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thinktosee · 5 years ago

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GLORY TO HONG KONG AND CHINA

Today is the 18th anniversary of the tragedy which we know as 911. We ask for blessings of Peace for all.

A. OPENER

CHINA IS A TWO-PARTY SYSTEM - THE COMMUNIST PARTY, AND THE PEOPLE. WHOSE INTEREST THEN TAKES PRECEDENCE? (it may be interesting to note that singapore is a two-party system too).

This essay is a continuation of “IS HK REALLY CHINA?” dated Aug. 19, 2019. That essay is accessible herewith :

https://thinktosee.tumblr.com/post/187118822613/is-hong-kong-really-china

B. INTRODUCTION

Image courtesy bbc.com

For several months now, Hong Kong, that lovely island off the south coast of China, has been in political and social turmoil. Large street demonstrations are becoming a regular feature of public life. The issue, as we were given to understand was a bill tabled in the Legislature in February 2019 which if it became law would have allowed for the extradition of accused persons to China and to other jurisdictions. The bill was opposed by a large segment of the HK public. To calm their unease, the Chief Executive, Mrs. Carrie Lam suspended the bill. This apparently did not assuage the people, particularly as they expected the bill to be re-introduced once things settled down. So the demonstrations went on, some of which alarmed the authorities enough about public order and safety. The ensuing and scattered violent confrontation between police and demonstrators did not help either side to the debate. When folks are violently attacked, be they the demonstrators or the police, civil society is also a victim.

On Sep 4th, Mrs. Lam withdrew the bill (1). That settles it. Or does it? It seems the demonstrators’ demands have since escalated to cover the following (2):

1. Withdrawal of the extradition bill (withdrawn on Sep 4th).

2. Official and impartial investigation into alleged police brutality against the demonstrators.

3. Resignation of Ms Lam as CEO.

4. Release of detained protesters.

5. Political reforms.

As HK’s legal system is generally transparent, with due process protections, numbers 2 and 4 should be resolved within the ambit of the law. Numbers 3 and 5 are more difficult to achieve, especially as there is no legal mechanism for this. It is a political issue which goes beyond HK.

C. THE ACTORS in the Drama

In this HK drama, the apparent actors are –

- HK Government

- The youth, workers and other libertarian constituents who form the bulk of the demonstrators, ie. the general public.

- The ruling Communist Party of China (CCP)

The less apparent actors are :

- The oligarchs, who have enormous political and economic influence on the island. They are the ones who have the most to lose if the extradition bill had passed (3).

- �� Foreign NGOs and governments who are either perceived to support the position of the demonstrators or that of the HK or Beijing Governments.

Mrs. Lam’s withdrawal of the bill may possibly set the stage for isolating the demonstrators. The key demand of the demonstrators and the HK public – the withdrawal of the bill, has been met. Back to school and work, folks. Or at least that’s what the rulers hope.

D. WHAT REALLY IS GOING ON?

Image courtesy 4 non blondes/youtube (4)

The basic issue in HK is the “One country, two systems” concept. That has to be addressed, either now or before 2047 when this benignly-named agreement expires in HK and the people of the island come under direct CCP rule. This includes the democratic and independent institutions in HK – the judiciary, free press, open economy and border, first class civil service, due process, etc.

As stated in the previous essay, HK is a creation of colonial Britain. The CCP has never directly ruled over HK. The HK public apparently has no interest in a rule by the CCP. The youth especially. How does one reconcile an ancient claim to the island and its people, with the reality on the ground? Some will no doubt suggest through the “rule of law.” Well, as I asked in a letter to the defence minister of singapore on May 14, 2017 :

“Whose rule and whose law?” We have seen what that is all about in singapore since 1959.

Similarly for the CCP, who came to power in 1949 (5). This is the party which gave the Chinese people the Hundred Flowers Campaign and the Cultural Revolution, both of which were tragic periods in modern Chinese history (6,7). Positive change only came after the passing of the dictator in 1976. However, the CCP continues to honour him and his legacy to this day.

Image courtesy Cartoon Connections

Rule by one or a few unelected and undemocratic individuals over a country is never going to work out well. Some well-meaning citizens will go on deluding themselves about the glitter of an expanding economy, while others just never experienced anything else than a dictatorship, and hence don’t know better.

The issue between the two political systems – China’s and HK’s is fundamental. The first holds the people accountable to the party, while the second holds the government and party accountable. The first lies behind a veneer of nationalism, that is, hiding behind the masses, when there is a crisis (usually of their making), while in the second, the people take the lead to restore or preserve their future, which by the way, the demonstrators in HK seem to be doing.

E. PROBABLE SOLUTIONS

Image courtesy gforcesigns.com

1. Maintain the status quo

This means the CCP takes over HK in 2047 as agreed. In the interim, as the social unrest in HK continues, the CCP may find it necessary to intervene directly. A Tiananmen Part 2? (8) This puts HK’s people and future at great risk. Ultimately, if the demonstrators refuse to end their civil disobedience campaign, the CCP will likely act. They cannot risk HK breaking away. Others will be tempted to do the same – Xinjiang, Tibet, etc. The CCP views its moral legitimacy as the unifier of China. To allow a breakup of China is also to see the dissolution of the basis for its very existence.

