistant professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong who specializes in online communication.

Since the law went into effect over the summer, however, Hong Kong authorities have cited the law to arrest growing numbers of pro-democracy activists and politicians and well as a high profile newspaper publisher.

“In practice it hasn’t been limited to a small group of people,” he said. “My concern is that internet censorship similarly won’t be limited to a small group of websites.”

The national security law, which empowers police to censor and use invasive surveillance tactics, has already constricted online life in Hong Kong. Police have hung a camera outside the house of one prominent politician, broken into the Facebook account of another and demanded passwords and fingerprints from the people they arrest to get access to their phones.

Caught in the middle, major American technology companies like Google said they no longer accept user data requests from Hong Kong authorities, though the law could punish refusals with jail time for employees. Many in Hong Kong have switched to encrypted chat apps and scrubbed social media accounts of posts they worry could bring new police attention.

“Today it’s HKChronicles — would it be foreign media or local media tomorrow?” said Glacier Kwong, of Keyboard Frontline, a nongovernmental organization that monitors digital rights in Hong Kong. “Would Telegram and Signal be the next ones? The government can do whatever they want with the national security law, and Hong Kong can easily become another Chinese city behind the Great Firewall.”

HKChronicles was inspired by the pro-democracy protests of 2019, which shook Hong Kong and prompted mainland Chinese officials to eventually crack down. As images of the violent tactics of police began to spread around the world, many police stopped wearing identifying markers.

In response, protesters began to share information online to identify and sometimes harass them. The HKChronicles listed the personal information of about 1,500 police officers and another 1,000 pro-Beijing supporters.

The Times attempted to connect to hkchronicles.com on three different Hong Kong internet service providers. Each attempt failed, though in a different way.

That suggested to experts that the blockage was deliberate. If it were an error, the disruptions would look the same.

“None of this is a misconfiguration mistake,” said Ben April, the chief technology officer at Farsight Security, an internet security firm that specializes in what is called the domain name system, or DNS, which acts as a sort of phone book for the internet. “There is no typo that can cause this.”

At one internet provider, China Mobile Hong Kong, the disconnection — of a type known as a drop action — indicates direct involvement by the telecom company. “A drop action is a specifically configured element of a DNS firewall environment,” April said. “This is not something the owner could have configured, intentionally or accidentally.”

China Mobile Hong Kong, an arm of China Mobile, the Chinese state-run company, declined to comment. Two others tested by the Times, SmarTone and Hutchison Telecommunications, which are controlled by local conglomerates, did not respond to emailed requests for comment.

Users of PCCW, another locally owned carrier, told The Times their access to the site was blocked, too. A spokesperson declined to comment.

While the site blockage resembles mainland Chinese censorship at a quick glance, the methods differ sharply from China’s sophisticated system.

With China Mobile, SmarTone and Hutchison, the process that links a website address to the series of numbers that a computer uses to look it up was disrupted. The practice would be akin to listing an incorrect number under someone’s name in a phone book. If you know that person’s correct number, you could still call them.

In mainland China, by contrast, the hardware of the Great Firewall — as Beijing’s system of filters and blocks is known — actively severs connections. In the phone book comparison, the call would not go through even if you have the right phone number.

The Hong Kong blockages are “really easy to circumvent and clumsy,” said Tsui, the professor. Still, he said, authorities may not want to control the internet as tightly as Beijing for fear of scaring off the global banks and international companies that have made the city their Asian headquarters.

“They want the city to be one that can make money and have the financial flows, and the internet is important for that, so they have to get the balance of censorship and surveillance right,” he said.

Chan, the HKChronicles operator, said she believes the government is testing new approaches to cut off access to websites.

Though she is at the center of what could become a historic shift in Hong Kong’s internet, Chan said she was no tech enthusiast. She learned her basic website management skills while at organizational events for the 2019 protests and decided she wanted to put them to use by making an easy to search website. As she built her archive, protesters helped with funds and know-how, though she said she now keeps up the site on her own.

“The number of page views isn’t high, and the popularity is not like that of major media or larger sites,” she said. “That’s why I’m a reasonable target.”

She expects matters to get worse, however.

“Just as the scope of the national security law has widened,” she said, “and more and more people are being arrested, I think the police will use it to block more and more websites, until something like the Great Firewall takes shape.”

Hong Kong’s biggest mobile telecom companies appear to have severed access to a website that listed the personal information of police officers, setting off fears that authorities may use a new national security law to adopt censorship tactics widely used in mainland China.

