Truth of H Kong riots sholdn’t be distorted
The demonstrations and violent clashes have been lasting more than two months in Hong Kong. Recently, some Tanzanian media had coverage on Hong Kong riots by reprinting reports of foreign news agencies. However, some reports are inconsistent with the facts, or even distorted the truth of Hong Kong issues. What is the truth of Hong Kong issues?
Facts and nature of amendment bill
The reason for the amendments. The reason is that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government proposed the amendments to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance because of an ordinary judicial case.
In February 2018, Chen Tongjia, a Hong Kong resident, was suspected of murdering his pregnant girlfriend in Taiwan before he fled back to Hong Kong. Hong Kong had no jurisdiction over this case
. In order to transfer Chen Tongjia to Taiwan for trial, the HKSAR government proposed the amendments to the above-mentioned ordinances. So far Hong Kong hasn’t signed any deals with China’s mainland, Macao or Taiwan on the transfer of fugitives and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.
By amending the ordinances, the HKSAR government hopes to cooperate with China’s mainland, Macao and Taiwan in transferring criminal suspects and fugitives through special arrangements, which will help to deal with individual cases and plug the loopholes in the legal system, and enable Hong Kong to work better with other parts of China to jointly combat crimes and uphold rule of law and justice.
Around the time when it returned to the mainland, Hong Kong had signed agreements with 20 countries on the transfer of fugitives and treaties with 32 countries on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.
By proposing the amendments to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance, the HKSAR government intends to incorporate its cooperation with other parts of China into the ordinances regarding fugitive handover and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.
Similar cooperation mechanisms have already been put in place between Hong Kong and foreign countries.
This arrangement will not affect Hong Kong’s judicial independence at all. Quite a number of Hong Kong citizens do not have much understanding of the mainland along with its legal system and judicial institution.
Taking advantage of that, some people and media with malicious intentions started fear-mongering campaigns to stoke panic and block the bill’s passage in the Legislative Council. Under such circumstances, several massive assemblies against the amendments have taken place in Hong Kong since June this year.
In order to solicit broader public opinions and to restore calm as early as possible, the HKSAR government decided on June 15 to suspend its work on the amendment bill. The relevant legislative process also came to a full stop. The Chinese central government supports, respects and understands this decision.
Though the Hong Kong SAR government said, on many occasions, that it has completely halted the amendments of two ordinances concerning the transfer of fugitive offenders, protesters continued to escalate violence and cause mayhem in Hong Kong.
The demonstrations, which started in June, repeated ly became violent clashes under the instigation of individuals with ulterior motives. Some radicals repeatedly mounted attacks on police.
They surrounded Hong Kong police headquarters, disrupted government agencies and ransacked the Legislative Council (LegCo) building.
On June 9, demonstrators started to protest against the proposed amendments. In the wee hours of June 10, well-organized radical protesters started attacking the LegCo building, blocking roads and assaulting police officers.
Eight policemen were injured. On July 1, rioters ransacked the LegCo building and assailed police with toxic chemical powder. They extensively damaged the council chamber, defaced HKSAR regional emblem, tore up the Basic Law, waved a colonial-era flaq and even called for an establishment of a so-called “interim government.”
Hong Kong’s social disorder worsened in July, as aggressive members unlawfully assembled or launched more demonstrations in various districts of Hong Kong. Violence spread further, affecting the normal lives of more residents.
On July 7, protesters organized another demonstration in Kowloon,leading to a 50-percent plunge in passengers through West Kowloon high-speed train station, compared with an average weekend. After the demonstration, some radical protesters illegally blocked roads in Tsim Sha Tsui, forcing most shops to close early in the once trendy shopping area.
On July 27, though the Hong Kong police had issued a notice of objection, some people assembled illegally at the Yuen Long district.
A group of radical protesters illegally cut off traffic, sieged police vehicles, smashed car windows and smeared cars with insulting words. Several radical protesters also sieged the Yuen Long police station, forcing the report room to suspend service.
A group of extreme radicals stormed the offices of the Chinese Central Government in Hong Kong, insulted the national emblem and flag of China, undermined national sovereignty and dignity and the “one country, two systems” principle.
On July 21, radical protesters besieged and attacked the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government, defaced the national emblem, damaged security facilities and scrawled graffiti insulting the nation.
They even raved about forming an “interim legislature” in a statement read out on the scene.
On Aug. 3 and on Aug. 5, black-clad and masked extreme radicals twice ripped the Chinese national flag off the pole in Tsim Sha Tsui, flung it into the sea, in clear defiance of national sovereignty.
Pushing Hong Kong to brink
Violence and chaos escalated in August as mobsters used guerrilla tactics to stage strikes, block public transport, prevent residents from going to work, damage public facilities, siege police stations and attack police officers across Hong Kong, pushing the city to the brink.
From the night of Aug. 5 to the wee hours of the following day,some radical protesters raided at least 10 police stations.
They scribbled words to insult police, hurled petrol bombs and firebombs at police stations and officers, shot vision-harming lasers, ruined police cars, and caused mayhem on several streets, police stations and buildings. They also cut off power lines.
The radical protesters have become better-equipped, coordinated and planned. Alarmingly, many weapon depots containing explosives, firebombs and knives suspected to be owned by radical protesters have been uncovered in police operations.
Looking back at what happened during the past two months, the ordinance amendment issues have changed in their essence and now bear the features of a “color revolution.
The Chinese central government’ positions
Should violence and chaos be allowed to continue, the safety of Hong Kong citizens’ lives and property will be endangered, and the governance authority of the Hong Kong SAR government, the cornerstone of the rule of law in Hong Kong, its prosperity and stability, and the “one country, two systems” will be destroyed.
On Aug. 7, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong jointly held a symposium in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province, briefing the attendees on the central authorities situation. It stressed that the most pressing and overriding task in Hong Kong policies on stabilizing Hong Kong’s is to stop violence, end the chaos and restore order.
The recent violence in Hong Kong is intolerable in any civilized,rational society under the rule of law. Any illegal and criminal acts will be brought to justice.
Facts about foreign interference
Regarding the series of demonstrations and violent incidents that happened in Hong Kong, some irresponsible Western individuals have made irresponsible remarks and played a disgraceful role.
In March, the US Department of State issued the “2019 Hong Kong Policy Act Report” which accused Chinese central government of implementing or instigating a number of actions that were inconsistent with the Basic Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984.
Also in June, US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi publicly stated that Hong Kong demonstrations were “a beautiful sight to behold” and part of congressmen raked up the so-called “Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act”.
Then in July, Pence and US National Security Advisor John Bolton heldi meetings with Hong Kong opposition leaders.
Beyond that, more American faces appeared in Hong Kong violent demonstration scenes from media exposed pictures, even the figure of American flag. Looking back on it, Hong Kong’s grim situation indicates that the West has been behind the stage to whip up Hong Kong youth that “only violence can solve problems,” to fool innocent citizens unaware of the truth.
Wang is the Chinese ambassador to Tanzania