2. Extend “one country two systems” indefinitely.

This preserves the autonomy of HK and its democratic institutions. Not a bad idea. It operates quite similarly to the understanding between the CCP and Taiwan, where the latter is for all intents and purposes, an independent country. Only Taiwan cannot officially declare it. And besides, Taiwan gets the best of both worlds – massive trade with China and good relations with the USA (9,10). Similarly for HK. Under this scenario, everyone gets what they want, it seems.

3. The CCP elects for universal suffrage or democratic elections in China.

Image courtesy slideshare.net

This suggests that China becomes more like HK or Taiwan, rather than the other way around. This way, the political interests between the two systems overlap rather than diverge. A very unlikely outcome since those who have wielded power undemocratically for a long time have become very comfortable and entrenched with their privileges and are not amenable to these being denied to them, or their children.

F. CONCLUSION

Image courtesy emaze.com

The CCP is a misnomer. Communism, going by Marxist theory, never existed anywhere (11,12). What then is the CCP? Has Chinese political system really changed since time immemorial? The CCP is the latest in a long line of totalitarian political systems. Its founder was Mao. Since his passing in 1976, his successors have sought to open the country, especially to trade and education. This by most measurements has been very succesful. The political system however has yet to evolve with the rest.

The political turmoil in HK is a consequence of a lack of democratic and transparent political institutions in China. A neo-aristocratic order is self-serving, every time (some may refer to it as a meritocracy. I prefer the term neo-aristocracy). This answers the question in the opening statement of this essay – whose interest takes precedence?

The People of HK and China should be left to decide what is best for themselves. The only good solution is to empower them and to offer each a vote. Democracy is an imperfect form of government. It’s the only one which works, however. I can’t recall who first said that. But it ain’t me, for sure.

I close with the anthem of the protesters of HK as reported via the link. These folks have a right…… to dream.

https://time.com/5672018/glory-to-hong-kong-protests-national-anthem/

David in HK, 2016

In the Spirit of David Cornelius Singh

David’s father

Email : [email protected]

https://thinktosee.tumblr.com/

Sources/References

1. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-49575381

2. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/08/13/asia/hong-kong-airport-protest-explained-hnk-intl/index.html

3. https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3025260/developers-cosy-ties-politics-may-explain-hong-kongs-biggest-woe-widening

4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NXnxTNIWkc

5. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Chinese-Communist-Party

6. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-silence-that-preceded-chinas-great-leap-into-famine-51898077/

7. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/15/world/asia/china-cultural-revolution-explainer.html

8. https://www.amnesty.org.uk/china-1989-tiananmen-square-protests-demonstration-massacre

9. http://www.worldstopexports.com/taiwans-top-import-partners/

10. https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2019/07/taiwans-status-geopolitical-absurdity/593371/

11. https://www.bbc.com/news/election-2017-39837515

12. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/238953.Das_Kapital

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hermanwatts · 5 years ago

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Fantasy and Adventure New Releases: 29 February, 2020

Xianxia magical protectors, infernal collections agents, and dungeon fairy assistants fill this week’s list of fantasy and adventure new releases.

Annex (Artorian’s Archives #3) – Dennis Vanderkerken and Dakota Krout

Headmaster. Exile. Gladiator.

Backed into a corner, Artorian must play fast and loose with the laws of the land. To gather what he needs to progress, he will need to sacrifice what he’s gained in order to get this far.

With his new school and friends facing their most deadly challenges yet, Artorian finds an opportunity to keep them safe. The cost of it may be access to the new home he’s built, but that was never intended to be for him.

When he can ensure their safety, Artorian will begin pursuit of his grandchildren once more. If he finds them, will they want to be saved… or will they have found a taste for the darker powers they have accrued? It’s time to make the hard choices.

Death or graduation.

Axestorm (Sky Realms Online #3) – Troy Osgood

Hall had hoped things would finally start to settle down. He should’ve known better.

He’s been trapped within the new version of Sky Realms Online for months. Mostly at peace with it, he’s started to make a new life within the game world. He’s found a woman to love, the NPC Druid Leigh, and a village to call home.

Skara Brae is still mostly ruins but he now has friends and citizens to help rebuild. But he’s still missing many of the resources needed.

A quest for one of those resources, an airship, will send Hall and his companions far away to the cold island of Huntley, home to Storvgarde tribesmen and the Dwarven citadel of Axestorm Hall.

What should have been a simple voyage by airship will become much more as Hall will face shipwrecks, stolen Dwarven artifacts, rampaging tribesmen, a blast from his past, and more mysteries from a game they no longer know.

The Players will find themselves more connected to the world of Hankarth than ever before or they even thought possible and Hall will face his greatest challenge. Fighting for his life and his beliefs.

Will Hall survive long enough to learn who or what the Champions are?

