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Thread: Hong Kong protests

  1. #31
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    Nothing upstages political turmoil like...

    ...a hot cop.

    Bryan Ke·August 22, 2019·4 min read
    ‘Hot’ Hong Kong Policewoman is At Least Something Both Sides Can Agree On



    A policewoman from Hong Kong has gone viral after she was filmed in a Facebook live video.

    Eagle-eyed netizens spotted the policewoman during HK Apple Daily’s live stream on Facebook on Saturday.

    The woman who can be seen wearing a casual white shirt, vest and a police helmet, was outside the Western Police Station in Sai Ying Pun at the time of the video, according to Mothership.


    Screenshot via Facebook / HK Apple Daily

    She was reportedly asking the identification of the three men in the video after being stopped by a group of riot police.


    Screenshot via Facebook / HK Apple Daily

    Her popularity skyrocketed overnight. Social media users quickly scoured the internet to find more information about the woman and managed to unearth her supposed Instagram account.


    Instagram via Mothership

    The unwanted attention quickly boosted her follower base to over 31,700.


    Screenshot via Instagram

    Her overnight fame attracted mixed reactions, from admirers to people insulting Hong Kong officers.


    Screenshot via Facebook / HK Apple Daily

    Some went as far as tracking down the very first post she made, digging up pictures from early in her career, and posting them on online forums.


    Instagram via Mothership

    On Tuesday, August 20, the policewoman reportedly turned her Instagram into private.

    Featured image screenshot via Facebook and Instagram / HK Apple Daily (left) and Mothership (right)
    THREADS
    Anti terrorist police in China.
    Hong Kong protests
    Gene Ching
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  2. #32
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    political desserts

    Taipan mooncakes pulled from shelves in mainland China after founder’s son denounced for supporting Hong Kong protests
    Company’s signature mooncakes taken off sale after state media denounces Garic Kwok over Facebook posts that ‘ridiculed the government and police’
    Blacklisting comes at busiest time of year for mooncake makers and one mainland importer said it would take a big financial hit as a result
    Zhuang Pinghui
    Published: 5:31pm, 2 Sep, 2019


    Garic Kwok apologised for the Facebook posts. Photo: Weibo

    Mainland Chinese retailers have stopped selling a popular Hong Kong brand of mooncakes after state media denounced the son of the founder for supporting the protests in Hong Kong.
    Taipan Bread and Cake, which is best known for its snowy mooncakes, appears to have been taken off two of the mainland’s biggest e-commerce sites Tmall.com and JD.com after Garic Kwok, a company director, was criticised in an article published in People’s Daily, the Communist Party’s official mouthpiece, on Monday.
    On Monday morning, searches for the brand results in “no relevant information” on Tmall.com, and the store could not be found on JD.com.
    Tmall is operated by Alibaba, which also owns the South China Morning Post. Both Tmall and JD have not responded to requests for comment.
    Mooncakes are traditionally eaten during the Mid Autumn festival, which falls later this month, so this is the peak season for mooncake sales.
    A staff member from Yingming Kailai Technology and Trade Development Company, which imports the cakes for mainland supermarkets and Tmall, said the product had been removed from the shelves of stores in Beijing. The items have also been taken off sale in other major cities such as Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
    Liu Shuting, who is responsible for store sales in the capital, said all the firm’s products had been withdrawn and the company was losing a lot of money.
    “I can’t control what Mr Kwok said. I think the products are fine but we will have to suffer a big financial loss because of what he said,” Liu said.


    Snowy mooncakes are popular at this time of year. Photo: Facebook

    The blacklisting follows an attack in party mouthpiece People’s Daily that criticised Kwok’s Facebook posts for supporting the “activities of those dressed in black”, and “forwarding pictures to ridicule the government and police, which has aroused public anger”.
    Listed as evidence were Kwok’s posts on Facebook late last week, which included a drone picture of a protest that he described as “Hongkongers forming a pro-democracy human chain across the city” and another picture that said people who supported the Hong Kong police must “have a lack of empathy … and are inferior, selfish and arrogant”.
    People’s Daily’s article has been widely recirculated by other mainland media, including the nationalist tabloid Global Times.
    Kwok apologised and deleted the posts, but could not stop the criticism from snowballing.
    “What I said and shared in Facebook is personal and not related to Taipan Bread & Cakes. I hereby apologise if they have caused misunderstanding or offended anyone,” Kwok posted on Friday.
    The apology was shared by the brand’s account on Weibo, accompanied by another statement that Kwok’s remarks did not reflect the company’s stance.
    Both apologies were badly received by mainland internet users, who criticised them for being insincere and insisted on a boycott.
    “So he basically said, I am against the mainland but I am not against making money from mainlanders,” said one Weibo user.
    “We don’t accept apologies from anyone or any organisation that erred on major issues of principle. I am warning you, if you don’t agree that you are a Chinese, just get out of China with your products and money,” wrote another Weibo user.
    Hong Kong is currently in its 13th week of anti-government protests, which have triggered a nationalistic backlash in mainland media and online.
    Many brands and celebrities, from bubble tea stores to luxury brands, have come under fire for their perceived stance on the issue.

    This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Mooncakes pulled after firm’s boss denounced
    THREADS
    Happy Autumn Moon !!!
    Hong Kong protests
    Gene Ching
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  3. #33
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    political games


    Mahjong parlours and ‘Fujian gangsters’: how the peaceful New Territories town of Tsuen Wan became a flashpoint in Hong Kong’s protests

    The former industrial suburb was rocked by clashes between anti-government protesters and suspected triads on successive weekends
    Outbreaks of violence and subsequent clashes with police have shocked locals, who believed town to be safe
    Mandy Zheng
    Published: 10:00am, 31 Aug, 2019


    Located near the coastal line with sufficient water resources, Tsuen Wan gained popularity among mainland business owners in the mid-20th century, who established cotton mills and enamel factories in the region. Photo: Martin Chan

    “Compared with Central, the only thing Tsuen Wan doesn’t have is luxury stores,” Eva Chan Yee-wah jokes.
    For the 26-year-old Tsuen Wan resident, her neighbourhood is time-worn yet vibrant and well-established.
    “My friends and I seldom leave here to hang out, because we’ve got everything – tons of shopping malls, great food, a museum and a library, even bars for those who crave nightlife.”
    But things have somehow changed since a month ago.
    “Now I don’t go out alone at night any more,” says Chan, a young mother.
    It all started when locals witnessed a violent incident at 11pm on August 5, during which protesters got into fights with a group of men dressed in white and wielding knives. At least four people on either side were injured, some with deep lacerations and bloody wounds.
    Earlier that day, a strike against the now-shelved extradition bill took place at eight locations around Hong Kong, including Tsuen Wan. It was the first time that the western New Territories town had seen protesters besieging a local police station, and eventually confronting suspected “Fujian gangsters” based in the area.
    Another brawl took place a week later in the small hours of August 12, when men dressed in white T-shirts attacked black-clad protesters, an incident that soon escalated into a bloody conflict where each camp used weapons such as knives, glass bottles, bricks and bamboo sticks.
    The scene broke out at Yi Pei Square, home to the Fujianese community which is widely regarded as pro-government. Some from the area are rumoured to be members of local gangs who took part in the former clash between protesters and residents.
    When protesters took to the streets in Tsuen Wan again last Sunday, some raided Mahjong parlours and gaming centres at Yi Pei Square, as they believed these were owned by triads.


