Armstrong

no excuse is better than a bad one

[Samuel Bickett @SamuelBickett]

For years, every lawyer and journalist in Hong Kong has known that new Director of Public Prosecutions Anthony Chau was in an inappropriate sexual relationship with his subordinate Crystal Chan, granting her special privileges and misusing public funds to conceal it. But it took an activist in exile, @frances_hui, to bring it into the open.

If you have wondered why Hong Kong officials are so determined to shut down independent media like Apple Daily, imprison journalists, and drive human rights lawyers out of town, now you understand.

[Rick Scott @SenRickScott]

Communist China’s stunt to intimidate Taiwan FAILED. I’m glad to see that President Lai Ching-te touched down safely in Eswatini. Freedom WILL prevail.

To the SPINELESS world leaders across Europe and elsewhere who caved to Communist China, the world took note. America won’t forget.

[Benedict Rogers 羅傑斯 @benedictrogers]

Ben Rogers, chair of the Hong Kong Watch campaigning organisation, expressed concern about Lee’s candidacy. “Having someone who until very recently worked for the Hong Kong government, including representing Hong Kong as a diplomat, standing for election at any level in this country is deeply concerning,” Rogers said.

Reform UK candidate was ‘diplomat’ for Hong Kong
https://t.co/P2TOWUrHWd

[NOBUNAGA🇯🇵🏯_夏樹蒼依 @japan_nobunaga]

天安門動画が流れてきた。
自国民、しかも若い大学生を戦車で殺しまくる。自分達の子供や孫の同級生を殺しまくる。中共は人間じゃない。隣の大陸は悪魔に支配されたままである。

[Luke de Pulford @lukedepulford]

Supporters of the Hong Kong National Security Law have no place in UK politics. Morally and constitutionally untenable.

@reformparty_uk @Nigel_Farage should kick him out.

https://t.co/051RkxJGpl?

[保護猫たんぽぽと虹の橋の柴犬アンちゃん @oishiitakuan1]

おはりーぬ( •ω•ฅ)

[Luke de Pulford @lukedepulford]

Here’s what’s actually going on with the mega-embassy debate.

From reliable sources: the UK’s embassy in Beijing occasionally has its water shut off. And it is in desperate need of renovation. Beijing is saying this can’t happen unless their mega-embassy gets the green-light.

In addition, Beijing, state media, and Xi himself have made clear that the embassy js a diplomatic priority for them, and even that normalising 🇨🇳🇬🇧 relations depends upon it.

Meanwhile the UK has restarted economic and financial dialogue with China. They’re fearful of blowback of Beijing is denied permission.

These are the principal reasons the Foreign Office is pushing for it. Hard.

Reliable sources: the services, persuaded that the security risks are a lesser evil than a dysfunctional UK embassy in Beijing, are now saying they’re ok with it, on balance.

In addition, it’s a sticky wicket for the government. It was a Conservative administration who sold Royal Mint Court to the Chinese (mates rates), and diplomatically speaking, it’s tricky to sell a building clearly intended for embassy use and then deny planning permission.

All in all, their damned if they do, and damned if they don’t.

The security risks remain. Bizarrely, the Foreign Office is still explicitly denying (to our allies) that sensitive cabling infrastructure runs under the site. This is bollocks. It does. Dangerous strategy.

And since Lord Banner’s legal opinion (after Beijing simply said no to former Secretary Angela Rayner’s reasonable requests to explain redacted rooms etc) places a massive question mark over whether or not approving the application would be lawful. Banner argues it wouldn’t.

So, if I had to predict, I’d say the govt, under heavy pressure, will green-light the application.

And then there will be an application for a Judicial Review.

I don’t think @10DowningStreet realises how bad this could be. In planning law, even the appearance of partiality for a called-in application can be unlawful. But Beijing is on record as having said they would not apply again (after the first refusal) unless they received assurances from the UK that they’d be successful.

We have reason to believe that such assurances were given. If this is true, that would have been unlawful, and anyone involved will have to resign.