Hong Kong’s biggest mobile telecom companies appear to have severed access to a website that listed the personal information of police officers, setting off fears that authorities may use a new national security law to adopt censorship tactics widely used in mainland China. Users attempting to access the site, called HKChronicles, on their mobile devices first noticed the disruption Wednesday evening, according to the site’s owner, Naomi Chan, an 18-year-old high school student. Disruption came without any warning or explanation, she said. A New York Times analysis confirmed that the problem accessing the site comes from the telecom service providers. At least some people in Hong Kong were still able to reach the site through their home or office internet connections. The police in Hong Kong declined to comment on the disruption but insisted they had the power under the new national security law to block access to information online. In a statement, the police said they “can require service providers to take restrictive actions against messages posted on digital platforms, which likely constitute the offense of endangering national security or incite a national security offense.” The disruption raised the prospect that the city, long a bastion of online freedom, could begin to fall under the shadow of the tight censorship system that separates mainland Chinese internet from the rest of the online world. On Hong Kong social media, many people worried that authorities could eventually bring the city’s overall access to the open internet to an end. “Their talking point has been the national security law will only target a small group of people,” said Lokman Tsui, an assistant professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong who specializes in online communication. Since the law went into effect over the summer, however, Hong Kong authorities have cited the law to arrest growing numbers of pro-democracy activists and politicians and well as a high profile newspaper publisher. “In practice it hasn’t been limited to a small group of people,” he said. “My concern is that internet censorship similarly won’t be limited to a small group of websites.” The national security law, which empowers police to censor and use invasive surveillance tactics, has already constricted online life in Hong Kong. Police have hung a camera outside the house of one prominent politician, broken into the Facebook account of another and demanded passwords and fingerprints from the people they arrest to get access to their phones. Caught in the middle, major American technology companies like Google said they no longer accept user data requests from Hong Kong authorities, though the law could punish refusals with jail time for employees. Many in Hong Kong have switched to encrypted chat apps and scrubbed social media accounts of posts they worry could bring new police attention. “Today it’s HKChronicles — would it be foreign media or local media tomorrow?” said Glacier Kwong, of Keyboard Frontline, a nongovernmental organization that monitors digital rights in Hong Kong. “Would Telegram and Signal be the next ones? The government can do whatever they want with the national security law, and Hong Kong can easily become another Chinese city behind the Great Firewall.” HKChronicles was inspired by the pro-democracy protests of 2019, which shook Hong Kong and prompted mainland Chinese officials to eventually crack down. As images of the violent tactics of police began to spread around the world, many police stopped wearing identifying markers. In response, protesters began to share information online to identify and sometimes harass them. The HKChronicles listed the personal information of about 1,500 police officers and another 1,000 pro-Beijing supporters. The Times attempted to connect to hkchronicles.com on three different Hong Kong internet service providers. Each attempt failed, though in a different way. That suggested to experts that the blockage was deliberate. If it were an error, the disruptions would look the same. “None of this is a misconfiguration mistake,” said Ben April, the chief technology officer at Farsight Security, an internet security firm that specializes in what is called the domain name system, or DNS, which acts as a sort of phone book for the internet. “There is no typo that can cause this.” At one internet provider, China Mobile Hong Kong, the disconnection — of a type known as a drop action — indicates direct involvement by the telecom company. “A drop action is a specifically configured element of a DNS firewall environment,” April said. “This is not something the owner could have configured, intentionally or accidentally.” China Mobile Hong Kong, an arm of China Mobile, the Chinese state-run company, declined to comment. Two others tested by the Times, SmarTone and Hutchison Telecommunications, which are controlled by local conglomerates, did not respond to emailed requests for comment. Users of PCCW, another locally owned carrier, told The Times their access to the site was blocked, too. A spokesperson declined to comment. While the site blockage resembles mainland Chinese censorship at a quick glance, the methods differ sharply from China’s sophisticated system. With China Mobile, SmarTone and Hutchison, the process that links a website address to the series of numbers that a computer uses to look it up was disrupted. The practice would be akin to listing an incorrect number under someone’s name in a phone book. If you know that person’s correct number, you could still call them. In mainland China, by contrast, the hardware of the Great Firewall — as Beijing’s system of filters and blocks is known — actively severs connections. In the phone book comparison, the call would not go through even if you have the right phone number. The Hong Kong blockages are “really easy to circumvent and clumsy,” said Tsui, the professor. Still, he said, authorities may not want to control the internet as tightly as Beijing for fear of scaring off the global banks and international companies that have made the city their Asian headquarters. “They want the city to be one that can make money and have the financial flows, and the internet is important for that, so they have to get the balance of censorship and surveillance right,” he said. Chan, the HKChronicles operator, said she believes the government is testing new approaches to cut off access to websites. Though she is at the center of what could become a historic shift in Hong Kong’s internet, Chan said she was no tech enthusiast. She learned her basic website management skills while at organizational events for the 2019 protests and decided she wanted to put them to use by making an easy to search website. As she built her archive, protesters helped with funds and know-how, though she said she now keeps up the site on her own. “The number of page views isn’t high, and the popularity is not like that of major media or larger sites,” she said. “That’s why I’m a reasonable target.” She expects matters to get worse, however. “Just as the scope of the national security law has widened,” she said, “and more and more people are being arrested, I think the police will use it to block more and more websites, until something like the Great Firewall takes shape.”