    One of the textiles factories that thrived in Tsuen Wan in the late 20th century. Photo: Handout

    When police soon came to stop them from vandalising businesses, an officer fired a shot into the air amid chaos at nearly 9pm, marking the first time live ammunition had been used in the 12 weekends of anti-government protests.
    “I was astonished when I learned the police actually fired. I never thought Tsuen Wan would become this unsafe,” says local resident Lee Sheung-man, 26.
    So why is Tsuen Wan known as a notorious hub of mahjong and gambling parlours controlled by Fujian gangs, which other districts are their strongholds, and how has this one has turned into a recent protest battlefield?

    A triad hub?

    Hong Kong saw a flood of mainland Chinese immigrants in 1949 after the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Located near the coast with sufficient water resources, Tsuen Wan soon gained popularity among mainland Chinese business owners, who established cotton mills and enamel factories in the region. By 1971, it had become the largest industrial area in Hong Kong, accounting for about 20 per cent of the city’s total output value.


    A view of Tsuen Wan in the early 1960s. Photo: Handout

    As job opportunities increased, workers from Shanghai and Fujian swarmed into these factories and gradually formed clannish communities. Since then, the Yi Pei Square area has turned into one of the neighbourhoods with a distinguished population of Fujianese immigrants.
    “Yi” literally means “the second” in Cantonese, and Pei Square is a unique example of residential design in Tsuen Wan. Typically in such a neighbourhood, four lines of tenement buildings laid out in the shape of a square create an encompassed area, at the centre of which residents can gather and hang out, free from disturbance from the outside world. There are restaurants and leisure facilities on the ground floors of the buildings.


    Tsuen Wan Town Hall. Photo: Edmond So

    This design is likely to have been inspired by the walled city in ancient times, which could be traced back to the Tang dynasty, according to an advisory report commissioned by Tsuen Wan District Council in 2010. There are four closely located Pei Squares in the area, the first one being home to a South Asian community, and the other two famed for their dai pai dongs and noodle shops.

    The Mills, located in the former Nam Fung cotton factory in Tsuen Wan. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

    Though it has hidden gems for gourmets, the Pei Square area is also notorious for being “jumbled”, says Eva Chan. “It has long been rumoured that Yi Pei Square is a triad camp. When I was a kid, my mum would warn me that I shouldn’t go there alone.”


    Tsuen Wan West MTR station, one of two which serves the town. Photo: Handout

    “They own a couple of mahjong parlours and restaurants, and it’s said that they also earn money from protection rackets and illicit brothels,” Chan says.
    Local news reports show that in the past few years, police have raided illegal prostitution and mahjong gambling venues at Yi Pei Square.
    continued next post
    Gene Ching
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  4. #34
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    Continued from previous post

    From “Shallow Bay” to Tsuen Wan

    Although the New Territories is no stranger to deeply rooted local triads, Tsuen Wan is largely perceived as a peaceful and liveable neighbourhood for middle-class households, according to Chan.
    Her pride in the town’s abundant public facilities and leisure venues is well-founded. Back in 1961, Tsuen Wan was the first to
    be developed under the British colonial government's New Town project, aiming at dispersing the city’s booming population in Kowloon and Hong Kong Island to the New Territories.


    Anti-government protesters march from Kwai Chung Sports Ground to Tsuen Wan Park on August 25. Photo: Dickson Lee

    Infrastructure such as two MTR lines, motorways, ports and public housing was established in the following decades. With notably long pedestrian overpasses connecting the MTR stations and shopping malls, Tsuen Wan has earned the name “the overpass town”.
    Land reclamation was also a major element in urban development. To date, a total of 140 hectares of land has been reclaimed from the sea in Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung.
    These efforts have greatly changed Tsuen Wan’s image from earlier times, when the town was seen as a land of scarcity by authorities and Hongkongers. The first historical record of residents in the area dates from 1649, which was then called “Tsin Wan”, i.e. “Shallow Bay” in Cantonese.


    Demonstrators smash a mahjong shop during protests in Tsuen Wan on August 25. Photo: AP

    In the 20th century, a local scholar changed “Tsin” into “Tsuen”, meaning herb or fishing gear in ancient Chinese. Despite having a more elegant name, the town still repelled outsiders due to the prevalence of pirates and malaria.
    There was even a popular saying among merchants: “Want to get rich? Go to San Francisco; Want to get killed? Go to Tsuen Wan” .
    When the British took over the New Territories in 1898, the town had about 3,000 residents. Now its population has grown to more than 300,000, 93 per cent of those ethnic Chinese, according to government statistics from 2016.

    What are the local charms?

    With most factories having moved to mainland China, Tsuen Wan is now left with empty industrial buildings that residents seldom visit. The Urban Renewal Authority began to rejuvenate the town in the late 2000s, an initiative that has been largely successful.
    One of the iconic projects is The Mills, a previously disused cluster of cotton mills that was transformed into a complex of art and exhibition centres, along with fashionable cafes and shops. It was reopened last December after four years of refurbishment.


    Police clash with extradition bill protesters in Tsuen Wan on August 25. Photo: Reuters

    “It’s like the second PMQ,” Chan says. “People from other areas used to come to Tsuen Wan for food, but now more youngsters are visiting here to check out places like The Mills.”
    For another resident Lee, some of her best memories in the neighbourhood are associated with Tsuen Wan Town Hall, a government-managed venue built in 1980 that hosts plays and exhibitions. “It’s our own Romerberg, where locals meet up and just chill,” she says.
    “The kai fong [townspeople] here like to talk about things related to livelihood, such as which schools are better. We don’t care that much about politics,” Lee adds.
    “I used to think we lived in our own bubble. But now the protests are changing everything.”
    THREADS
    Mahjong
    Hong Kong protests
    Gene Ching
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  5. #35
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    political desserts part 2

    Chinese importer says entire stock of Taipan mooncakes will be destroyed after backlash against Hong Kong baker
    Manager of trading company says ‘huge amount’ of Taipan Bread and Cakes brand pastries were returned after mainland media storm over bakery director’s pro-protest Facebook posts
    Zhuang Pinghui
    Published: 5:39pm, 5 Sep, 2019


    An importer for Taipan Bread and Cakes, the Hong Kong baker known for its “snowy” mooncakes, may have to destroy returned stock after a social media controversy. Photo: FACEBOOK

    A mainland Chinese importer of a popular Hong Kong mooncake brand caught up in a protest controversy said it would have to destroy stock because it could not cope with the volume of goods being returned.
    Wu Haotian, general manager of Yonghuasheng Trading, told the Southern Metropolis News that “a huge amount of mooncakes” made by Hong Kong-based Taipan Bread and Cakes had been sent back by retailers after a director of the pastry company was denounced in mainland media for supporting anti-government protests in the city.
    “The amount is so great that we haven’t calculated exactly how much have come back yet,” Wu said on Wednesday.
    He said his company had talked to mainland partners about cutting their losses.


