China Enacts Security Law, Asserting Control Over Hong Kong
Beijing's top legislative body has unanimously passed a sweeping national security law for Hong Kong, a controversial move that could effectively criminalize most dissent in the city and risks widening the rift between China and western countries who have criticized the law.
The news was first reported by local Hong Kong media: cable televsion station NOWNews; the city's public broadcaster; and a slew of newspapers, including Wei Wen Po and Ta Kung Pao, two pro-Beijing outlets which often signal official Chinese policy.
Hours later, the official Chinese news agency Xinhua reported President Xi Jinping had already signed the measure into law. Xinhua said it will be incorporated into Hong Kong's Basic Law, the city's mini-constitution, and become effective Wednesday, the anniversary of Hong Kong's 1997 handover from British to Chinese Rule.
Hong Kong security law: Anger as China's Xi signs legislation
One key pro-democracy group said it was now ceasing all operations. Demosisto announced the move on Facebook after Joshua Wong, one of Hong Kong's most prominent activists, said he was leaving the group, which he had spearheaded.
[...] Demosisto said several members had asked to be delisted and it had decided to "dissolve and stop all meetings". It said that the fight against "totalitarian oppression" would have to continue in a "more flexible manner". Joshua Wong said the law marked "the end of Hong Kong that the world knew before".
Also at NYT, Reuters, and Hong Kong Free Press.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 01 2020, @01:25PM (3 children)
Well there's a by-election on. Nothing like threatening the residents of Pambula Beach with WW3 to distract from the government's bushfire response.
(Score: 3, Informative) by c0lo on Wednesday July 01 2020, @01:53PM (2 children)
Small fry at the federation level, the leaving MP was in opposition anyway.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 01 2020, @02:27PM (1 child)
Kelly is ex-military and had ministerial responsibility for defence industry while in government.
Hardly "small fry" when it comes to posturing over cold war pork-barrelling.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by c0lo on Wednesday July 01 2020, @03:22PM
Mate, what would the Libs want from Eden-Monaro? They already have majority at federal level with or without it, the worst that can happen in this by-election is to have the seat "as Labor as it is now"; this by-election is small-fry for them, the pot isn't high enough to justify a WW3-posturing only to win one extra seat.
As for Kelly, I hear [abc.net.au] he left for Palantir - must've been an offer he couldn't refuse.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford