Hong Kong

China vs. US Over Taiwan: Militaries Maneuvering, Tensions Rising, but No Shots Firing

Monday, February 1, 2021 at 6:47 AM

Written by Anthony L. Hall

China and the United States have irreconcilable differences over Taiwan. China considers Taiwan a “prodigal” province. The US vows to defend Taiwan if China invades to reclaim it for the Mainland. China vs. US over Taiwan Here is how Reuters reported yesterday on the current state of play: China toughened its language towards Taiwan last week, warning after its stepped-up… Read more.

Hong Kong Done.

Tuesday, November 17, 2020 at 7:03 AM

Written by Anthony L. Hall

China has moved to tame [the legislative council], one of Hong Kong’s few remaining avenues for dissent and democratic ideals, as it effectively expelled four elected opposition lawmakers from office, prompting vows to resign from their allies. … The council … stood as a symbol of the ‘one country, two systems’ legal framework that was… Read more.

China Continues Daring Britain as It Reclaims Hong Kong

Wednesday, July 1, 2020 at 12:18 PM

Written by Anthony L. Hall

Hong Kong police have made their first arrests under a new ‘anti-protest’ law imposed by Beijing, as crowds marked 23 years since the end of British rule. … The law, imposed by China following last year’s anti-government protests in the semi-autonomous territory, makes secessionist, subversive, or terrorist activities illegal, as well as foreign intervention in… Read more.

Catalonia (Re)joins ‘World on Fire’

Sunday, October 20, 2019 at 4:09 PM

Written by Anthony L. Hall

I suspect many of you don’t know Catalonia from Babylonia, and couldn’t care less that you don’t. But, trust me, reading what follows will “connect” you far more than browsing social media ever could. Catalan separatists burned barricades and clashed with police in Barcelona on Thursday in a fourth night of violence triggered by Spain’s… Read more.

Trump and NBA Find Doing Business in China Like Walking on Eggshells

Tuesday, October 15, 2019 at 6:17 AM

Written by Anthony L. Hall

Trump and the Sleight of the Deal President Trump made quite a show last week of announcing a “partial” accord to end his trade war with China. Unfortunately, this was rather like British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain making quite a show in 1938 of announcing a “peace-for-our-time” accord to end German aggression. The U.S. and… Read more.

Hong Kongers Are more Unruly Secessionists than Pro-Democracy Activists

Tuesday, June 18, 2019 at 8:41 PM

Written by Anthony L. Hall

The world watched anxiously as two million people marched in the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday. They were demanding Carrie Lam, the territory’s China-anointed chief executive, withdraw an extradition bill that would allow anyone arrested in Hong Kong to face trial in China. To everyone’s relief, cooler heads prevailed. There was no repeat of… Read more.

Sudan’s Delayed Arab Spring: Now Withering Away Too

Monday, June 17, 2019 at 8:22 PM

Written by Anthony L. Hall

Sudan’s pro-democracy protesters celebrated the ouster of strongman Omar al-Bashir eight weeks ago. However, in doing so, they demonstrated the same naiveté as Egypt’s pro-democracy protesters when they celebrated the ouster of strongman Hosni Mubarak eight years ago. I published a commentary titled “Aping Egypt’s Ouster of Mubarak, Sudan Ousts Bashir” on April 17, 2019. In it, I admonished Sudan’s… Read more.

China: Where Hong Kong Is Concerned, Britain Is Now Adrift at Sea

Saturday, July 1, 2017 at 7:52 AM

Written by Anthony L. Hall

Today is the 20th anniversary of “the Handover” (as the British say) or “the Return” (as the Chinese say) of sovereign authority over Hong Kong from Britain to China. To mark the occasion, China is going out of its way to disabuse Britain of any notion that it retains any authority at all. The Chinese… Read more.

China Vows to Crush Hong Kong-Led Confederacy; and It Should

Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at 7:49 AM

Written by Anthony L. Hall

A week ago today, thousands of lawyers donned black suits and marched silently through Hong Kong. They did so to protest Mainland China’s decision to bar two elected legislators from serving in their local legislature: [The legislators’] specific offense (at least in the eyes of Beijing) was to unfurl a banner proclaiming ‘Hong Kong Is… Read more.

Founding Fathers of Hong Kong Protests Blink, Retreat, Surrender

Wednesday, December 3, 2014 at 3:53 PM

Written by Anthony L. Hall

If anyone hadn’t noticed already, Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests are running out of energy and options. Benny Tai’s announcement, actually planned for some time, simply confirms it. After two long months, the movement has achieved nothing in the way of concessions from Hong Kong’s own government, let alone China’s. (BBC News, December 2, 2014) Benny… Read more.