    Taipan Bread and Cakes director Garic Kwok faced a mainland media backlash after Facebook comments about demonstrations in Hong Kong. Photo: Weibo

    “Those returned orders cannot be sent back to Hong Kong,” he was quoted as saying. “The only solution might be to destroy them eventually.”
    Phone calls to Wu at Guangzhou-based Yonghuasheng Trading on Thursday went unanswered.
    On Monday, Taipan mooncakes were pulled from shelves in mainland stores, supermarkets and online shopping sites after bakery director Garic Kwok was criticised for comments he made on his personal Facebook account last month.
    One post included an aerial photo of a protest that Kwok described as “Hongkongers forming a pro-democracy human chain across the city”. Another post said supporters of Hong Kong police must “have a lack of empathy … and are inferior, selfish and arrogant”.
    Mainland media, including Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily, attacked Kwok as “supporting activities of those dressed in black” and “forwarding pictures to ridicule the government and police”.
    The businessman deleted the offending posts on Friday and apologised, distancing his business from his personal views.
    Taipan, known for its “snowy” mooncakes, said on Weibo on Friday that Kwok’s views were not those of the company.
    But the damage to its reputation and business on the mainland was done.
    On Saturday, mainland retailers began demanding distributors withdraw Taipan products. First, two major online retailer sites – JD.com, and Tmall.com, which is operated by Alibaba, owner of the South China Morning Post – pulled the goods from their websites.
    Later that day, Taipan products were cleared from supermarkets and shopping malls across China.
    Yonghuasheng Trading said on Sunday that the company had not been aware of Kwok’s posts and, as a Chinese company, Kwok’s remarks did not represent it.
    “All the goods were bought with good money. Every box of mooncakes was declared to customs and tax was paid … I hope consumers understand us,” the company said.
    On Monday, Wu posted a message saying “I am Chinese” and a Chinese national flag emoji on his WeChat account.
    Months of protests in Hong Kong have triggered a nationalistic backlash in mainland media and online. Many brands, from bubble tea stores to luxury brands, and celebrities have fallen under their spotlight for their position on Hong Kong’s protests.
    THREADS
    Happy Autumn Moon !!!
    Hong Kong protests
    Gene Ching
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  6. #36
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    “I’ll just make less then”

    This guy...

    'I’ll just make less then’: Actor Chow Yun-fat responds to alleged PRC ban for supporting HK protests
    by Shanghaiist May 5, 2018 in News

    When asked about being banned in mainland China after voicing support for the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, actor Chow Yun-fat simply replied, “I’ll just make less then”.
    Chow was asked by reporters at Kowloon Park after news had surfaced that the Chinese central government had put him on a blacklist.


    Yuen Chan
    @xinwenxiaojie
    Chow Yun-fatt shows why he is a #HK screen god. Asked abt being banned on Mainland: "I'll just make less then"

    View image on Twitter
    259
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    In early October, the Hong Kong celebrity spoke out in support of the student sit-ins, which just entered their unlikely fifth week, during an interview with Apple Daily.
    “I’ve met the residents, the students — they are very brave and it’s touching to see that they’re fighting for what they want. The students are reasonable. If the government can come up with a solution that the citizens or students are satisfied with, I believe the crisis will end.”
    Chow, who has in the past been praised for his graciousness and general likability, also criticized the police’s use of tear gas on demonstrators during the first week of peaceful sit-ins.
    “When the government uses violent measures on students, it’s a turn-off for the people of Hong Kong,” he said. “I don’t wish to see anyone getting hurt… it was a peaceful demonstration, and there was no need for any violence or tear gas.”
    Chow is among a contingent of famous figures from Hong Kong and Taiwan who’ve voiced support for the protesters, including Hong Kong singer Denise Ho, actor Tony Leung and actor-singer Andy Lau. Even American saxophonist Kenny G stumbled out of obscurity and into the scene, inciting a mild political scandal when he posed for photos with students at a protest site.
    Hong Kong singer Anthony Wong, who’s also taken part in the demonstrations, told The New York Times that two of his mainland China shows in November have been “indefinitely postponed” by organizers.
    “I’m just guessing, but I think they are trying to ban us because they’re afraid of different views,” he said. “They fear that we would spread them. And of course it’s an attempt to punish us, a cold-shoulder treatment of sorts, so we can’t earn their money.”
    The threat of being cut off doesn’t seem to faze Chow, who’s already happily announced that he’s got plenty enough money to share (and will).


    THREADS
    Chow Yun Fat
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  7. #37
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    More follow up on Xu & HK

    I'm surprised the PRC hasn't Bingbinged Xu yet.

    AUG 19
    ‘There are no rioters’: Chinese fighter breaks ranks to defend Hongkongers

    Photo: SCMP/Tom Wang
    by Qin Chen

    Over the past week, nationalist fury has enveloped China’s internet, prompting actors, musicians and other public figures in the mainland to criticize the continuing anti-government protests in Hong Kong.

    Against this backdrop, outspoken Chinese mixed martial arts fighter Xu Xiaodong has bucked the trend by speaking up for Hongkongers on social media.

    On Sunday, Xu, who has controversially made a name for himself by challenging what he calls “fake” kung fu masters, wrote on Twitter that Hong Kong is a world-class free market with quality higher education and a robust entertainment industry.

    He condemned some violent clashes between protesters and police as illegal acts that must be punished according to the law. But, he added, those were individual cases and should not be amplified to drive a wedge between Hongkongers and mainlanders.

    徐晓冬 北京格斗狂人
    @Xuxiaodong3

    1,403
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    “You can’t call all Hongkongers rioters. Can you call all 7 million Hong Kong residents rioters? Can you call 2 million demonstrators rioters?” Xu told Inkstone.

    “Hong Kong is a member of our family. We should love and protect Hongkongers, and stand in unity with them. There are no rioters in Hong Kong, only unlawful individuals,” he added.

    Xu’s remarks pit himself against increasingly tough rhetoric in state-run media calling for the Hong Kong unrest to be put down by force.

    Last Monday, China’s official news agency Xinhua called the protesters rioters, saying they had created “black terror,” in reference to their black T-shirts. This happened after a weekend of violent clashes.


