#so i can make earth Chan Ming

[booksandchainmail]

3, 4 and 20 for the end-of-year book asks?

3. What were your top five books of the year?

with the caveat that favorites are hard:

Furious Heaven, by Kate Elliott. Alexander the Great in space, nicely hefty space opera/military scifi. I've though about this book more than maybe any non-web serial book in the past couple years. I have a playlist for it. Persephone Lee blorbo of all time. I need to remember to keep reading Kate Elliott, her stuff is mostly intimidatingly long but I've loved every book of hers I've read.

To Shape a Dragon's Breath, by Moniquill Blackgoose. After hatching a dragon, a Native American girl is forced to attend a colonial dragonriders school. This book was so perfectly targeted to me, I'm a sucker for books where people raise dragons. And the worldbuilding! Such an interesting alt-history, and such a fun magic system that is mostly actual chemistry/physics. This is one where I also got really really invested in the side characters, Theod's arc in particular hit me really hard. But it's also great to have a book (not even a super long book!) where I can say things like "I'm interested in the main character's older brother's girlfriends plotline about inventing long-range airships", and have that level of engagement across a wide cast. Also, this book has the perfect title in ways that become clear partway through.

Children of Time, by Adrian Tchaikovsky. After Earth collapses, it's terraforming experiments live on. The best part of reading for the Hugo awards has been getting to find Adrian Tchaikovsky's work. I love this book (and the series I'm using it as a proxy for) deeply, the kind of science fiction so sweeping and devastating and heartbreakingly compassionate it makes me cry.

The Saint of Bright Doors, by Vajra Chandrasekera. An odd novel about a man who has decided not to be a chosen one. I keep turning this one over in my head, it's a strange book in genre and tone, but I think very effectively. It's not so much of a personal choice as the others on this list, but it had real weight and power to me. One where I posted a bunch of quotes, and have more I want to share.

He Who Drowned the World, by Shelley Parker-Chan. A genderqueer retelling of the founding of the Ming dynasty. The first one is one of my top books of all time, and this was a worthy sequel. Great character work, and great complicated messy relationships and tangled sexuality and gender.

4. Did you discover any new authors that you love this year?

So many good new authors! I listed out twelve who I enjoyed but that didn't seem in the spirit of this question. Moniquill Blackgoose and Vajra Chandrasekera both made it on to my top list with their first books. I'd also add CSE Cooney, both her novel and short fiction are excellent and I love the way she uses language.

20. What was your most anticipated release? Did it meet your expectations?

Probably He Who Drowned the World? I loved the first book so much, this was one of the few books I preordered instead of getting through the library. And I'd say it lived up to it, maybe not quite as good but the first book set such a high bar.

Other choice would be Some Desperate Glory, which I got obsessed with from prerelease material. Unfortunately I overhyped it in my head, it would have had to be hundreds of pages longer to have what I wanted. Even so it was excellent, but I'd like to come back to it with clearer expectations because I think I'd appreciate it more.

[piscis-pictor-austrinos]

The bottom of character creation for me

I created three chan Mings for three different dating simulators and only changed their last name to match the elements. I have Water, Fire and Air. Their only similarities are their race, sexuality, gender identity, eye colour, hair colour, body shape and their attraction towards nature.

[faraway-wanderer]

BOOKS BY ASIAN AUTHORS MASTERLIST #stopasianhate

In light of recent events and the growing anti- Asian hate in the US and UK over the course of the pandemic I wanted to put together a masterlist of books by Asian authors. Obviously, it’s not extensive and there are HUNDREDS out there, but supporting art by Asian creators is a way of showing support; read their stories, educate ourselves. It goes without saying that we should all be putting effort into reading stories of POC and by POC because even through fiction we’re learning about different cultures, countries and heritages. So here’s some books to start with by Asian authors!

Here is a link also for resources to educate and petitions to sign (especially if you don’t read haha). It’s important that we educate ourselves and uplift Asian voices right now. Your anti-racism has to include every minority that faces it.

https://anti-asianviolenceresources.carrd.co/

for UK peeps, this is a good read: We may not hear about the anti Asian racism happening here, but it is definitely happening. https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/culture/culture-news/a35692226/its-time-we-stopped-downplaying-the-uks-anti-asian-racism/

 THE BOOKS:

·         War Cross- Marie Lu ( the worldbuilding in this is IMMENSE.)

For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. 

·         Star Daughter- Shveta Thakrar

A beautiful story about a girl who is half human and half star, and she must go to the celestial court to try to save her father after he has fallen ill. And before she knows it, she is taking part in a magical competition that she must win!

·         These Violent Delights- Chloe Gong (I told my little sister to read this book yesterday bc she has a thing for a Leo as Romeo- so if you want deadly good looking Romeos, badass Juliet’s and to learn about 1920s Shanghai- this is for you.)

The year is 1926, and Shanghai hums to the tune of debauchery. A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. A Romeo and Juliet retelling.

·         The Poppy War- R.F Kuang (My fave fantasy series just fyi- it’s soul crushing in the best way. Rebecca Kuang is a god of an author).

A brilliantly imaginative talent makes her exciting debut with this epic historical military fantasy, inspired by the bloody history of China’s twentieth century and filled with treachery and magic, in the tradition of Ken Liu’s Grace of Kings and N.K. Jemisin’s Inheritance Trilogy.

·         Loveboat Taipei-  Abigail Hing Wen  (Really heartwarming and insightful!)

When eighteen-year-old Ever Wong’s parents send her from Ohio to Taiwan to study Mandarin for the summer, she finds herself thrust among the very over-achieving kids her parents have always wanted her to be, including Rick Woo, the Yale-bound prodigy profiled in the Chinese newspapers since they were nine—and her parents’ yardstick for her never-measuring-up life.

·         Sorcerer to the Crown- Zen Cho (if anyone is looking for another Howl’s Moving Castle, look no further than this book)

At his wit’s end, Zacharias Wythe, freed slave, eminently proficient magician, and Sorcerer Royal of the Unnatural Philosophers—one of the most respected organizations throughout all of Britain—ventures to the border of Fairyland to discover why England’s magical stocks are drying up.

·         Emergency Contact- Mary H.K. Choi (very wholesome and fun rom-com!)

For Penny Lee high school was a total nonevent. When she heads to college in Austin, Texas, to learn how to become a writer, it’s seventy-nine miles and a zillion light years away from everything she can’t wait to leave behind.

 ·         Jade City- Fonda Lee (I am reading this currently and can I just say- I think everyone who loves fantasy and blood feuds in a story should read this.)

JADE CITY is a gripping Godfather-esque saga of intergenerational blood feuds, vicious politics, magic, and kungfu. The Kaul family is one of two crime syndicates that control the island of Kekon. It's the only place in the world that produces rare magical jade, which grants those with the right training and heritage superhuman abilities.

 ·         A Pho Love Story- Loan Le

When Dimple Met Rishi meets Ugly Delicious in this funny, smart romantic comedy, in which two Vietnamese-American teens fall in love and must navigate their newfound relationship amid their families’ age-old feud about their competing, neighbouring restaurants.

·         Rebelwing- Andrea Tang

Business is booming for Prudence Wu. A black-market-media smuggler and scholarship student at the prestigious New Columbia Preparatory Academy, Pru is lucky to live in the Barricade Coalition where she is free to study, read, watch, and listen to whatever she wants.

·         Wings of the Locust- Joel Donato Ching Jacob

Tuan escapes his mundane and mediocre existence when he is apprenticed to Muhen, a charming barangay wiseman. But, as he delves deeper into the craft of a mambabarang and its applications in espionage, sabotage and assassination, the young apprentice is overcome by conflicting emotions that cause him to question his new life.

 ·         The Travelling Cat Chronicles- Hiro Arikawa

Sometimes you have to leave behind everything you know to find the place you truly belong...

Nana the cat is on a road trip. He is not sure where he's going or why, but it means that he gets to sit in the front seat of a silver van with his beloved owner, Satoru. 

 ·         Super Fake Love Song- David Yoon

From the bestselling author of Frankly in Love comes a contemporary YA rom-com where a case of mistaken identity kicks off a string of (fake) events that just may lead to (real) love.

  ·         Parachutes- Kelly Yang

Speak enters the world of Gossip Girl in this modern immigrant story from New York Times bestselling author Kelly Yang about two girls navigating wealth, power, friendship, and trauma.

·         The Grace of Kings- Ken Liu ( One of the Time 100 Best Fantasy Books Of All Time!)

Two men rebel together against tyranny—and then become rivals—in this first sweeping book of an epic fantasy series from Ken Liu, recipient of Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards.

·         Wicked Fox- Kat Cho

A fresh and addictive fantasy-romance set in modern-day Seoul.

 ·         Descendant of the Crane- Joan He

In this shimmering Chinese-inspired fantasy, debut author Joan He introduces a determined and vulnerable young heroine struggling to do right in a world brimming with deception.

 ·         Pachinko- Min Jin Lee

Richly told and profoundly moving, Pachinko is a story of love, sacrifice, ambition, and loyalty. From bustling street markets to the halls of Japan's finest universities to the pachinko parlors of the criminal underworld, Lee's complex and passionate characters--strong, stubborn women, devoted sisters and sons, fathers shaken by moral crisis--survive and thrive against the indifferent arc of history.

·         America is in the Heart- Carlos Bulosan

First published in 1946, this autobiography of the well known Filipino poet describes his boyhood in the Philippines, his voyage to America, and his years of hardship and despair as an itinerant laborer following the harvest trail in the rural West.

 ·         Days of Distraction- Alexandra Chang

A wry, tender portrait of a young woman — finally free to decide her own path, but unsure if she knows herself well enough to choose wisely—from a captivating new literary voice.

·         The Astonishing Colour of After Emily X.R Pan

Alternating between real and magic, past and present, friendship and romance, hope and despair, The Astonishing Color of After is a novel about finding oneself through family history, art, grief, and love. 

·         The Gilded Wolves- Roshani Chokshi

It's 1889. The city is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance.

·         When Dimple met Rishi- Sandhya Menon

Dimple and Rishi may think they have each other figured out. But when opposites clash, love works hard to prove itself in the most unexpected ways.

·         On Earth we’re briefly Gorgeous- Ocean Vuong

Poet Ocean Vuong's debut novel is a shattering portrait of a family, a first love, and the redemptive power of storytelling.

·         Fierce Fairytales- Nikita Gill

Complete with beautifully hand-drawn illustrations by Gill herself, Fierce Fairytales is an empowering collection of poems and stories for a new generation.

 BOOKS BEING RELEASED LATER THIS YEAR TO PREORDER:

·         Counting down with you- Tashie Bhuiyan- 4th May

A reserved Bangladeshi teenager has twenty-eight days to make the biggest decision of her life after agreeing to fake date her school’s resident bad boy.

How do you make one month last a lifetime?

·         Gearbreakers- Zoe Hana Mikuta- June 29th

Two girls on opposite sides of a war discover they're fighting for a common purpose--and falling for each other--in Zoe Hana Mikuta's high-octane debut Gearbreakers, perfect for fans of Pacific Rim, Pierce Brown's Red Rising Saga, and Marie Lu's Legend series

·         XOXO- Axie Oh- 13th July

When a relationship means throwing Jenny’s life off the path she’s spent years mapping out, she’ll have to decide once and for all just how much she’s willing to risk for love.

·         She who became the sun- Shelley Parker-Chan- 20th July

Mulan meets The Song of Achilles in Shelley Parker-Chan's She Who Became the Sun, a bold, queer, and lyrical reimagining of the rise of the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty from an amazing new voice in literary fantasy.

·         Jade Fire Gold- June C.L Tan- October 12th

Two girls on opposite sides of a war discover they're fighting for a common purpose--and falling for each other--in Zoe Hana Mikuta's high-octane debut Gearbreakers, perfect for fans of Pacific Rim, Pierce Brown's Red Rising Saga, and Marie Lu's Legend series

  Keep sharing, signing petitions and donating where you can. The more people who are actively anti-racist, the better. And if your anti-racism doesn’t include the Asian community then go and educate yourself! BLM wasn’t a trend and neither is this. We have to stand up against white supremacy, and racism and stereotypes and we have to support the communities that need our support. Part of that can include cultivating your reading so you’re reading more diversely and challenging any stereotypes western society may have given you.

 Feel free to reblog and add any more recommendations and resources of course!

[brightmiraii]

RELATIONSHIP & SHIPNAMES WITH SEVENTEEN || PART 2

GIFs are not mine! Credit to the owners!

Hayley's masterlist || Part 1

HAMING/THEHAY (MINGHAO x HAEUN)

Minghao and Haeun act like twins, they’re always dissing each other (no one – besides maybe Seungkwan depending on Hao’s humour – can diss Haeun. “Only I can do it” – Minghao, Xu), but everyone knows they love each other so much, it’s only their own way to express it. Every curse word he knows, it’s not a lot by the way, is thanks to Haeun (including “iMMA“) , she also teaches him English and he teaches her Chinese they are almost done with each other during their lessons lol. Hao tends to compliment Haeun in Chinese so she wouldn’t understand (MH (in Chinese): I think you’re amazing. HE: Are you dissing me? MH: Yeah, you’re ugly. HE (screaming): jUN OPPA MINGHAO IS BEING MEAN TO ME). He’s another member of ‘Protect Haeun At All Cost Squad’ and is ready to fight anyone who disrespects his sis. Aside from all the dissing battles, Haeun just loves how caring and considering Minghao is and she tries to take good care of him (especially when he hurt his back, she was so concerned it was cute).

HAGYU/MINGLAY (MINGYU x HAEUN)

Definitely Mingyu is a member of ‘Protect Haeun At All Cost Squad’, he is in charge of making sure Haeun is fed, healthy and not on a crazy diet. Mings goes with Hayhay whenever she’s about to start a diet just to know what she has to eat, what she couldn’t and stuff (because maybe or maybe not Haeun had already lied about some previous diets and ended up fainting while practising). Mingyu is so whipped for Haeun that he is capable of stopping anything he’s doing to pay attention to her and it’s highly possible that Mingyu’d be seen giving Haeun a piggyback ride. The girl just loves how Mingyu is a (giant) puppy, how his hugs are so comfortable (highkey they cuddle a lot) and his silliness never fails to lift her mood.

SEOKEUN/DHAY (SEOKMIN x HAEUN)

Seokmin considers himself as Haeun’s personal ray of sunshine, he “fights” with Jeonghan about who is Haeun’s mother in Seventeen. They are constantly spotted eating anywhere they go, pretty much every time, not gonna lie. It seems like Seokmin jokes around just to break Haeun’s shell of shyness. If he can make her laugh out loud he feels like he owns the world, because he thinks her laugh is one of the most precious sounds on Earth. Everyone loves Haeun, that's a fcking fact. This girl just loves Seokmin’s voice and definitely looks up to him in this matter, also she loves his smile and feels more confident to joke around without being afraid of not entertaining people because she knows he has her back.

SEUNGHA/HAYKWAN (SEUNGKWAN x HAEUN)

Let’s be honest, Seungkwan was probably the member who was most awkward with Haeun at the beginning, but it quickly evolved to a, what people see, ‘love and hate relationship’ due to every single time they expose each other on air. On camera they really seem to hate each other like “bitch you better stop exposing me now or else I’ll shove my shoe down your throat and it won’t be nice”, behind the scenes, though, they care a lot about the other maybe in a more tsundere way (contrary to Hao). Despite Haeun complaining about Seungkwan never shutting his mouth, she adores his voice when he sings, and how he puts his everything into music.