Hong Kong website listing police data gets blocked, raising censorship fears

Foreign ministers from the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia condemned last week's arrest of over 50 democracy activists in Hong Kong in a joint statement on Sunday, calling on China to respect the freedom of the people on the island.

Hong Kong police made the arrests on Wednesday in dawn raids, the biggest crackdown since China imposed a security law in 2020, which opponents say is aimed at quashing dissent in the former British colony.

"It is clear that the National Security Law is being used to eliminate dissent and opposing political views," the foreign ministers said in the joint statement issued by Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne.

"We call on the Hong Kong and Chinese central authorities to respect the legally guaranteed rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong without fear of arrest and detention."

Hong Kong's most prominent pro-democracy advocates were arrested as authorities said last year's unofficial vote to choose opposition candidates in city elections was part of a plan to "overthrow" the government.

On Thursday, US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington may sanction those involved in the arrests and will send the US&nbsp;ambassador to the United Nations to visit Taiwan.

Foreign ministers from the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia condemned last week's arrest of over 50 democracy activists in Hong Kong in a joint statement on Sunday, calling on China to respect the freedom of the people on the island.

Foreign ministers from the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia condemned last week's arrest of over 50 democracy activists in Hong Kong in a joint statement on Sunday, calling on China to respect the freedom of the people on the island. Hong Kong police made the arrests on Wednesday in dawn raids, the biggest crackdown since China imposed a security law in 2020, which opponents say is aimed at quashing dissent in the former British colony. "It is clear that the National Security Law is being used to eliminate dissent and opposing political views," the foreign ministers said in the joint statement issued by Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne. "We call on the Hong Kong and Chinese central authorities to respect the legally guaranteed rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong without fear of arrest and detention." Hong Kong's most prominent pro-democracy advocates were arrested as authorities said last year's unofficial vote to choose opposition candidates in city elections was part of a plan to "overthrow" the government. On Thursday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington may sanction those involved in the arrests and will send the US ambassador to the United Nations to visit Taiwan.

US, Canada, Britain, Australia condemn Hong Kong arrests of activists

Along with the foreign minister of UK, Canada and Australia express serious concern over the arrest of prominent pro democracy leaders and activists in Hong Kong.

World Leaders criticise HK's mass arrest by issuing joint statement

A few hours after&nbsp;the US, UK, Australia and Canada jointly condemned the arrests of&nbsp;50 pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong that took place last week, the Hong Kong government has accused the West of having "double standards". The Hong Kong government called these remarks "slander".

"Safeguarding national security through legislation is in line with international practice," the spokesman said. "We are appalled by remarks made by some overseas government officials that seemed to suggest that people with certain political beliefs should be immune to legal sanctions."

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-canada-britain-australia-condemn-hong-kong-arrests-of-activists-355726">US, Canada, Britain, Australia condemn Hong Kong arrests of activists</a>

The statement was published in the South China Morning Post where the spokesperson also claimed that the arrests were made based on proper evidence and were in strict accordance with the respective laws, and has also claimed that the detainees were trying to 'overthrow' the government.

However, the West countries disagree&nbsp;with this defence.&nbsp;"It is clear that the National Security Law is being used to eliminate dissent and opposing political views," the foreign ministers said in the joint statement issued by Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne.&nbsp;

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-rally-in-hong-kong-new-year-protest-353987">Thousands rally in Hong Kong New Year protest</a>

"We call on the Hong Kong and Chinese central authorities to respect the legally guaranteed rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong without fear of arrest and detention."

The clash of statements came after nearly 50 opposition lawmakers and activists in Hong Kong were arrested on Wednesday after being accused of violating the national security law — which has been denounced and criticised by majority West governments and international human rights groups.

Arrested people included names such as&nbsp;James To Kun-sun, Lam Cheuk-ting, Andrew Wan Siu-kin, Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu and Wu Chi-wai, as well as pollster Dr Robert Chung Ting-yiu, who helped organise the event.

A few hours after the US, UK, Australia and Canada jointly condemned the arrests of 50 pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong that took place last week, the Hong Kong government has accused the West of having "double standards".

A few hours after the US, UK, Australia and Canada jointly condemned the arrests of 50 pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong that took place last week, the Hong Kong government has accused the West of having "double standards". The Hong Kong government called these remarks "slander". "Safeguarding national security through legislation is in line with international practice," the spokesman said. "We are appalled by remarks made by some overseas government officials that seemed to suggest that people with certain political beliefs should be immune to legal sanctions." Also read| US, Canada, Britain, Australia condemn Hong Kong arrests of activists The statement was published in the South China Morning Post where the spokesperson also claimed that the arrests were made based on proper evidence and were in strict accordance with the respective laws, and has also claimed that the detainees were trying to 'overthrow' the government. However, the West countries disagree with this defence. "It is clear that the National Security Law is being used to eliminate dissent and opposing political views," the foreign ministers said in the joint statement issued by Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne. Also read| Thousands rally in Hong Kong New Year protest "We call on the Hong Kong and Chinese central authorities to respect the legally guaranteed rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong without fear of arrest and detention." The clash of statements came after nearly 50 opposition lawmakers and activists in Hong Kong were arrested on Wednesday after being accused of violating the national security law — which has been denounced and criticised by majority West governments and international human rights groups. Arrested people included names such as James To Kun-sun, Lam Cheuk-ting, Andrew Wan Siu-kin, Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu and Wu Chi-wai, as well as pollster Dr Robert Chung Ting-yiu, who helped organise the event.

Hong Kong slams West for 'double standards' after allegations of illegal arrests of activists

The United Nations voiced alarm Thursday at the arrest of 53 prominent figures in Hong Kong on charges of "subversion", in comments Beijing said "interfered in China's sovereignty".

In an operation involving 1,000 officers, Hong Kong police arrested the activists for "subversion", a new national security crime that carries up to life in prison.&nbsp;

"We are deeply concerned about the arrests on Wednesday of 53 political activists, academics, former legislators, current district councillors, and lawyers in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and we call for their immediate release," UN rights office spokeswoman Liz Throssell said in a statement.

"Yesterday's arrests were the latest in a series of detentions related to the exercise of fundamental freedoms, including the right to peaceful assembly, in Hong Kong," she said.

Most of those arrested were released on bail late Thursday, many accusing authorities of criminalising dissent.

Wednesday's arrests under a new security law were seen as the latest salvo in Beijing's battle to stamp out dissent in the semi-autonomous city after millions hit the streets in 2019 with huge and sometimes violent democracy protests.

"These latest arrests indicate that – as had been feared – the offence of subversion under the National Security Law is indeed being used to detain individuals for exercising legitimate rights to participate in political and public life," Throssell said.

'Chaos and turbulence'&nbsp;

The Chinese mission to the UN in Geneva condemned her comments, with spokesman Liu Yuyin saying his country "categorically rejects the unwarranted remarks.

"These comments severely interfered in China’s sovereignty and internal affairs," he said in a statement.

He insisted that all the 53 people arrested by Hong Kong police on Wednesday were involved in a "plot", which if left unchecked would have plunged Hong Kong into "chaos and turbulence".

"Regretably, by reversing the right and wrong and distorting human rights, the OHCHR (UN rights office) ... turns itself to accomplice of the anti-China forces and disruptors in Hong Kong," Liu said.

"This is a grave violation of the UN Charter and outright breach of the OHCHR’s mandate as a UN body."

In her statement, Throssell had meanwhile pointed out that the UN rights office and rights experts had repeatedly warned that offences like subversion under the new law, passed last June, were "vague and overly broad, facilitating abusive or arbitrary implementation."

"We stress that exercise of the right to take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly and through freely chosen representatives, is a fundamental right" under international law and Hong Kong's Basic Law.

The UN rights office, she said, called on authorities to "refrain from using the National Security Law to suppress the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association."

"We also urge the authorities to guarantee the right to freedom of expression in the context of ongoing investigations, including by allowing journalists and news organisations to fully and freely exercise their legitimate functions."