    Millions of protestors attended a peaceful rally in Hong Kong on Sunday afternoon. Photo: SCMP/Dickson Lee

    One of the movement’s main demands is for the Hong Kong government to withdraw the use of the word “riot” in relation to protests. Anyone found guilty of rioting faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.

    Xu told Inkstone that after posting about Hong Kong on Twitter, he was visited at home by the authorities and questioned about his views.

    Sunday marked the beginning of the 11th consecutive week of protests in Hong Kong. The movement began in June against a now-suspended extradition bill, but it has evolved into a wider call for greater democracy and protecting Hong Kong's civil liberties.

    Xu did point out that Hong Kong is part of Chinese territory and said China should honor the “one country, two systems” framework underpinning its relationship with Hong Kong.

    His supportive comments about Hong Kong put him squarely at odds with the larger nationalist movement, which went into overdrive in mainland China last week after a Chinese journalist was beaten and tied up by protesters at Hong Kong’s airport.


    In 2017, a video of Xu knocking out tai chi master Wei Lei in 10 seconds went viral.

    Xu is best known for exposing what he calls “fake” kung fu masters in high-profile matches.

    His outspoken challenges to the martial arts establishment have previously have brought him lawsuits.

    But the possible consequences don’t seem to hold Xu back from speaking his mind on contentious issues.

    When asked if he was concerned about deviating from the official mainland Chinese view on Hong Kong, Xu said he was worried but wanted to exercise his right to speak freely, citing the Chinese constitution.


    Qin Chen
    Qin is a multimedia producer at Inkstone. Most recently, she was a senior video producer for The New Yorker’s video team. Prior to that she was at CNBC, making short documentaries and writing about how technology shapes lives.
    THREADS
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  8. #38
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    Protester tries to strike officer with a stick. What did he think would happen?

    EU and Britain urge restraint and de-escalation after Hong Kong police officer shoots protester during National Day clashes
    ‘Use of live ammunition is disproportionate, and only risks inflaming the situation,’ British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab says.
    Teenaged protester was hit in the chest by a live round in Tsuen Wan as Beijing celebrated 70th anniversary of founding of the People’s Republic of China.
    Owen Churchill
    Published: 12:24am, 2 Oct, 2019


    Riot police fire non-lethal rounds to disperse protesters in the Admiralty district of Hong Kong on Sunday. The violence escalated on Tuesday when an officer shot a protester at close range in the chest with a live round. Photo: Bloomberg

    The European Union and Britain urged restraint from authorities in Hong Kong on Tuesday after a police officer shot a protester in the city with a live round.
    “Whilst there is no excuse for violence, the use of live ammunition is disproportionate, and only risks inflaming the situation,” Britain’s Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement.
    Police said the shooting occurred at around 4pm local time (4am US Eastern time) in Tsuen Wan, amid demonstrations held to coincide with celebrations in Beijing marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
    Video footage of the incident showed the protester, an 18-year-old man, attempting to strike the police officer with a stick, before being shot in the chest and collapsing to the ground. He underwent lung surgery and was in a non-life threatening condition, according to a source.


    A protester runs after setting a government office building on fire in Hong Kong on Tuesday. Demonstrations spread across the city as Beijing celebrated the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Photo: AP

    A Hong Kong police force spokeswoman said in a video posted to the force’s Facebook page that the officer had feared for his safety and had acted to “save his own life and his colleagues’ lives”.
    Calling on both anti-government protesters and Hong Kong authorities to de-escalate the conflict, Raab said the incident “underlines the need for a constructive dialogue to address the legitimate concerns of the people of Hong Kong”.
    Speaking to reporters on Tuesday after the shooting, EU spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic said the bloc “continues to stress that that dialogue, de-escalation and restraint are the only way forward”.
    “More than three months since the protests began, the right to assembly and the right to protest peacefully must continue to be upheld in line with the [Hong Kong] Basic Law and international commitments,” Kocijancic said.
    Tuesday’s incident, which occurred during a day of demonstrations billed by protesters as an act of “national mourning”, cast a shadow over mainland celebrations of the anniversary of China’s founding in 1949.
    Hong Kong’s embattled leader, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, faced criticism from pan-democratic lawmakers in Hong Kong for attending the Beijing festivities, which featured a military parade with thousands of troops and a flaunting of China’s latest advanced weaponry.
    In Tiananmen Square, President Xi Jinping said in a speech that no force could “shake the status of our great motherland”.
    Lam’s appearance at the parade, which was also attended by several Hong Kong police officers, was “tantamount to authorising police to administer Hong Kong”, two dozen Hong Kong legislators said in a joint statement.
    “The members of the democratic camp urge Lam to stop pretending to be communicating [with the public, and to stop] relying on police violence,” the statement said. “She must face the problems and respond to protesters’ five demands.”


    A member of the media receives medical aid after being hit in the face with a projectile fired by police during clashes with protesters on Sunday. Photo: AFP

    Last week, Lam met with more than 130 Hongkongers in a town hall-style event, at which she came under fire over her handling of unrest in the city, including her ongoing refusal to approve an independent inquiry into allegations of police brutality.
    Lam offered few new commitments at the event, but vowed that detained protesters would no longer be sent to the San Uk Ling detention centre, where those held in custody have allegedly been maltreated.
    Speaking on Tuesday, the EU’s Kocijancic said that while “initial positive steps to engage members of the public and various sectors of society in dialogue have been taken, further efforts are needed to restore trust”.
    THREADS
    70th anniversary of People’s Republic
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  9. #39
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    Gregory Wong

    Hong Kong actor Gregory Wong may be stopped from attending ‘Chinese-language Oscars’ over his role in anti-government protest
    Television star bailed and told not to leave city over unlawful presence inside Legislative Council on July 1
    Wong had planned to go to Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival next month
    Chris Lau
    Published: 5:15pm, 3 Oct, 2019


    Actor Gregory Wong arrives at Eastern Court ahead of his appearance. May Tse

    An outspoken Hong Kong actor’s plan to visit next month’s “Chinese Oscars” in Taiwan are under threat, because a court has barred him from leaving town after he was charged over his role in an anti-government protest.
    Gregory Wong Chung-yiu, 41, appeared at Eastern Court on Thursday morning alongside Ma Kai-chung, 30, a reporter for localist news outlet Passion Times, to face charges in relation to their presence inside the Legislative Council during a demonstration on July 1.
    Both were charged with one count of entering or remaining in precincts of chamber on the day of city’s handover anniversary, contravening an administrative order under the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) ordinance.
    Magistrate Veronica Heung Shuk-han released the pair on HK$2,000 bail, with the condition they not set foot in the Legislative Council, or the streets nearby including Lung Wo Road, Harcourt Road, Legislative Council Road, and Tim Wah Avenue.
    She also ordered them not to leave Hong Kong, but told Wong he could apply for an exemption when he had plans to travel.
    Outside court, Wong revealed his plan to attend the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival in November, an annual event dubbed the “Chinese-language Oscars”, which have been boycotted by Beijing amid tense relations with the self-ruled island.

    The actor, known for his pro-democracy stance, said the idea to attend sprang from a discussion with a Taiwanese friend, and he thought it would be meaningful if he showed support to the event during this “wave of boycott”.
    “It will be a worthy thing to attend this film awards ceremony fearlessly in the hope that it would no longer have to face persecution,” he said.
    The actor, who rose to fame after starring in online television drama The Menu, in which he played a courageous reporter in search of the truth, said he felt he had become a target of persecution in real life.
    “I believe that the police are trying to put out some sort of white terror towards people who come out to voice out their demands for Hong Kong, peacefully or otherwise,” he said.


    Reporter Ma Kai-chung leaves Eastern Court after being released on bail. Photo: Chris Lau

    Both Wong and Ma were not required to enter a plea. They will return to the same court on December 13.
    Video footage is believed to have captured Ma’s presence inside Legco between 9.23pm and 10.37pm, while Wong made a brief appearance at 11.47pm.
    On Monday, seven others, including former University of Hong Kong student union president Althea Suen, were also charged with entering Legco on the same day.


    Former University of Hong Kong student union president Althea Suen arrives at Eastern Court. Photo: Handout

    The July 1 protest started peacefully, as demonstrators took aim at the now-abandoned extradition bill.
    But some protesters later broke into the Legco building and chambers, trashing it and causing millions of dollars worth of damage in the process.
    In another courtroom, e-sport player Cheung Ho-fai, 23, faced a charge of conspiracy to riot, while construction worker Shum Hiu-lun, 25, was charged with one count of riot, and a further of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, before Principal Magistrate Bina Chainrai.
    Cheung was accused of rioting in an unspecified location with unknown people on October 1. Shum allegedly took part in a riot outside the Wan Chan Police Headquarters on June 26, and is accused of assaulting off-duty officer Cheung Kam-fuk that day.
    Shum was granted a cash bail of HK$10,000, while Cheung paid HK$5,000. They were both ordered to observe a curfew and not to leave Hong Kong.
    Shum will return to court on October 31. Cheung will return on November 29.
    THREADS
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  10. #40
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    Hong Kong protests

    Launching this thread because I predict there will be more emoji news forthcoming. It's all about emojis nowadays.

    Taiwan flag emoji disappears from latest Apple iPhone keyboard
    5 October 2019 12:22 Kris Cheng 3 min read

    The Republic of China flag emoji has disappeared from Apple iPhone’s keyboard for Hong Kong and Macau users. The change happened for users who updated their phones to the latest operating system.

    Updating iPhones to iOS 13.1.1 or above caused the flag emoji to disappear from the emoji keyboard. The flag, commonly used by users to denote Taiwan, can still be displayed by typing “Taiwan” in English, and choosing the flag in prediction candidates.

    The change was spotted by Hong Kong online forum users recently. The iOS 13.1.1 update rolled out at the end of September in order to fix bugs.

    王博源 Wang Boyuan

    @thisboyuan
    Apple’s region lock of ROC Taiwan flag ���� extended beyond CN devices to HK and Macau’s in the iOS/iPadOS 13.1.1 rollout. Interestingly, the new lock only affects the keyboard, and has no problem displaying and is easy to bypass by switching region. https://twitter.com/hirakujira/statu...27685443751936


    Hiraku
    @hirakujira
    iOS 13.1.1 之後,在香港、澳門的 Emoji 鍵盤不會出現中華民國國旗了 - https://ift.tt/2o0KUAo | Hiraku Dev

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    An HKFP reporter using an iPhone with iOS 13.1.2 also observed the change. Previously, the Taiwan flag emoji was banned on iPhone in China.

    According to an article on Hiraku, a blog about Apple devices, any device model with “CN” or “ZA” region – denoting China and Hong Kong – will not have access to the Taiwan emoji via the keyboard.

    If users have a device from another region, but they set the region to Hong Kong or Macau, the Taiwan emoji will also disappear. The Hiraku article stated that, before the 2018 model iPhone XS was released, the region code of Hong Kong was “ZP,” but it was changed to “ZA” after the iPhone XS was released.


    The Taiwan flag emoji can still be typed. Photo: HKFP.

    “This means that all Hong Kong devices since iPhone XS / XR with iOS 13.1.1 or above [do not] show Taiwanese (ROC) flag in Emoji keyboard any more, and there’s no workaround to pass this restriction,” the article said.

    “On the other hand, devices in other regions can add this restriction with software settings. If you want to try, just change your iOS 13.1.1+ device region to Hong Kong, and make sure that the interface language is not set to ‘Traditional Chinese (Taiwan),’ and then you can [find] that the Taiwanese flag is missing…”

    Last year, HKFP reported that the names of some Chinese state leaders and activists were deemed “inappropriate words” and censored shoppers hoping to engrave their iPad, iPod Touch or Apple Pencil with a custom message.

    Taiwan has been ruled by the Republic of China government since 1945 after Japan – which occupied the island for 50 years – was defeated in the Second World War. The People’s Republic of China claims that Taiwan is one of its provinces and does not recognise it as an independent country.

    Live map banned

    Meanwhile, an app showing the location of Hong Kong police deployments has been barred from the Apple app store.

    HKmap.live 全港抗爭即時地圖
    @hkmaplive
    "Your app contains content - or facilitates, enables, and encourages an activity - that is not legal ... Specifically, the app allowed users to evade law enforcement."@Apple assume our user are lawbreakers and therefore evading law enforcement, which is clearly not the case.

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    It was banned as Apple said the app contained content that “facilitates, enables and encourages” illegal activities, the app’s developer said on Twitter.

    “To make it clear, I still believe this is more a bureaucratic f up than censorship,” the developer said. “Everything can be used for illegal purpose [in] the wrong hand[s]. Our App is for info, and we do not encourage illegal activity.”

    The app is still available on Google Play store. Its website version is also available.
    THREADS
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  11. #41
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    Nba & hk

    Hong Kong Protests Put N.B.A. on Edge in China
    A tweet from the Houston Rockets general manager prompted a backlash in China, making things uncomfortable for a league used to its players and representatives speaking out on politics.


    The Houston Rockets and the New Orleans Pelicans during a preseason game in Shanghai in 2016.CreditCreditVisual China Group, via Getty Images

    By Daniel Victor
    Published Oct. 7, 2019
    Updated Oct. 8, 2019, 6:07 a.m. ET

    HONG KONG — The N.B.A. superstar LeBron James has routinely insulted President Trump. Two of the league’s most successful coaches, Steve Kerr and Gregg Popovich, have repeatedly slammed American lawmakers for inaction on gun legislation. And other basketball stars regularly speak out on social and political issues — police shootings, elections and racism — without fear of retribution from the league.

    But this weekend, a Houston Rockets executive unwittingly exposed an issue that may have been too much for the National Basketball Association: support for protesters in Hong Kong, which infuriated China.