EUNSOL/HAYNON (HANSOL x HAEUN)

He is so soft on her, even his family thinks so to the point where they basically adopted her during holidays whenever she couldn’t spend those times with Mark. Hansol is another member who probably knows Haeun the best along with Joshua, they talk in English a lot (especially during her early days when Hayhay almost looked like a foreigner that couldn’t speak Korean at all) and it’s somewhat comforting. She found in Hansol another source of home, he truly felt like another brother to Haeun, as caring and loving as Mark. If they had a fan account, they would definitely post something like “Haeun/Hansol appreciation post”.

CHANEUN/HAYDI (CHAN x HAEUN)

One fun fact before we start this: Chan and Haeun used to have a crush on each other before she joined Seventeen, but any feeling was forgotten as soon as they became best friends and realised nothing more serious would work between them. Said that, it is a fact that they are the closest (even more than the American line) due to the smallest age gap and their passion for dance. Chan truly respects Haeun for being so eclectic in dancing styles since she can go from classic ballet to almost b-boying (with a wild Jun freaking out), and Haeun admires him for maturing so quickly and being such a great dancer. They share a lot of secrets and worries, they’ve seen each other cry plenty of times and always dances together, including couple choreographies, because they just know nothing wrong or weird will happen.

[weilongfu]

Wei watches 2Moons2 Ep 9: #InternationalMingKitDay

My friends, followers, and assorted other blogs that are following me for things I don’t post about (as much) anymore, today we are blessed with a 100% MingKit episode. I am DISAPPOINT that Joong and Nine didn’t demand to have it called International MingKit Day, but this is really the only flaw in an otherwise decent rookie cast.

Poor Kit. After such a tough looking exam, the bros ditched you for their hoes. But at least yours is stalking you looking out for you! I love how Ming is such a little shit and refuses to get out of the car. Kit must not have really wanted to kick Ming out of the car or he would have dragged his tall ass up and down the street. 

Ming, I know you’re trying to be cute, but admitting to your stalker tendencies isn’t how to do it. Although Kit’s slip of the tongue here is very cute. I don’t remember reading that his family is a Chinese one, but I like that detail. I also think it’s cute that Ming has been watching since high school (but please stop being a stalker). 

This shopping scene was cute. I’m glad Pin is so nice and supportive and that she and Kit genuinely are friends. Although I wish they’d worked in this flashback montage a little (read: a lot) better. It’s also really nice that Pin helps give Kit that push he needs. 

Ming, you can’t take a taxi back, I’m sure it’ll be too expensive!

Kieng NEEDS to take a chill pill. But we’ll see if he mellows anyway. It’s also worth noting that in this scene, Ming tells Kieng, “I’m Kit’s boyfriend,” and NOT, “I’m P’Kit’s boyfriend.” The lack of using proper address is something Kieng notices in the novel. 

Can I just say that this awkward dinner conversation is too real? Like this is legit the Asian family, “Why aren’t you dating someone yet,” conversation over dinner. It’s too real. This is too legit. And Ming being a little shit and Kieng coughing all over the place is too much. (I guess eating fish is a euphemism in Thai? But Kieng, give your grandma some slack, she means well.)

Kieng is still fucking picking fights. Twist his ear Kit’s mom! All this fucking coughing and honking everywhere. 

Of course, Ming just makes himself comfortable and refuses to sleep anywhere but with Kit. But Kitkat-chan is a bit too much. Wrong language reference, Ming! Even a hug is so much work, isn’t it Ming? But that’s what does it for him I guess. Kieng has the WORST timing though. Constantly blocking progress! At least MingKit play it off and finally get him to leave them alone. I’m also glad that Ming’s straightforward attitude worked in his favor here.

But that last line of Kieng’s, that little slip, it’s hilarious. Not sure we needed to break the tension, but it was a nice bit of levity. 

And then... Ming asks Kit again to be his boyfriend. It’s very telling that Kit admits he’s noticed Ming too since high school. 

Also in MingKit country, we don’t say, “I love you.” We say, “You are my earth,” and I think that’s beautiful. I also loved that Kit got to give the full rant about what kind of person he is and that he also says he’s tired of being cool around Ming. That’s right Kit! Let your walls down a little now! Ming is here for you! He accepts you for what you are!

Previews for next week are double-edged. On one hand, PhaYo bathroom scene and Park. On the other hand, Forth hazing juniors and making them yell messages at Beam for him. God, only 3 more episodes to go!

[khalilhumam]

Who are the 6 Hong Kong activists wanted by the police under Beijing's national security law?

New Post has been published on http://khalilhumam.com/who-are-the-6-hong-kong-activists-wanted-by-the-police-under-beijings-national-security-law/

Who are the 6 Hong Kong activists wanted by the police under Beijing's national security law?

The six activists live abroad, and one of them is a citizen of the United States

Beijing's six wanted Hong Kong fugitives. Image from the Stand News. Used with permission.

Six pro-democracy activists have been branded fugitives of justice by the Hong Kong Police Force, according to a report by China Central Television (CCTV) aired on July 31. Local authorities refused media request to comment on the case. Among the activists are Nathan Law, Ray Wong, Honcques Laus, Simon Cheng, Wayne Chan — all Hong Kong citizens living overseas. The sixth activist, Samuel Chu, is a United States citizen and has been living in that country for the past 25 years. CCTV reported that the six men are wanted for “incitement to secession and collusion with foreign forces,” which would be violations of the newly-enacted national security law. The arrest order of US citizen Samuel Chu seems to confirm fears that China aims to apply the draconian law to anyone on Earth, including non-Hong Kong citizens residing overseas. Since the enactment of the new law, the United Kingdom, the United States, New Zealand, and some European countries including France and Germany have suspended their extradition treaties with Hong Kong. Why are the six men wanted by Beijing? Below is a brief summary of the activists’ background and their reactions to the “fugitive” status.

Samuel Chu

The 42-year-old pastor was born in Hong Kong, but since 1995 has been a citizen of the United States, where he also lives. He has been involved in anti-poverty activism in his country of residence, for example, advocating for schools to provide free meals to students and campaigning against “lunch shaming.” He is a son of Reverend Chu Yiu-ming, who was a prominent figure in Hong Kong's 2014 Umbrella Protests. In September 2019, Samuel Chu founded the Hong Kong Democracy Council, a Washington DC-based nonpartisan human rights group that promotes democracy and human rights in Hong Kong. On Twitter, Chu mocked the accusations levied against him:

Today, I woke up to media reports that I am a wanted fugitive. My alleged crimes? “Inciting secession” & “colluding with foreign powers” under HK's National Security Law. Except I am an American citizen & have been for 25 years. pic.twitter.com/rppP14kLnU — Samuel Chu 朱牧民 (@samuelmchu) July 31, 2020

Nathan Law

Born in mainland China, the 27-year-old activist left Hong Kong to the United Kingdom shortly before July 1, 2020, when the national security law was enacted. Besides being one of the student leaders of the 2014 Umbrella Protests, Law is also the founding chairperson of Demosisto, a now-disbanded political party led by student activists, including Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow. The party advocated for a referendum to determine Hong Kong's sovereignty post-2047, when the “one country, two systems” principle of the 1997 Sino-British declaration is due to expire. In 2016, at the age of 23, Law was elected as the youngest-ever member of the Legislative Council, but he was disqualified from holding office after making a protest statement during his oath-taking ceremony. He now lives in London and has continued to lobby international bodies to safeguard civil liberties and human rights in Hong Kong. After seeing the CCTV news, he tweeted that all of his decisions have been made out of the love for Hong Kong, and that he is willing to pay “the price of displacement”. He added that, in order to protect his family from political harassment, he would sever relationships with them:

8. At the same time, I hereby reiterate: My advocacy work overseas is conducted in my own personal capacity, without any collaboration with others. Since leaving Hong Kong, I have also stopped contacting members of my family. From now on I’ll sever my relationship with them. — Nathan Law 羅冠聰