 
&nbsp;

The United Nations voiced alarm Thursday at the arrest of 53 prominent figures in Hong Kong on charges of "subversion", in comments Beijing said "interfered in China's sovereignty".

The United Nations voiced alarm Thursday at the arrest of 53 prominent figures in Hong Kong on charges of "subversion", in comments Beijing said "interfered in China's sovereignty". In an operation involving 1,000 officers, Hong Kong police arrested the activists for "subversion", a new national security crime that carries up to life in prison. "We are deeply concerned about the arrests on Wednesday of 53 political activists, academics, former legislators, current district councillors, and lawyers in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and we call for their immediate release," UN rights office spokeswoman Liz Throssell said in a statement. "Yesterday's arrests were the latest in a series of detentions related to the exercise of fundamental freedoms, including the right to peaceful assembly, in Hong Kong," she said. Most of those arrested were released on bail late Thursday, many accusing authorities of criminalising dissent. Wednesday's arrests under a new security law were seen as the latest salvo in Beijing's battle to stamp out dissent in the semi-autonomous city after millions hit the streets in 2019 with huge and sometimes violent democracy protests. "These latest arrests indicate that – as had been feared – the offence of subversion under the National Security Law is indeed being used to detain individuals for exercising legitimate rights to participate in political and public life," Throssell said. 'Chaos and turbulence' The Chinese mission to the UN in Geneva condemned her comments, with spokesman Liu Yuyin saying his country "categorically rejects the unwarranted remarks. "These comments severely interfered in China’s sovereignty and internal affairs," he said in a statement. He insisted that all the 53 people arrested by Hong Kong police on Wednesday were involved in a "plot", which if left unchecked would have plunged Hong Kong into "chaos and turbulence". "Regretably, by reversing the right and wrong and distorting human rights, the OHCHR (UN rights office) ... turns itself to accomplice of the anti-China forces and disruptors in Hong Kong," Liu said. "This is a grave violation of the UN Charter and outright breach of the OHCHR’s mandate as a UN body." In her statement, Throssell had meanwhile pointed out that the UN rights office and rights experts had repeatedly warned that offences like subversion under the new law, passed last June, were "vague and overly broad, facilitating abusive or arbitrary implementation." "We stress that exercise of the right to take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly and through freely chosen representatives, is a fundamental right" under international law and Hong Kong's Basic Law. The UN rights office, she said, called on authorities to "refrain from using the National Security Law to suppress the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association." "We also urge the authorities to guarantee the right to freedom of expression in the context of ongoing investigations, including by allowing journalists and news organisations to fully and freely exercise their legitimate functions."

UN says 'deeply concerned' at Hong Kong dissident arrests, China rejects criticism

Jailed dissident Joshua Wong Thursday joined the ranks of Hong Kong democracy figures arrested under a new security law as the United States threatened fresh sanctions in response to Beijing's mounting crackdown in the finance hub.

Wong -- who is currently behind bars -- was arrested on a new charge of subversion, the first time he has been detained under the new national security law.

The 24-year-old is one of the city's most recognisable democracy advocates and is currently serving a jail sentence for his role in organising democracy protests.

More than 1,000 police officers detained 53 prominent figures -- including a US citizen -- in dawn raids Wednesday on charges of "subversion", a new national security crime that carries up to life in prison.

Local media reported Tam Tak-chi, another activist currently in custody on a sedition charge, was also arrested for subversion on Thursday morning.

Meanwhile, western nations have accused Beijing of using its crackdown to shred the freedoms that were promised under the "One Country, Two Systems" setup when the British colony was returned to China.

"The United States will not stand idly by while the people of Hong Kong suffer under Communist oppression," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a late-night statement after a day of political violence in Washington.

"The United States will consider sanctions and other restrictions on any and all individuals and entities involved in executing this assault on the Hong Kong people," he added.

Washington has already sanctioned multiple Chinese and Hong Kong officials, including city leader Carrie Lam.

British foreign minister Dominic Raab called the detentions "a grievous attack on Hong Kong's rights and freedoms" and said Beijing "deliberately misled the world about the true purpose" of the security law.

Canada, France and the European Union also issued statements condemning sliding freedoms in Hong Kong and called for the release of those detained.

The alleged offence of those arrested for subversion was to organise an unofficial primary last summer to decide who would stand as candidates for the city's partially-elected legislature in the hopes they might take a majority for the first time.

Many of those candidates were ultimately disqualified from standing and authorities scrapped the election because of the coronavirus.