    “Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong,” said a post on Twitter by Daryl Morey, the general manager of the Rockets. It was quickly deleted.

    But the damage was done, and the N.B.A. quickly moved to smooth things over in a lucrative market that generates millions of dollars in revenue. The league said it was “regrettable” that many Chinese fans were offended by the comment.

    On Tuesday, CCTV, China’s state broadcaster, said it would suspend broadcasts of the league’s preseason games played in China. Some initial Chinese reports of the broadcaster’s statement, which left room for uncertainty, indicated that the ban covered all preseason games.

    Sponsors in China paused their deals with the Rockets, and the country’s main broadcaster said it would remove the team’s games from its schedule. Two exhibition games scheduled for a low-level team affiliated with the Rockets were also canceled.

    The issue is familiar to Hollywood studios, major companies and individual athletes chasing business in a country with 1.4 billion people, and the N.B.A.’s reaction reflects a corporate sensitivity toward China’s low tolerance for criticism of its political system.

    The league’s statement, in turn, inflamed supporters of the Hong Kong protests and many fans in the United States, where the protesters are generally seen as battling a repressive government. Democratic and Republican politicians found agreement in calling the league gutless, accusing it of prioritizing money over human rights.

    Josh Hawley

    @HawleyMO
    Let’s make this real simple. @NBA should apologize for groveling to Chinese Communist Party and cancel all exhibition games in China until the situation in Hong Kong is resolved. Peacefully. With the rights of Hong Kong’s people protected. https://twitter.com/esaagar/status/1181293413091676161

    Saagar Enjeti

    @esaagar
    NEW: @HawleyMO writes in a letter to @NBA Commissioner Adam Silver:

    "You may not think of your League as an American undertaking, but whatever you think, what you say and do represents America to the world"

    Calls for end to all exhibition games in China


    4,222
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    Beto O'Rourke

    @BetoORourke
    The only thing the NBA should be apologizing for is their blatant prioritization of profits over human rights. What an embarrassment. https://twitter.com/sopandeb/status/...372025344?s=21

    Sopan Deb

    @SopanDeb
    NEW: the NBA has released a statement on Daryl Morey:


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    Morey’s original tweet, which he later apologized for in a two-part post, was defended by Senator Ted Cruz, who disagreed with the league’s decision to back away from the comments.

    Ted Cruz

    @tedcruz
    As a lifelong @HoustonRockets fan, I was proud to see @dmorey call out the Chinese Communist Party’s repressive treatment of protestors in Hong Kong.

    Now, in pursuit of big $$, the @nba is shamefully retreating. https://twitter.com/SopanDeb/status/1181006820372025344

    Sopan Deb

    @SopanDeb
    NEW: the NBA has released a statement on Daryl Morey:

    View image on Twitter
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    continued next post
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  12. #42
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    Continued from previous post

    Speaking ahead of a scheduled preseason game between the Rockets and Toronto Raptors in Japan, the N.B.A.’s commissioner, Adam Silver, acknowledged the fallout but said the league supported Morey’s right to free expression.

    “There is no doubt, the economic impact is already clear,” Silver told Kyodo News. “There have already been fairly dramatic consequences from that tweet, and I have read some of the media suggesting that we are not supporting Daryl Morey, but in fact we have.”

    On Tuesday, Silver tried again to limit the impact, saying that the league’s initial statement had left people “angered, confused or unclear on who we are or what the N.B.A. stands for.”
    “It is inevitable that people around the world — including from America and China — will have different viewpoints over different issues,” he said in a new statement. “It is not the role of the N.B.A. to adjudicate those differences.”

    He continued: “However, the N.B.A. will not put itself in a position of regulating what players, employees and team owners say or will not say on these issues. We simply could not operate that way.”

    James and the Los Angeles Lakers play two games in China this week against the Brooklyn Nets, a team owned by Joseph Tsai, the billionaire co-founder of the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba.

    Tsai said in a statement late Sunday that Hong Kong was a “third-rail issue” in China, calling the efforts by protesters a “separatist movement.” (Most protesters deny they are interested in independence, but the Chinese state media has at times depicted them that way.)

    Sopan Deb

    @SopanDeb
    NEW: The new owner of the Nets, Joe Tsai, has issued an open letter about the Morey situation: http://bit.ly/2nmCeUz


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    Tilman Fertitta, the owner of the Rockets and Morey’s boss, publicly rebuked Morey but said later that the general manager’s job was not in danger.

    Tilman Fertitta

    @TilmanJFertitta
    Listen....@dmorey does NOT speak for the @HoustonRockets. Our presence in Tokyo is all about the promotion of the @NBA internationally and we are NOT a political organization. @espn https://twitter.com/dmorey/status/1180312072027947008

    945
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    The N.B.A. is far from the first company to find itself forced to choose sides on geopolitical issues it never intended to be involved in, and to ultimately bow to China’s economic might.

    China is an attractive — and necessary — lure for nearly all global institutions, with an economy that while slowing, continues to grow at a pace that is the envy of many countries. Any threat to an ability to do business in China would have dire financial consequences for many multinational corporations.

    As a result, many companies have apologized or made concessions after angering China. In many cases, the companies found themselves scrambling to respond to comments or Twitter posts made by executives or other employees that generate unwanted attention on social networks.

    “Obviously corporations and others perceive that their business interests are at risk, so they are apologizing,” said Shanthi Kalathil, the senior director of the International Forum for Democratic Studies at the National Endowment for Democracy. “But where I would perceive the risks is at the level of reputation. These are well-respected global brands and there is reputational cost to simply going along with the party line.”

    In an effort to avoid losing access to Chinese airspace, Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong’s flagship airline, fired employees who wrote posts on social media in support of the protests. In August, Rupert Hogg, the airline’s chief executive, resigned.

    Nike, which endorses James, pulled some shoes after a fashion designer’s support for the Hong Kong protests sparked a social media backlash against the brand.

    The stakes are particularly high for the N.B.A. in China.

    Tencent Holdings, a Chinese tech conglomerate, reported that 490 million people watched N.B.A. programming on its platforms last year, including 21 million fans who watched Game 6 of the 2019 N.B.A. finals. By comparison, Nielsen measured 18.3 million viewers for the game on the American network ABC.

    The league recently announced a five-year extension of its partnership with Tencent to stream its games in China for a reported $1.5 billion.

    “This is a massive indicator for the perceived value and enormous potential of the China market,” Mailman, a sports digital marketing agency, wrote in a recent report.

    The N.B.A. has been similarly successful on Chinese social media. The league has 41.8 million followers on Weibo, a popular Chinese social network, compared with 38.6 million followers on Facebook and 28.4 million on Twitter.

    The involvement of the Rockets is particularly troublesome for the N.B.A., given the franchise’s longtime status as among the most popular team in China. Yao Ming, considered the crown jewel of Chinese basketball, played for the Rockets from 2002 to 2011.