(@nathanlawkc) July 31, 2020

Ray Wong

Wong founded the localist political group Hong Kong Indigenous soon after the Umbrella Protests in 2014, which favored more radical action in contrast with the city's mainstream pro-democracy movements. He was arrested in February 2016 on charges of “inciting a riot” in Mongkok district during the Lunar New Year. Wong jumped bail and fled to Europe in November 2017. Germany granted him refugee status for political persecution in May 2018. Despite Beijing's claims that the national security law will not be applied retroactively, the inclusion of Ray Wong in the wanted list suggests otherwise. Wong reacted to the news on Twitter:

So the only reason why I was sought for “incitement to secession and collusion with foreign forces ” must be based on my activities before the NSL is in force. Today,#HKGov unveils the fact that they'd use the law retrospectively. — Ray Wong

(@Ray_WongHKI) July 31, 2020

Honcques Laus

The 19-year-old Vietnamese-Hongkonger is the youngest of the six activists. He was arrested in April 2018 after a body search near the Legislative Council found he was carrying a toy gun. The activist was sentenced to 18-month probation by a District Court, but he appealed to a High Court and won. In June 2019, he established the Hongkonger Utilitarian Party, a pro-independence group. Like other activists, he fled to the UK shortly before the security law was enacted, and now seeks political asylum in that country. In response to his “fugitive” status, he wrote on Facebook:

As I can enjoy freedom of speech in the UK, I will dare to express my political opinion freely, and continue to request the international community to impose sanctions against the Hong Kong government and the Chinese government, including sanctions on Carrie Lam, PK Tang and “Winnie the Pooh”.

Wayne Chan

The 30-year-old activist is the convener of the political group Hong Kong Independence Union. Chan joined the Civic Party in 2013 and participated in the Umbrella Protests in 2014. He left the party in 2015 and took a political turn towards advocating for Hong Kong's independence. He was arrested, and then released on bail, for participating in protests in June 2019 that were deemed illegal by the authorities. The activist jumped bail and fled Hong Kong to the UK in June 2020. Chan has kept a low-profile since settling in the UK. He has told Hong Kong Free Press that was not sure why he was included in the list but pondered that the fact that he posted the Hong Kong independence flag on Facebook on July 1 might have drawn the authorities’ attention. In the same interview, he expressed concern over the security of fellow activists in Hong Kong and stressed that he is not afraid of the wanted order:

I would not change my political view after leaving, especially when those in Hong Kong can no longer speak out as they wish.

Simon Cheng

Cheng was a former trade and investment officer at the British Consulate-General in Hong Kong. He was arrested and detained by mainland Chinese authorities during a trip to Shenzhen in August 2019 and was forced to make a video confession for “soliciting prostitutes” in exchange for his release. In November 2019, he said Chinese agents tortured him and forced him to confess that he was a British spy who instigated the anti-extradition protests in Hong Kong. He traveled to the UK in December 2019 and was granted refugee status by the UK on June 26, 2020. Together with other exiled activists, Cheng has been helping Hongkongers to seek asylum abroad. As the Hong Kong government had disqualified pro-democracy candidates en mass from running to the Legislative Council election, Cheng's group of exiled activists are drawing a plan to establish an unofficial parliament-in-exile. He made a brief statement on Facebook regarding the wanted order:

Statement: I keep speaking up and acting for the public cause of our people’s interest and freedom, esp. for those who have no power and wealth, now the totalitarian regime criminalises that and frame me up, then I would take that not as a shame but an honour.