The sweep was the latest salvo in Beijing's battle to stamp out dissent in the semi-autonomous city after millions hit the streets in 2019 with huge and sometimes violent democracy protests.

Those detained are a broad cross-section of Hong Kong's opposition, from veteran former pro-democracy lawmakers such as James To, Andrew Wan, Lam Cheuk-ting and Claudia Mo to a host of younger activists.

John Clancey, an American national and long term Hong Kong resident who worked at a prominent human rights law firm, was also arrested for subversion.

Hong Kong police can hold anyone arrested for up to 48 hours before they must be presented in court.

Those charged with national security crimes are not usually granted bail.

The national security law was imposed on Hong Kong in late June in response to the 2019 protests, targeting acts Beijing deems to be secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.

Jailed dissident Joshua Wong Thursday joined the ranks of Hong Kong democracy figures arrested under a new security law as the United States threatened fresh sanctions in response to Beijing's mounting crackdown in the finance hub.

Jailed dissident Joshua Wong Thursday joined the ranks of Hong Kong democracy figures arrested under a new security law as the United States threatened fresh sanctions in response to Beijing's mounting crackdown in the finance hub. Wong -- who is currently behind bars -- was arrested on a new charge of subversion, the first time he has been detained under the new national security law. The 24-year-old is one of the city's most recognisable democracy advocates and is currently serving a jail sentence for his role in organising democracy protests. More than 1,000 police officers detained 53 prominent figures -- including a US citizen -- in dawn raids Wednesday on charges of "subversion", a new national security crime that carries up to life in prison. Local media reported Tam Tak-chi, another activist currently in custody on a sedition charge, was also arrested for subversion on Thursday morning. Meanwhile, western nations have accused Beijing of using its crackdown to shred the freedoms that were promised under the "One Country, Two Systems" setup when the British colony was returned to China. "The United States will not stand idly by while the people of Hong Kong suffer under Communist oppression," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a late-night statement after a day of political violence in Washington. "The United States will consider sanctions and other restrictions on any and all individuals and entities involved in executing this assault on the Hong Kong people," he added. Washington has already sanctioned multiple Chinese and Hong Kong officials, including city leader Carrie Lam. British foreign minister Dominic Raab called the detentions "a grievous attack on Hong Kong's rights and freedoms" and said Beijing "deliberately misled the world about the true purpose" of the security law. Canada, France and the European Union also issued statements condemning sliding freedoms in Hong Kong and called for the release of those detained. The alleged offence of those arrested for subversion was to organise an unofficial primary last summer to decide who would stand as candidates for the city's partially-elected legislature in the hopes they might take a majority for the first time. Many of those candidates were ultimately disqualified from standing and authorities scrapped the election because of the coronavirus. The sweep was the latest salvo in Beijing's battle to stamp out dissent in the semi-autonomous city after millions hit the streets in 2019 with huge and sometimes violent democracy protests. Those detained are a broad cross-section of Hong Kong's opposition, from veteran former pro-democracy lawmakers such as James To, Andrew Wan, Lam Cheuk-ting and Claudia Mo to a host of younger activists. John Clancey, an American national and long term Hong Kong resident who worked at a prominent human rights law firm, was also arrested for subversion. Hong Kong police can hold anyone arrested for up to 48 hours before they must be presented in court. Those charged with national security crimes are not usually granted bail. The national security law was imposed on Hong Kong in late June in response to the 2019 protests, targeting acts Beijing deems to be secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.

Jailed Hong Kong democracy leader Joshua Wong arrested for 'subversion'

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday threatened US sanctions over Hong Kong authorities' mass arrests of pro-democracy figures and voiced anger that an American was among those rounded up.

Pompeo said that the 53 people arrested a day earlier "should be released immediately and unconditionally."

"The United States will not stand idly by while the people of Hong Kong suffer under Communist oppression," Pompeo said in a late-night statement after a day of political violence in Washington.

"The United States will consider sanctions and other restrictions on any and all individuals and entities involved in executing this assault on the Hong Kong people," he said.

Pompeo, who remains in office for two weeks, said the United States would also "explore restrictions" against the financial hub's trade representative office in Washington.

In an operation involving 1,000 officers, Hong Kong police arrested the activists for "subversion" in an escalation of Beijing's imposition of a tough security law in the wake of huge and sometimes violent democracy protests in 2019.

Pompeo, a vehement critic of Beijing, confirmed the arrest of an American and said he was "appalled."