    Yao is now the president of the Chinese Basketball Association, which suspended its relationship with the Rockets. It also canceled two NBA G League games scheduled for this month between affiliates of the Rockets and the Dallas Mavericks, said a person with knowledge of the decision who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

    Houston was the second-most-popular team in China behind the Golden State Warriors last year, according to Mailman. The team had 7.3 million followers on Weibo, compared with 2.9 million followers on Twitter.

    James Harden, a Rockets guard and one of the N.B.A.’s biggest stars, directly apologized to Chinese fans on Monday.

    “We apologize. We love China, we love playing there,” he told reporters in Tokyo, where the Rockets were preparing for their preseason game.

    “We go there once or twice a year. They show us the most support and love. We appreciate them as a fan base, and we love everything they’re about, and we appreciate the support that they give us,” said Harden, who three years ago spoke out about the shootings of two black men by police.

    Echoing China’s worldview, especially as it relates to its sovereignty over disputed territories, is considered a cost of doing business there, for both entertainers and companies.

    Gap was forced to apologize in 2017 after selling a shirt that featured a map of China that did not include Taiwan, a self-governing island off its southern coast. The Marriott International hotel chain apologized in January 2018 for listing Tibet, a region of western China, and Taiwan as countries in a customer survey.

    In February 2018, the German automaker Daimler apologized for using a quotation from the Dalai Lama, who is widely viewed as a Tibetan separatist in China, in a social media post from its Mercedes-Benz brand.

    In March 2018, China demanded that international airlines refer to Taiwan as part of China in their online booking systems, a request mocked by the White House as “Orwellian nonsense” but eventually obeyed by all major carriers.

    Movie studios frequently find themselves at odds with state censors in a country where notions of free expression do not apply but billions of dollars ride on international success.

    Disney, which has been more successful at navigating these waters than any other American entertainment company, is now in the position of promoting the live-action adaptation of “Mulan” after Crystal Yifei Liu, its Chinese-American star, prompted dueling backlash in the United States and China by supporting a crackdown on protesters by Hong Kong police.

    Disney, which had no comment, has inched forward in its positioning in China for decades, leading to the opening of Shanghai Disneyland in 2016 and spectacular results for films like the recent “Avengers: Endgame,” which took in $858 million in the United States and $614 million in China earlier this year. Last year, Chinese moviegoers bought an estimated $8.87 billion in movie tickets, up 9 percent from a year earlier, according to box office analysts.

    For its part, the N.B.A. has weathered outrage in China before. Last year, J.J. Redick, then of the Philadelphia 76ers, recorded a video for the Chinese New Year in which he appeared to use a racial slur for Chinese people, which he later said was an unintentional verbal slip. He apologized, but was roundly booed when he touched the ball during preseason games in Shanghai and Shenzhen.

    Claire Fu, Sopan Deb, Julie Creswell and Brooks Barnes contributed reporting.


    Correction: Oct. 8, 2019
    An earlier version of this article incorrectly described a Twitter post by Daryl Morey, the general manager of the Houston Rockets. Mr. Morey did not say, “Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong;” instead, he shared an image that read, “Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong.”

    Daniel Victor is a Hong Kong-based reporter, covering a wide variety of stories with a focus on breaking news. He joined The Times in 2012 from ProPublica. @bydanielvictor
    Sometimes, I find a really funny thread to copy something to - like this DAngerous Riot Breaks out at Basketball game... one that I'm copying this HK Protests news item to...
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  13. #43
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    Hope PRC doesn't...

    ...kill Kenny.

    Honestly, I'm amazed that South Park even played in PRC to begin with...

    OCTOBER 8, 2019 / 3:14 AM / UPDATED A DAY AGO
    'South Park' creators offer mocking 'apology' to China over episode

    3 MIN READ

    LOS ANGELES/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - The creators of satirical animated series “South Park” issued a mocking “apology” to China after media reports that episodes of the show were no longer available on some Chinese websites.

    The “Band in China” episode released on Oct. 2 critiqued China’s policies on free speech as well as the efforts of Hollywood to shape its movie and television content in recent years to avoid angering censors in the vast Chinese market.

    “Like the NBA, we welcome the Chinese censors into our homes and into our hearts. We too love money more than freedom,” Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of the irreverent Comedy Central show, wrote in a Twitter post titled “Official apology to China.”

    “Long live the Great Communist Party of China! May this autumn’s sorghum harvest be bountiful! We good now China?,” Parker and Stone added.

    A Reuters search online showed that iQiyi and Youku Tudou, two Chinese video streaming sites, both listed episodes of South Park available to view, but the actual episodes did not play when requested.

    Searching for the show’s name on Baidu Tieba, a popular online forum, and on Douban, a popular movie ratings site, did not yield any results.

    Spokespersons for Youku Tudou, iQiyi and Baidu did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

    The Cyberspace Administration of China, which oversees internet governance, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    The South Park statement followed an uproar in China and the United States over a weekend tweet, which was quickly withdrawn, by the general manager of the Houston Rockets basketball team that backed democracy protests in Hong Kong.

    The National Basketball Association (NBA) has built a large following and burgeoning business in China.

    Slideshow (3 Images)
    The long-running “South Park” series is one of cable channel Comedy Central’s biggest and most controversial hits, built around the misadventures of four foul-mouthed fourth graders.

    The episode at the center of the latest dispute saw character Randy Marsh being arrested after trying to smuggle marijuana into China.

    In jail, he meets two Chinese prisoners called Winnie the Pooh and Piglet, and is subjected to slave labor and re-education.

    China has in the past proved sensitive about the British children’s characters because Pooh is sometimes used as a nickname on social media for Chinese President Xi Jinping.

    Reporting by Jill Serjeant in Los Angeles and Josh Horwitz in Shanghai; Additial reporting by Shanghai newsroom; Editing by Neil Fullick
    THREADS
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  14. #44
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    Don't **** in your own nest


    Philadelphia 76ers fans kicked out of game for carrying 'Free Hong Kong' signs

    The protest came days after Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey tweeted his support for demonstrators in Hong Kong, which drew an instant rebuke from the league and partners in China.


    Philadelphia 76ers' Ben Simmons (25) drives to the net as Guangzhou Loong-Lions' Yongpeng Zhang defends during the first half of an NBA exhibition basketball game on Oct. 8, 2019, in Philadelphia.Matt Rourke / AP
    Oct. 9, 2019, 1:27 PM PDT
    By David K. Li

    Two basketball fans were kicked out of a Philadelphia 76ers game Tuesday night because they carried small, handmade signs supporting anti-government demonstrators in Hong Kong.

    Sam Wachs, 33, a podcast producer from Philadelphia, and his wife were at the Sixers exhibition game, sitting three rows behind the visitors bench — where the Guangzhou Loong-Lions, of the Chinese Basketball Association, were stationed at the Wells Fargo Center.