Blood Tally (Valkyrie Collections #2) – Brian McClellan

Alek Fitz is the lead reaper for Valkyrie Collections, an agency that gathers debts for the paranormal elements of the world. Bound into modern-day slavery by a contract he cannot break, sold by parents he never knew, Alek works alongside demons, spirits, witches, and even Death himself to collect on deals made with humanity.

When Alek is forced to take a job from a local vampire hunting down a run-away thrall, he is immediately thrust into a world of blackmail and backstabbing, where the Rules are nothing more than an inconvenience to ancient, supernatural predators. For the first time, Alek has more to fear from his clients than from his debtors.

But Alek is the best in the business. It’ll take more than a Vampire Lord to keep a good reaper down.

The Dungeon Fairy (The Hapless Dungeon Fairy #1) – Jonathan Brooks

All that Tacca GloomLily ever wanted to be since she was very little was a Fairy Assistant to a Dungeon Core. After her negatively portentous birth, however, she was never fully accepted by her superstitious peers and instructors at the Dungeon Assistant Preparatory School; nevertheless, she persisted in her studies and graduated at the top of her class. Unfortunately for her, the “hands-on” training she was supposed to receive from a Mentor and his Bonded Dungeon Core didn’t go the way she would’ve hoped. In fact, the stigma attached to her origins finally made itself known in the form of horrendously “bad luck”; the rotten part of her newly discovered luck was that it adversely affected Cores that she happened to be near, and not just herself. What can a Dungeon Assistant Fairy do when every Dungeon Core she gets near ends up being destroyed? Tacca had no idea, but a solution eventually presents itself – though it’s one that she never saw coming…

The King’s Man (The Zero Enigma #7) – Christopher Nuttall

The City of Shallot is on the verge of revolution. The Great Houses are mustering their forces, readying themselves for a shift in the balance of power. The poor have found a new leader and are – finally – demanding their rights. Shadowy figures and old ghosts are prowling the streets. It is only a matter of time before the unease and unrest explodes into violence, as the wealthy and powerful seek to secure themselves in a changing world. And dark forces are laying plans to take advantage of the chaos …

A newly-graduated student, the son of a proudly independent merchant, Adam Mortimer is recruited into the Kingsmen and charged with helping to track down the anarchists and terrorists before they trigger an explosion. But, as he delves into the mystery, he finds himself caught between the scars of his childhood and his hopes for the future, loyalties tested as he finds himself caught between old friends and new.

And, as infernal devices begin to terrorise the city, Adam must risk everything to save the people he loves …

Primary Target (Six Assassins #1) – Jim Heskett and Nick Thacker

The Denver Assassins Club has one rule for its members: Step out of line and you become the next target.

Ember Clarke is a nimble killer-for-hire.

She only accepts jobs to snuff out dirtbags who deserve it, like the serial rapist currently in her crosshairs; the latest of her contracts.

But when a rival Club hitman shows up to steal the contract — and put a knife in her back — she has no choice but to add another stiff to her body count.

But she quickly learns that the Club will not tolerate killing another member, even in self defense.

Her punishment?

A grueling six-week gauntlet of being stalked by her peers, starting with an eagle-eyed sniper from another branch of the Club.

Can Ember turn the tables on the first of six, or will this hunter’s next bullet have her name on it?

In Ember’s new world, it’s kill-or-be-killed.

And there are plenty who want to kill her.

Soul Bound (Dweller Saga #1) – A. J. Flowers

The gods are dying.

Thane has served his goddess for thousands of lifetimes, but even he knows that time is running out. There’s only one way to save her, to save all of Dweller kind, and it’s a suicide mission.

The host is a boy named Jakob. His ancient soul is one of the rare sources of power still recycling in the world of flesh. Thane has taken so many souls to his goddess, but this one could save them all.

It’s only when Thane learns the truth of the gods does he deny them their power. Souls aren’t recycled. They’re destroyed, and his goddess isn’t a deity… she’s a monster.

Permanently melded with his human host, Thane meets his soulmate, a woman who captures his heart like his goddess never did. He’ll do anything to protect her, and the gods know it.

Word of Truth (Buried Goddess Saga #6) – Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle

The end is coming. It’s time to make a last stand…

Whitney, Lucindur and the others couldn’t stop Nesilia from returning in a new form. Many died in their failed attempt, but not all hope was lost. Sora is free and more powerful than ever, ready for vengeance against the Buried Goddess. Together, they’ll have one last shot at stopping her, but it may be too late.

Nesilia’s army tears across Pantego, killing everything in their path. The Drav Cra stand with her under Freydis, Babrak leads a Shesaitju fleet in her name. Demons and monsters from Elsewhere are slaves to her will.

In order to have any chance of fighting back, Sir Torsten Unger and Caleef Mahraveh arrange a marriage in an effort to unite their rival kingdoms. But if the people of Pantego can’t come together once and for all, Nesilia will drown all the world in darkness.

Fantasy and Adventure New Releases: 29 February, 2020 published first on https://sixchexus.weebly.com/

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