Events in Hong Kong turning ugly
- Thread starter SteveT
- Start date
Tony L
Administrator
My fear, given China’s truly appalling human rights record, is a lot of them may end up being killed or imprisoned if they carry on. It is a brutal communist state and despite a thin veneer of capitalism and free enterprise is still an authoritarian dictatorship that crushes opposing beliefs. So far the protesters are being remarkably clever at disguising themselves and usually vanishing after the protests, but my fear is they’ll end up cornered somewhere and ‘vanished’ by the all-powerful state.
Yes, I agree completely. Any discussion on China is usually a cue for the most inane comments. You have obviously been there or somehow grasped a sense of reality through some other medium unbeknownst to the rest?
russel
./_dazed_and_confused
Not sure an expat is the best person to ask, the only people that really know what will happen is the CP, they will have considerations the first and foremost of which is how the party is perceived and will any action threaten its existence through discontent spreading and will it embolden Taiwan if nothing is done, the short term consequences of rolling in and imposing direct rule won’t figure greatly, they might figure they are under sanctions anyway so they have nothing to lose, it’s not just about business.
Mullardman
Moderately extreme...
I sympathise totally with the pro democracy folks in HK.
However, I'm not hopeful that the Chinese govt will acquiesce in the slightest.
China is too big to be bothered by either local or international condemnation and will simply do what it sees fit.
Meanwhile, Govts the World over are desperate to attract Chinese investment....................................................................................
However, I'm not hopeful that the Chinese govt will acquiesce in the slightest.
China is too big to be bothered by either local or international condemnation and will simply do what it sees fit.
Meanwhile, Govts the World over are desperate to attract Chinese investment....................................................................................
Mike Reed
pfm Member
Taiwan's been in a state of political animosity for donkey's years, yet commercial harmony. The current pro democracy gov't faces an about turn in the elections coming up early next year. The off-on pro democracy movement in Taiwan is a bit pointless as Taiwan has been independent since '49 and has in recent decades been 'protected' by the U.S.A.
Far better a Kuomintang style Beijing acceptable government; it lessens threats from the mainland and everything settles down to normal life. The Taiwanese are used to democracy, so why wave flags? The island is by no means antagonistic towards the P.R.O.C., which latter has always acted in a bellicose manner, if only to bang the drum for a 'united China'. Trade is still good, despite very few and largely insignificant countries actually 'recognising' Taiwan as an entity because of political pressure from Beijing.
Tony L
Administrator
One thing Sky News highlighted a short while back is just how successful and well-organised the pro-democracy protesters are, e.g. they have crowd-funded huge amounts of money, are running newspaper and billboard ads the world over (including the UK). This is no “riot”, it is a highly intelligent and articulate protest. Hopefully this will make it rather harder for the Chinese state to simply crush it with brutal state authoritarianism. The eyes of the world are watching...
The demonstrators will need to demonstrate that it is in China's interest not to crush them; and that they do not threaten the status quo in China itself. Not easy.
China wants HK to continue to be successful and to be a laboratory for progress but wants to control it and not risk contagion. Also not easy.
China wants HK to continue to be successful and to be a laboratory for progress but wants to control it and not risk contagion. Also not easy.
richardg
Admonishtrator
That's really cool. The Chinese will not be able to run people over with tanks as easily if they are doing stuff through media channels.
I lived in Shanghai in 2001 and had to go to a police station once after my bike got knicked. They were humiliating a young girl and kicking her whilst she was tied to a pillar. I doubt that kind of thing has gone away.
russel
./_dazed_and_confused
I don't think the CP gives one jot that the world is watching.
I live in mainland China and have done for almost 9 years. It is absolutely incredulous the nonsense that is being written about it here. Whilst it is not perfect the Chinese people love their country and are incredibly proud if it. They have never had it so good. The country is governed with love of country and people. The party have modernised as much as the country. This is their civil service, if you want to join study and sit the exams. The day to day life is far more relaxed than in the UK. The police are truly far more laid back than here. The younger people are infinitely more educated and aware of Western culture and values and lifestyle and they have an open window on us. The comments here are laughable and demonstrate true ignorance 井底之蛙 and the power of propaganda. All my Western acquaintances in China are of the same view. We went there and woke up to some realities.
The Chinese have shown huge restrain with the riots. Far greater than has been shown here in recent years. The majority of Hong Kongers interest lies in the ongoing commercial well being of Hong Kong. Do you seriously think they want this ongoing disruption which can only harm their livelihoods. Get real
The Chinese have shown huge restrain with the riots. Far greater than has been shown here in recent years. The majority of Hong Kongers interest lies in the ongoing commercial well being of Hong Kong. Do you seriously think they want this ongoing disruption which can only harm their livelihoods. Get real
Still
he said his naim was ralph
Yet there are more than a million Uighurs are being held in Islamophobic re-education (aka prison) camps just in China's Xinjiang region.
Craig B
Re:trophile
One word comes to mind...delusional.
China's human rights violations are the sole reason that organizations like DAFOH exist.
DAFOH is Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting! I'd suggest you look it up, but seeing as how you are living in mainland China you can't (thanks to American corporations like Cisco and Google eagerly complying with Chinese rights violations for market share)!
Now run along and enjoy some lovely pictures of Tiananmen Square via www.google.ch. Don't include the word 'protests', that is, unless you are willing to make a donation to the organ bank yourself.
Tony L
Administrator
Yes, as much as is possible. I have for years. Obviously there are limits as just so much computer technology is made there and nowhere else, but yes, I’ll happily pay say six times as much for a US, UK or Japanese guitar, hi-fi or whatever, and when rebuilding electronic kit I avoid Chinese-made caps like the plague.
PS Just like with say Russia I have huge, huge respect for the people, art and culture (I actually think they are two of the most interesting countries on the planet), I just find the political system highly unpalatable, and I have huge issues with the absolute refusal to acknowledge any intellectual property law as I have friends in the music, audio and other industries who have suffered greatly from plagiarism/piracy etc. Obviously you won’t accept any of this and will always find a way to apologise for tyranny and ripping off the ideas and work of others.
vuk
\o/ choose anarchy
you seem to have forgotten how you were defending apple practices in china when i was claiming conditions weren't much above slavery.