"Let me be clear: The United States will not tolerate the arbitrary detention or harassment of US citizens."

Two sources told AFP that the arrested American was John Clancey, a lawyer working for a firm known to take up human rights cases.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday threatened US sanctions over Hong Kong authorities' mass arrests of pro-democracy figures and voiced anger that an American was among those rounded up.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday threatened US sanctions over Hong Kong authorities' mass arrests of pro-democracy figures and voiced anger that an American was among those rounded up. Pompeo said that the 53 people arrested a day earlier "should be released immediately and unconditionally." "The United States will not stand idly by while the people of Hong Kong suffer under Communist oppression," Pompeo said in a late-night statement after a day of political violence in Washington. "The United States will consider sanctions and other restrictions on any and all individuals and entities involved in executing this assault on the Hong Kong people," he said. Pompeo, who remains in office for two weeks, said the United States would also "explore restrictions" against the financial hub's trade representative office in Washington. In an operation involving 1,000 officers, Hong Kong police arrested the activists for "subversion" in an escalation of Beijing's imposition of a tough security law in the wake of huge and sometimes violent democracy protests in 2019. Pompeo, a vehement critic of Beijing, confirmed the arrest of an American and said he was "appalled." "Let me be clear: The United States will not tolerate the arbitrary detention or harassment of US citizens." Two sources told AFP that the arrested American was John Clancey, a lawyer working for a firm known to take up human rights cases.

Pompeo threatens US sanctions over Hong Kong mass arrests

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called China's mass arrest of politicians and activists in Hong Kong "unacceptable" and said it was "further evidence" of China violating the freedoms and autonomy of people in Hong Kong.

UK rebukes China for mass arrests in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police arrested 53 people in dawn raids on democracy activists on Wednesday in the biggest crackdown since China last year imposed a security law which opponents say is aimed at quashing dissent in the former British colony.

Hong Kong arrests 53 for plot to 'overthrow' govt in latest crackdown on dissent

China supports Hong Kong in fulfilling duties of arresting 53 activists

UK on Wednesday rebuked China for the mass arrest of politicians and activists in Hong Kong which it said was a grievous attack on the rights of the former colony.

UK rebukes China for 'grievous attack' on Hong Kong's rights

Washington may sanction those involved in the arrest of over 50 people in Hong Kong and will send the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations to visit Taiwan, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, drawing anger and the threat of retaliation from Beijing.

US warns of restrictions against Hong Kong authorities

More than 50 Hong Kong pro-democracy activists were arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of violating the city's national security law. This is being seen as the biggest crackdown yet against the opposition camp under the contentious new legislation.

An American citizen working for a law firm was among those arrested. According to an AFP report, John Clancy, a solicitor with the law firm Ho Tse Wai and Partners -- a firm known for taking on human rights cases -- was arrested on suspicion of "subversion".

Police also arrived at the offices of pro-democracy online media outlet Stand News, according to live footage on its website.

The arrests&nbsp;also included former lawmakers and activists James To, Lam Cheuk-ting and Lester Shum, according to the Democratic Party's Facebook page and public broadcaster RTHK.

The Democratic Party's Facebook page said police arrested the activists for participating in an independently organised, unofficial ballot in July 2020 to select democratic candidates for a legislature election, which the Hong Kong government and Beijing warned at the time may violate the new law.

The legislative election was due in September last year but was postponed, with authorities citing coronavirus risks.

The attempt to win a majority in the 70-seat city legislature, which some candidates said could be used to block government proposals and increase pressure for democratic reforms, was seen as an "act of subversion, in violation of the national security law".

The security law punishes what China broadly defines as secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in jail and has been condemned by the West and human rights groups as a tool to crush dissent in the former British colony.

Hong Kong was promised a high degree of autonomy unavailable elsewhere in China when it returned to Beijing rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" agreement. Since the imposition of the security law, leading pro-democracy activists such as media tycoon Jimmy Lai have been arrested, some democratic lawmakers have been disqualified, activists have fled into exile, and protest slogans and songs have been declared illegal.

(with inputs from agencies)

More than 50 Hong Kong pro-democracy activists were arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of violating the city's national security law. This is being seen as the biggest crackdown yet against the opposition camp under the contentious new legislation.