    Each carried signs, "Free Hong Kong" and "Free HK," before they were booted by arena security in the second quarter.

    Sam Wachs
    @gogowachs
    · 23h
    At the @Sixers game & security took away my pro Hong Kong signage


    Sam Wachs
    @gogowachs
    Here are the controversial signs. I know, earth shattering right? Obvious why the NBA would have a problem with this. Thanks to @Christie_Ileto for sending me this photo:


    3,560
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    The Wachs' protest came four days after Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey tweeted his support for the demonstrators, drawing an instant rebuke from the league and its business partners in the People's Republic of China.

    Residents of the semiautonomous region have been protesting for more than four months now, calling for reforms.

    "The NBA does not want deal with this," Wachs told NBC News on Wednesday. "It’s all about money. They want their sweet, sweet Chinese money. And they say they're for human rights and equality but that's only up to point. And that point is the Chinese market."

    Wells Fargo Center managers said their security officers had the right to eject Wachs and his wife over their support of Hong Kong protesters.

    "After three separate warnings, the two individuals were escorted out of the arena without incident," according to the arena statement to NBC Philadelphia. "The security team employed respectful and standard operating procedures."

    Wachs said the first warning came as he and his wife sat silently, holding up their signs, when security first approached them.

    "'You can’t have these signs, nothing political,'" Wachs said, quoting a security guard. "I said 'Why' and he said 'Hey don't give me a hard time, I'm just doing my job.'"

    The guard confiscated the "Free Hong Kong sign" but allowed them to keep their "Free HK" poster. Wachs said he told the guard "HK" stood for Harry Kalas, the late longtime Philadelphia Phillies baseball broadcaster.

    That "HK" sign was confiscated a few minutes later. And then Wachs stood up and started chanting "Free Hong Kong, free Hong Kong," leading to his third strike and ejection from the building.

    Wachs, who lived in Hong Kong between 2009 and 2011, called for fans in other NBA cities to pull similar protests and force the issue.

    "I hope it does not go away, I would love people in other cities to do something like this," he said.



    David K. Li
    David K. Li is a breaking news reporter for NBC News.

    THREADS
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  15. #45
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    When capitalism meets communism

    China lashes out at Western businesses as it tries to cut support for Hong Kong protests
    Well-known brands including Tiffany and the NBA have felt China’s wrath


    Companies that do business with China walk a fine line to stay aligned with U.S. values such as freedom of speech and democracy while avoiding offending China, where they stand to make billions of dollars. (Andy Wong/AP)

    By Jeanne Whalen, Ben Golliver and Steven Zeitchik
    October 8, 2019 at 7:16 PM EDT

    It’s not just professional basketball drawing China’s wrath.

    As China sanctioned the National Basketball Association this week for a pro-Hong Kong message delivered by one of its team leaders, other American companies scrambled to avoid fallout of their own.

    Tiffany & Co., which relies on the Chinese market for double-digit revenue growth, scrapped a global advertising image that some in China perceived as supporting Hong Kong protesters, even though the company said the image was taken weeks before the demonstrations began.

    Blizzard Entertainment, the Irvine, Calif.-based video-game giant, suspended a professional player for one year for reportedly shouting “Liberate Hong Kong!” during an interview.

    China has long been sensitive about its image at home, controlling what it allows Western businesses and its own citizens to say or do there. Now, however, with Hong Kong in its fourth month of street protests, China is increasingly imposing the same strictures on what’s said about it beyond its borders.

    “This is core to Xi Jinping’s narrative about recapturing China’s greatness,” said Elizabeth Economy, director for Asia studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, referring to the Chinese president.

    “Whenever they see evidence that the international community is supporting Hong Kong or Taiwan as independent entities, they try to find ways to bring dissenting voices in line,” she said. “They don’t tolerate dissent on this topic inside China, and increasingly they are not tolerating dissent on these issues outside China.”

    The tension underscores how reliant vast sectors of the U.S. economy are on China, not just on the nation’s consumers but on the blessing of Beijing’s leaders. And it raises questions not just about how American companies will shape their products and services to cater to the Chinese market, but also about how flexible they will be on traditional American values of free speech and democracy.

    From hospitality and Hollywood to technology, American companies have increasingly been bending to accommodate China in recent years.

    “I think if you charted it out, there’s been a dramatic increase in these incidents in the last five years. That’s all about the Chinese Communist Party regime throwing its weight around and feeling it now has the leverage and confidence about using the power of its market to apply pressure,” said Aaron Friedberg, a China expert at Princeton University who served as an adviser to former vice president Richard B. Cheney.

    “They’ve done this in the past for other reasons, to extract technology from American companies,” he said. “Now they’re using it for bigger, more visible political issues.”

    TikTok’s Beijing roots fuel censorship suspicion as it builds a huge U.S. audience

    Consumer companies with high visibility among American and Chinese citizens have faced particular wrath from China in the aftermath of perceived slights.

    Tiffany’s troubles stemmed from an ad showing a female model holding her hand over her right eye. Some in China saw it as a sympathetic reference to a Hong Kong protester who was shot in the eye in August.

    The ad ran in print and online inside and outside China. Tiffany denied it had any relation to the Hong Kong protests, which began in June and intensified over the summer.

    “This campaign image, which was photographed in May 2019, was in no way intended to be a political statement of any kind. We regret that it may be perceived as such, and in turn have removed the image from our digital and social media channels,” the company said in an emailed statement.

    On a website for its Hearthstone game, Blizzard on Tuesday said it had ejected a player nicknamed “Blitzchung” from a tournament for violating competition rules in a way that brought “disrepute” to the player, offended the public or damaged Blizzard’s image. The company didn’t respond to a request for further comment.

    Other companies have gotten into trouble for perceived slights relating to Taiwan or Tibet. Last year, Marriott International apologized to the Chinese government after listing Taiwan, Tibet, Macau and Hong Kong — all territories China claims — as stand-alone countries on an email questionnaire it sent to members of its rewards program.

    Huawei executive becomes unlikely social media star as Chinese rally to tech giant’s defense

    Mercedes-Benz issued an apology after offending Chinese consumers with an ad quoting the Dalai Lama. Outside China, the 82-year-old spiritual leader is among the world’s most popular figures, known for his teachings on peace and compassion, as well as for supporting an autonomous Tibet. The Chinese Communist Party, however, considers him a political agitator.

    The NBA’s trouble began after Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey sparked a furious backlash Friday when he tweeted: “Fight for freedom. Stand with Hong Kong.”

    After his social media account was inundated with criticism, Morey deleted his tweet and Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta unsuccessfully tried to distance his organization from the sentiment. As Chinese media partners and sponsors quickly cut ties with the Rockets, the NBA issued a statement Sunday expressing “great respect for the history and culture of China” but also defending Morey’s rights to free expression. The NBA did not discipline Morey.
    continued next post
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

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