Hong Kong has seen an unprecedented exodus of migrants after the Communist Party imposed the territory’s version of the National Security law. Many Hong Kongers say the crackdown on dissent leaves them feeling vulnerable at any moment.
In recent months, the exodus of Hong Kong migrants has gone from rhetoric to action. The passage of the Hong Kong version of the National Security Law in July was a moment of desperation for some Hong Kongers, free Asia reported.
The number of “good citizen cards” issued after the national Security Law was enacted jumped from 1,711 in May to 2,782 in June, and an average of 2,600 “good citizen cards” were issued each month, according to police data on certificates of no criminal record (commonly known as “good citizen cards”) required for immigration.
Rocky, a middle-class Hong Kong citizen who is implementing the immigration plan, told Free Asia that the so-called ‘Hong Kong version of the national Security law’ is only intended to stifle dissent. ‘I feel the rule of law no longer exists in Hong Kong, and I have no confidence in the future,’ he said.
Rocky also mentioned that the recent freezing of the bank accounts of expatriate former legislator Hui Zhifeng and his family made him lose all confidence in Hong Kong’s financial system. He applied for an offshore account to transfer his assets.
Rocky: It’s not just politics. It’s going to affect your money.
According to Chung Ken-wah, deputy chief executive officer of the Hong Kong Institute of Public Opinion, the implementation of the “Hong Kong Version of the National Security Law” has become a major factor driving Hong Kong people to emigrate, making Hong Kong people feel at immediate risk.
Mr Chung said the migration was different from 1997, when hong Kongers had no confidence in the handover to the Chinese communist Party, but when Hong Kong was stable and democratising, most people were on the fence. Hong Kongers are leaving partly because they do not want their children to be brainwashed, but also because many are worried and “panicky” about the political situation.
Luo Ka-cong, an economist, estimates that most of the people now planning to emigrate are middle – and lower-middle classes, with “the poorest and richest staying put”. Such as Li Ka-shing, Hong Kong’s richest man, or a descendant of a property developer.
The Chinese Communist Party forced out the “Hong Kong version of the National Security Law”, which further worsened the situation in Hong Kong. Foreign media called it “the end of Hong Kong”. Sources close to Beijing say the Communist Party has a vision of “leaving no one on the island” as it tries to force out “disobedient” people, including business and politics, to take full control of Hong Kong.
In a June interview with Free Asia, Richard Lai, founder of Hong Kong’s Next Media, said Hong Kong was a “goose that lays golden eggs”, but the Chinese Communist Party scared away businessmen in the territory.
Office vacancies in Central, Hong Kong’s financial hub, soared to 8.5%, the highest since the global financial crisis in 2008, as a national security law accelerated the retreat of the city’s multinationals. Many owners have slashed rents to retain customers, but many still plan to retire, the Liberty Times reported.
‘The Communist Party has always wanted to replace Hong Kong with Shanghai, but to this day it can’t, because Shanghai has no rule of law, no status as a financial center, no trust, no talent,’ Mr. Lai said.
He laments that Hong Kong will not be able to rebuild its status as a financial centre after this battle.
Mr Lai was taken into police custody on 3 December and is awaiting trial. Prominent Hong Kong Democrats Wong Chi-fung, Chow Ting and Lam Langyan have been sentenced to prison terms. Hong Kong is at a dark moment with the arrest of a number of pro-democracy activists, including former legislators. But despite communist pressure, Hong Kong’s struggles continue.
The Trump administration also responded forcefully to the Communist Party’s atrocities in Hong Kong. On Dec 7, the US State Department announced sanctions against 14 vice chairmen of the National People’s Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) who are reviewing and passing the Hong Kong version of the National Security Law. This is a fatal blow to the communist Party hierarchy.
Us Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has sharply condemned The Chinese Communist Party for undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy and warned it to stop its human rights abuses in the city.
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