[Hong Kong News]The Two Sessions set the tone for the 23 Articles and “Taiwan Girls” made another shocking statement; will the sanctioned prosecutor resign or will he jump ship? “Xing Tong in Prison” global screening | Two sessions | 23 pieces of legislation | Taiwanese girls | Chairman of the German Chamber of Commerce | One country, two systems | State secrets | Ling Youshi | Anti-amendment | Samuel Bickett | Hong Kong Sanctions Law | Chen Shuwen | Xu Zhifeng | Zou Xingtong | Xingtong in prison

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Beijing’s Two Sessions set the tone for 23 articles, “Taiwan girls” made another shocking statement

Today (March 4) is the first day of the CCP’s “Two Sessions” in Beijing. CCP officials frequently support the 23 controversial pieces of legislation, attracting attention from the outside world. On the other hand, a 62-year-old “Taiwanese girl” who attended the “Two Sessions” as a representative of the Hong Kong People’s Congress once again made shocking remarks.

At the press conference of the National People’s Congress of the Communist Party of China held at noon, a reporter asked about the legislative work on Article 23 of the Hong Kong Basic Law. Lou Qinjian, spokesman for the National People’s Congress of the Communist Party of China, said that the integration of the legislation with the Hong Kong National Security Law will help maintain Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability.

The Ministry of National Security of the Communist Party of China issued a message on WeChat on the same day, saying that the 23-article legislation is a must-answer for “maintaining the national security system” and Hong Kong’s governance and prosperity.

In addition, the Hong Kong National People’s Congress delegation attending the meeting in Beijing was received by Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office. The leader of the delegation, Ma Fengguo, quoted Xia Baolong as saying that he was very satisfied with his earlier inspection of Hong Kong and hoped to complete the legislation of Article 23 of the Basic Law as soon as possible, and then focus on development.

The Hong Kong government’s consultation on the legislation of Article 23 of the Basic Law ended last Wednesday (February 28). The Hong Kong government said that it held nearly 30 consultation meetings during the consultation period and met with various sectors, including local and international business circles, legal circles, financial circles, foreign consuls, etc., claiming that “the vast majority of participants expressed support for the legislation.” However, there are constant doubts from the outside world.

“Yahoo News” reported on the 4th that Johannes Hack, chairman of the German Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, said when questioned that the “one country, two systems” implemented in Hong Kong in the past gave Hong Kong a unique business advantage over the mainland. The definition of “state secrets” in Article 23 is “quite broad”, and companies consider the cost of complying with the regulations, which may lead to investment outflows.

Previously, British Foreign Secretary Cameron and the U.S. State Department issued statements expressing close concern about the Article 23 legislation, criticizing that the law would further reduce the freedom of Hong Kong, a financial center.

Cameron questioned in the statement that the 23 proposals failed to fulfill the obligations of protecting human rights and freedoms in the Basic Law, the Sino-British Joint Declaration and international conventions, and would inhibit Hong Kong people’s freedom of speech, expression and press. ” “Strongly” urge the Hong Kong government to reconsider the plan and truly and meaningfully consult the Hong Kong people.

Stephen Roach, former chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, also wrote in the British media that “Hong Kong is done” and summarized the three major “causes of death” in Hong Kong, including the rapid deterioration of local politics after 2019. China’s economic factors are deeply mired in the “3D” crisis of debt, deflation and demographic structure, as well as the reversal of the international situation triggered by the vicious fight between China and the United States.

Later, in an exclusive interview with Bloomberg, Roach said that if Hong Kong wants to have a better future, Beijing must repair its own economy and emphasize its commitment to “one country, two systems.”

In addition, Hong Kong National People’s Congress representative Ling Youshi, who once called herself a “Taiwanese girl,” said in an interview with the media today that she should no longer call herself a “Taiwanese girl” and that cross-strait relations should be handled as “internal affairs.”

In addition, Ling Youshi also said that Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party Lai Ching-te and Hsiao Meiqin will take office as the President and Vice President of the Republic of China on May 20, the cross-strait prospects are relatively grim, and the U.S.-China relations are still tense. Treat both sides of the Taiwan Strait as internal affairs. Regarding the Kinmen speedboat capsize incident, Ling Youshi criticized the Taiwan authorities for being very opaque and unprofessional in the investigation, saying this was a manifestation of “Taiwan independence.”

According to Wikipedia, Ling Youshi was born in Taiwan and moved to Hong Kong with her parents when she was 17 years old. She has served as a member of the Fujian Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference for three terms and an executive member of the 12th All-China Women’s Federation. Since 2018, he has become a member of the Hong Kong Regional Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

On March 11, 2019, she spoke at the second session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee with exaggerated expressions and a high-pitched tone: “There is only one China in the world, and the only legitimate representative government of all China is the government of the People’s Republic of China. I am proud to participate in the country’s political system as an upright Chinese!”

Subsequently, Taiwan’s Ministry of Interior fined her NT$500,000 for violating the “Ordinance on Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area”, but she has not yet paid the fine.

Last year, 61-year-old Ling Youshi once again served as a representative of the 14th National People’s Congress of the Communist Party of China and was once again fined NT$500,000 by Taiwan’s Ministry of Interior in accordance with cross-strait regulations.

Or trigger a wave of people jumping off the ship?

The sanctioned prosecutor resigns, Hong Kong government urgently needs clarification

The anti-extradition movement, also known as Samuel Bickett, an American lawyer who was imprisoned for assaulting a police officer during the anti-extradition movement, recently disclosed on social platforms that a senior prosecutor of the Hong Kong government named in the US sanctions bill has resigned. Outsiders believe that this move is to avoid US sanctions.

American lawyer Samuel Bickett recently told VOA that sources revealed to him that Alice Chan Shook-man, senior assistant prosecutor in the Hong Kong Department of Justice, has resigned.

According to the screenshot provided by Bei Qisen, Chen Shuwen sent an email to colleagues in the Department of Justice on January 15, stating that that day was her last working day.

According to past records, Chen Shuwen has not participated in cases related to the “Hong Kong National Security Law”, but she once handled an appeal case with former Democratic Party legislator Lam Cheuk-ting.

In November last year, a group of cross-party U.S. lawmakers proposed the Hong Kong Sanctions Act, calling on the Biden administration to sanction 49 Hong Kong officials, judges and prosecutors who have deprived Hong Kong people of their rights. Chen Shuwen’s name is on the list.

Previously, the US Congressional and Executive Committee on China (CECC) issued a research report in July 2022 recommending sanctions on 15 people, saying that they were involved in political cases of the Hong Kong government, and Chen Shuwen was also on the list.

Bickett said he was not sure why Chen Shuwen resigned, but suggested that since Chen Shuwen had resigned and had only participated in one known political prosecution, there was reason to remove her name from the sanctions target list to send a message. If you resign and distance yourself from those who continue to violate human rights, you can reduce your risk of being targeted.

The Hong Kong government issued a press release last weekend confirming Chan Shu-man’s resignation, but claimed that she had resigned before the sanctions list appeared.

Bickett said the response showed how fearful the authorities were of a large number of prosecutors resigning in response to its call.

In addition, former Democratic Party legislator Hui Chi-fung, who now lives in Australia, recently disclosed on social platforms the list of Hong Kong officials and police officers involved in handling his case, and asked foreign governments to impose sanctions.

Xu Zhifeng criticized officials for trampling on Hong Kong’s freedoms and aiding the evil, saying that the list was published “so that they will not be missed on the international sanctions list”, making it more difficult for them to immigrate, study abroad or transfer assets in the future.

The Hong Kong government issued a statement strongly condemning it, saying that Xu Zhifeng’s behavior was an invasion of privacy and could potentially constitute obstruction of justice and “the crime of colluding with foreign countries or external forces to endanger national security” under Article 29 of the Hong Kong National Security Law.

Let the world see her “Xingtong in Prison” is screened globally

Barrister Zou Xingtong, former vice chairman of the stake association, has been remanded for nearly two and a half years on charges of “inciting subversion of state power.” The documentary “She’s in Jail” released by the British group 29 Principles will soon be screened in Taiwan, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, Canada and other places, but will not be screened in Hong Kong.

According to Optical Media, “Xingtong in Prison” is 104 minutes long. There are not many images of Zou in it. Instead, it records interviews with people around Zou Xingtong, using a profile method to record a lawyer who pursues democracy, freedom and justice. The experience of becoming a political prisoner made the world see this Hong Kong woman who had been imprisoned for 880 days.

The documentary broadcast excerpts of Zou Xingtong’s interview before his arrest in 2021: “My state is to do my best. I don’t want to give people the impression that being in jail is the end of the world. So I will be very intentional about continuing to speak and continue to maintain the so-called visibility. Not because you go to jail will make me disappear.”

Zou Xingtong also said, “I feel that we never fight alone. I want to emphasize this, but many people will not keep it on the table.”

The documentary premiered in Taiwan. Kittie (pseudonym), the organizer of the private preview, recalled that Zou Xingtong often said, “You must smile to face challenges, and your smile cannot be taken away.”

Regarding community screenings of documentary films around the world, will this put pressure on Zou Xingtong? Or even cause her to be targeted in prison and fall into a worse situation?

Kittie said frankly that Zou only knew a little bit about the documentary. “She felt that everyone worked hard and you filmed it. She had her own things to do, such as the injunction appeal of “Glory to Glory”, Article 23, etc.”

Zou Xingtong was accused of publicizing and calling on others to participate in the June Fourth rally online on June 4, 2021, and was sentenced to 15 months in prison; later, together with the chairman of the stake association Li Zhuoren and vice chairman Albert Ho, he was charged with “inciting subversion of state power” ”.

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Editor in charge: Lin Li