I’d gently suggest to friends in the Labour Party that this is a mess the Government can ill-afford, following a spate of resignations, especially as the Prime Minister’s own words to Xi “You raised the embassy on our first call together. We have since called in the application” are very close to the line.

Just say no. Yes, they need an embassy, yes the current one probably needs to move, but not there, and not this size and design. The risks outweigh the benefits and we should not trade away the security of our citizens.

[Samuel Bickett @SamuelBickett]

Just days after our report on Hong Kong’s abusive prison conditions, new figures show remand has hit a record high. 42% of all inmates—4,184 people—are locked up without trial or conviction, many for years.

Our full report released on Monday: https://t.co/y6ybd5bRT9

[Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) @ipacglobal]

💥 Today in 🇬🇧: @CPhilpOfficial asked @DanJarvisMBE to make a statement on the bounties that were placed on Hong Kong Democracy Activists residing in the UK.

Also questioned the govt on:
👉the Chinese Mega-Embassy,
👉Overseas Chinese police stations in the UK, &
👉Why China is not yet in the enhanced tier of the foreign influence registration scheme.

See 🧵 for debate highlights:

[Iain Duncan Smith MP Chingford & Woodford Green @MPIainDS]

Speaking in the Hong Kong Democracy Activists debate today on the bounties placed on Hong Kong democracy activists in the UK by the Chinese Communist party and other authorities in Hong Kong and China.

For those who have fled here from Hong Kong, what we are seeing is extraterritorial attacks in plain view, yet it seems that, ultimately, nothing ever happens. I have a copy of a redacted letter about an individual who has been threatened. His neighbours have been offered a bounty if they hand him in to the Chinese embassy.

I asked how much longer will we keep on saying all these wonderful words in the House of Commons about what we stand for, because when it comes to those who need our protection, nothing ever seems to happen. What will the Minister do about the proposed Chinese embassy?

Wherever China has a super-embassy in the world, we see extraterritorial activity grow massively. Will he now reject that and start arresting the people responsible and kicking them out of the country?

[平野雨龍 @uryuhirano]

今日も頑張ります🌸ライブ配信はYouTubeでやります！チャンネル登録とイイネと拡散で、応援宜しくお願いします！https://t.co/KAfNDAOBKu

[The Great Translation Movement 大翻译运动 @TGTM_Official]

Sinwar is ideally suited to be the leader of China.

[The Great Translation Movement 大翻译运动 @TGTM_Official]

Cultural revolution 2.0 is here: Chinese athletes from Paris Olympics praising and thanking Xi Jinping in interviews.
Except North Korea, does any athlete from any other country praise their president after winning medals?

[#FreeJimmyLai @SupportJimmyLai]

Lawmakers from across the globe are united: it’s time to #FreeJimmyLai.

Jimmy Lai is 76 & a British national.

He’s been in prison since 2020.

For being a journalist.

For standing up for democratic values.

Thank you @jpaternotte 🇳🇱 for your support.

[The Great Translation Movement 大翻译运动 @TGTM_Official]

While #Venezuela is protesting for its election fraud over Maduro, China seems can't wait to congrats him. Not a surprise as Xi Jinping does not have many dictator friends.

[Michael Ron Bowling @mrbcyber]

Hard to imagine how much damage was done to US national security by having our surveillance tech sent to China.

He appears to have been spying since at least 2005 and actually worked for the FBI since the late 90's.

[We Are Not Food @WeAreNotFood]

In the Baima Road section of Shunyi District, Beijing, China

Dogs are bought and sold on the street!

#dogmeat #dogmeattrade #wearenotfood

[Winston Sterzel @serpentza]

The sign says 狗肉 “Dog Meat” and there’s a Husky in the cage, China doesn’t breed specific dogs for eating, the dog meat trade sells pets and stolen dogs to be tortured and eaten

[Dr. Li-Meng YAN @DrLiMengYAN1]

A good prophecy of Beijing Declaration.
“Xi Jinping has called for an international peace conference to end the war.”🤡

[The Great Translation Movement 大翻译运动 @TGTM_Official]

July 30, Xinhua County, Hunan Province, a dissident hung banners protesting against Xi Jinping on a skywalk bridge.