< p class='gv-rss-footer'>Written by Oiwan Lam · comments (0) Donate · Share this: twitter facebook reddit

[trunewsofficial]

Persecuted Christian Pastor Preaches to His Oppressors

A Christian pastor in Hong Kong who has been charged with leading pro-democracy protests nearly five years ago turned his appearance in the defendant’s dock to give his oppressors the sermon of a lifetime. The Rev. Chu Yiu-ming, considered a “ringleader” in the so-called “Umbrella Movement,” had already been found guilty of creating a public nuisance. When he appeared before a Chinese court for his sentencing, he read to them a statement he titled “Confessions of a Bell Toller.” The ordained Baptist pastor opened his statement with a profession of his faith: “I am a Christian minister committed to the service of God. I have resolved to live a life of friendship with the weak and the poor, praying that God’s justice be manifested on earth as it is in heaven, and that the gospel of love and peace be proclaimed among the people. But today, old and grey, I find myself in the Defendant’s dock, making a final plea as a convict. It looks so absurd, if not outright shameful for a person holding holy office. “And yet, at this very moment, my heart tells me that with this defendant’s dock, I have found the most honourable pulpit of my ministerial career. The valley of the shadow of death leads to spiritual heights. “For decades, I have preached numerous sermons. Little could I anticipate that the one message which preparation took me the longest time and the most heartfelt prayer, and which probably would reach the largest audience, is precisely this one delivered from the Defendant’s dock. In this message I tell the story of my childhood, of the Umbrella Movement, a story of heaven and earth. “In days of old, Jewish people longed for the coming of the Redeemer when there would be no more pain and tears. Then Christ, Incarnate, took on human flesh and lived among us, sharing in our suffering and pain. And the world has since learned that ‘where there is suffering and tears, there is the Redeemer.’ “Ours is an age of absurdity. Living in a society on the brink of authoritarianism and of arbitrary rule, let me be a brave bell toller, ringing, waking up sleepy souls.” Chu then proceeded to tell his story of growing up in destitution on a farm on the mainland with his grandmother, and of living among the so-called “street sleepers” upon his return to Hong Kong after her death. Eventually, he became a school janitor, where he was befriended by a senior teacher who was a devout Christian. Following his own conversion, he took his last $130 and worked his way through three years of high school, four years of college and three years of seminary. Upon graduation, in 1974, he was commissioned to serve the Chai Wan Baptist Church, which faced a number of community problems due to widespread poverty. Chu also discussed his experiences with democracy under British rule, the transition to Chinese government, and his own near-death experiences. He also spoke of his civil disobedience against policies that seek to oppress his brothers and sisters in the faith. In the end, the pastor made the following proclamation to his oppressors: “This is 9th of April, 2019. 51 years ago, on the 4th of this month, a man of peace, an advocate of non-violent action for social change, was gunned down. The words of this great man, Dr Martin Luther King still speak to us today. “‘Resist, we must. Freedom never comes as a gift. The powerful oppressor would never offer freedom to the oppressed with both hands. Rights and opportunities have to be secured with the sacrifice and suffering of some. “‘Hatred bleeds hatred. Violence begets violence. We must use love to deal with the powers of hate. Our goal is never the defeat or humiliation of white people. On the contrary, ours is to win their friendship and understanding.’ “Rev. Martin Luther King once said that without justice, there can be no true harmony. I urge you, who find their home in this city, have compassion on the victims of unjust systems. They include the protesters, also police officers. I pray that compassion would generate courage in us to fight the evil of this unjust system. “In the Umbrella Movement, I am just a bell toller. I ring the bell. And the bell tolls. It gives out a warning sound, that something bad and disastrous is happening. So doing, I hope that consciences may wake up, and together we work together to save the day. “Should I still manage to find some strength in my ageing body, I shall continue to be a bell toller, in church, in the world and in each human heart. “He has made clear to you, O man, what is good; and what is desired from you by the Lord; only doing what is right, and loving mercy, and walking without pride before your God. (Micah6:8) “I, Chu Yiu Ming, Tai Yiu Ting and Chan Kin Man, from the Defendant’s Dock, now wish to declare. “We have no regrets, we hold no grudges, no anger, no grievances. We do not give up. In the words of Jesus, ‘Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires; The Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!’ (Matthew 5:10) Oh Lord, who is merciful and just – to you I entrust my life, may your will be done!” (Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons) source https://trunews.com/stream/persecuted-christian-pastor-preaches-to-his-oppressors