More than 50 Hong Kong pro-democracy activists were arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of violating the city's national security law. This is being seen as the biggest crackdown yet against the opposition camp under the contentious new legislation. An American citizen working for a law firm was among those arrested. According to an AFP report, John Clancy, a solicitor with the law firm Ho Tse Wai and Partners -- a firm known for taking on human rights cases -- was arrested on suspicion of "subversion". Police also arrived at the offices of pro-democracy online media outlet Stand News, according to live footage on its website. The arrests also included former lawmakers and activists James To, Lam Cheuk-ting and Lester Shum, according to the Democratic Party's Facebook page and public broadcaster RTHK. The Democratic Party's Facebook page said police arrested the activists for participating in an independently organised, unofficial ballot in July 2020 to select democratic candidates for a legislature election, which the Hong Kong government and Beijing warned at the time may violate the new law. The legislative election was due in September last year but was postponed, with authorities citing coronavirus risks. The attempt to win a majority in the 70-seat city legislature, which some candidates said could be used to block government proposals and increase pressure for democratic reforms, was seen as an "act of subversion, in violation of the national security law". The security law punishes what China broadly defines as secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in jail and has been condemned by the West and human rights groups as a tool to crush dissent in the former British colony. Hong Kong was promised a high degree of autonomy unavailable elsewhere in China when it returned to Beijing rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" agreement. Since the imposition of the security law, leading pro-democracy activists such as media tycoon Jimmy Lai have been arrested, some democratic lawmakers have been disqualified, activists have fled into exile, and protest slogans and songs have been declared illegal. (with inputs from agencies)

American among democracy activists arrested in Hong Kong under national security law

Hong Kong residents on Wednesday (January 6) expressed shock over police arrests of dozens of leading democratic activists on suspicion of violating the city's controversial security law.

Hong Kong residents shocked by mass arrests

European Union on Wednesday called for release of dozens of opposition figures in Hong Kong. The EU also said that it was eyeing imposing more sanctions on China over its crackdown on pro-democracy activists, leaders and businessmen.

"We are currently analysing the situation to see how we might need to react. There are other possibilities open to us, sanctions for example," European Commission spokesman Peter Stano told journalists.

He said that the sanctions if imposed, will have to be unanimously agreed by EU's 27 member states. The states had come together in July 2019 to slap sanctions on China when it passed the controversial National Security Law. The law was invoked by China to stamp out dissent in Hong Kong.

Under a treaty China signed ahead of it taking back Hong Kong from British colonial rule in 1997, Beijing committed to maintain a "one country, two systems" approach guaranteeing relative autonomy in the territory for 50 years.

(With AFP inputs)

European Union on Wednesday called for release of dozens of opposition figures in Hong Kong. The EU also said that it was eyeing imposing more sanctions on China over its crackdown on pro-democracy activists, leaders and businessmen.

European Union on Wednesday called for release of dozens of opposition figures in Hong Kong. The EU also said that it was eyeing imposing more sanctions on China over its crackdown on pro-democracy activists, leaders and businessmen. "We are currently analysing the situation to see how we might need to react. There are other possibilities open to us, sanctions for example," European Commission spokesman Peter Stano told journalists. He said that the sanctions if imposed, will have to be unanimously agreed by EU's 27 member states. The states had come together in July 2019 to slap sanctions on China when it passed the controversial National Security Law. The law was invoked by China to stamp out dissent in Hong Kong. Under a treaty China signed ahead of it taking back Hong Kong from British colonial rule in 1997, Beijing committed to maintain a "one country, two systems" approach guaranteeing relative autonomy in the territory for 50 years. (With AFP inputs)

EU threatens China of more sanctions, wants Hong Kong opposition figures released

Around 50 pro-democracy activists have been arrested in Hong Kong under the new National Security Law imposed by Beijing. This happens to be the biggest crackdown yet against the pro-democracy movement.

Beijing calls the arrests of Hong Kong activists 'a necessary measure'

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Hong Kong Film Festival makes plans for hybrid edition

Hong Kong's new top judge points to importance of city's rule of law

Hong Kong's new top judge points to importance of city's rule of law

News Alert: China planning to change HK's electoral system says report

China plans further Hong Kong crackdown after mass arrest: Sources

Hong Kong website listing police data gets blocked, raising censorship fears

US, Canada, Britain, Australia condemn Hong Kong arrests of activists

World Leaders criticise HK's mass arrest by issuing joint statement

Hong Kong slams West for 'double standards' after allegations of illegal arrests of activists

UN says 'deeply concerned' at Hong Kong dissident arrests, China rejects criticism

Jailed Hong Kong democracy leader Joshua Wong arrested for 'subversion'

Pompeo threatens US sanctions over Hong Kong mass arrests

UK rebukes China for mass arrests in Hong Kong