Geo-Strategic Trend - 104. page

The French newspaper Le Monde published an editorial on Wednesday, criticizing the European Union’s weak response after Beijing passed its rubber-stamp Hong Kong National Security Law. The newspaper cited Washington’s elimination of Hong Kong’s special status and the ban on arms exports, Canada’s suspension of its extradition treaty with Hong Kong, and the UK’s offering of citizenship to up to 3 million Hong Kong residents. However, the 27 EU countries have fallen into the trap of interdependent economic relations with China.

Le Monde pointed the finger at Germany, which has served as the EU’s rotating presidency since July 1. Germany finds it difficult to look beyond the economic cooperation that has been carefully woven with China for 15 years, which translates to an annual trade of over 200 billion euros between Berlin and Beijing. The Hong Kong people are disappointed with Merkel.

The newspaper also criticized France, which fears to damage relations with Beijing at the moment when it must fully reopen the economy after coming out of the epidemic. While not giving any details, on Wednesday evening, French Foreign Minister Le Drian assured the Senate that France would take countermeasures against the Hong Kong National Security Law.

Le Monde believes that since the emergence of the epidemic, Beijing has shown its true face. Xi Jinping’s China has transformed and become more aggressive in all respects without hesitation, including the usage of provocative rhetoric to support its policies and disparage the EU model. It has proven that Beijing has become the EU’s institutional opponent. The newspaper pointed out that China’s brutal approach in Hong Kong also poses a severe test for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. It proposes that the EU could at least suggest to the Hong Kong people that they would be willing to provide asylum to whoever wishes to escape from the authoritarian regime. If the EU wants to become a global actor and be respected, there is no other choice but to be tough when facing China.

Inside Germany, there has been much criticism of Merkel’s weak performance on the Hong Kong issue. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) criticized Merkel’s attitude towards China. Nils Schmid, a spokesman for the SPD’s parliamentary group, reminded Merkel that she should bid farewell to her outdated perception of China and face reality. Christian Lindner, leader of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), believes that Germany cannot betray its values.

Source: Radio France International, July 8, 2020
https://www.rfi.fr/cn/中国/20200708-港版国安法-默克尔对北京小心翼翼受质疑

Major Taiwanese news network China Times recently reported that Cambridge Wolfson College President, Professor Jane Clarke, issued an announcement that the College paid strong attention to the series of events that happened after China passed the Hong Kong National Security Law. The College strongly supports human rights protection and freedom of speech. They are considering revoking the Honorary Fellowship that was awarded to Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor in 2017. Last November, three British Members of the House of Lords wrote to Cambridge, asking for the removal of Carrie Lam’s Honorary Fellowship title, citing her political “incompetence and aggressive approach.” Previously, Carrie Lam had taken short term courses at Cambridge. Her husband had a Doctor’s degree from Cambridge and both of her sons graduated from Cambridge.

Source: China Times, July 2, 2020
https://www.chinatimes.com/cn/realtimenews/20200702004347-260409?chdtv

BBC Chinese recently reported that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson changed his position on Huawei. With the Chinese communists passing the new Hong Kong National Security Law, the British government is reevaluating Huawei’s reliability in the British 5G network. Boris Johnson used to be open to allowing a partial Huawei presence in the British 5G communications market. However, in a recent press conference, the Prime Minister said he does not want to see any risk in the critical national infrastructure to be controlled by suppliers from potential enemy countries. Huawei has been working hard on the British market for the past 20 years. High ranking British officials have suggested recently that the U.S. sanction on Huawei may impact the feasibility of using Huawei equipment in the British 5G network. The recent new ban that the U.S. government  imposed caused Oliver Dowden, British Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, to order an emergency review. Many Conservative Party members of parliament were against including Huawei in any part of the British 5G market. They believed they could rally enough votes if Parliament were to have another vote. However, they hoped the Prime Minister would change his mind before such a vote.

Source: BBC Chinese, July 2, 2020
https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/uk-53266772

The Daily Telegraph of Australia reported that, during a news conference in Australian that Prime Minister (PM) Morrison held in Canberra, a news reporter from Xinhua was photographed as she was stepping forward to block the camera of a reporter from SBS News and asked the photographer to stop videotaping her. After she realized that her move caught the attention of other reporters and the federal police officers, the Xinhua reporter immediately left the conference. According to the report, a female photographer was accompanying the reporter from Xinhua at the moment. She was seen to have videotaped other reporters at the news conference. She was carrying an “escorted pass” not a formal “press pass” and also refused to answer which media she worked for. John Lyons, Executive Editor of ABC News, tweeted the following: “A Chinese official, or journalist, told SBS that they couldn’t film her. Whoever she was, she needs to understand that in Australia, if you turn up at the PM’s news conference, you can film & be filmed. This (sort of problem) happens regularly in China. It should not happen here.”

Source: SBS News, June 27, 2020
https://www.sbs.com.au/language/cantonese/zh-hans/chinese-state-owned-media-xinhua-sparks-a-scuffle-at-australian-prime-minister-s-press-conference

BBC Chinese Edition recently reported that, right after the Canadian British Columbia High Court approved the extradition proceedings of the Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, China’s Supreme Prosecutor’s Office announced that it has filed charges of spying against former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor. After Meng Wanzhou was arrested by the Canadian authorities based on a U.S. request, on December 10, 2018, the Chinese authorities detained Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. This move was widely considered as hostage diplomacy. Not long ago, Canada also participated in the G7 announcement urging China to stop the Hong Kong’s National Security Law, which will allow residents of Hong Kong to be secretly extradited to the Mainland for trial under the name of national security. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs refused to associate the current spy suit with the Meng Wanzhou’s case. The Canadian Consular Staff in China cannot visit the two Canadian citizens at this moment.

Source: BBC Chinese, June 19, 2020
https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-53104011