Now, please, please, please, please… I’m no fan of Beijing and have criticised it many times. It’s horrid and increasingly so; mass incarceration of Uygur Muslims the worst of it.
Yet surely it’s crazy that everyone feels entitled to criticise Beijing over Hong Kong, but if Beijing voices a view, how dare they?! Finger points... interference!
This morning on BBC radio, US Sec of State Pompeo had a go at Beijing, lecturing on the need to “keep its promises” in the Basic Law, to uphold Freedoms and instructing them to tell C-E Carrie Lam to set up an independent investigation into police actions. (saying nothing about the rioters’ actions which have included death and attempted murder).
US Senator Ted Cruz, a “bloated John Wayne”, was in town recently, putting his ignorance of local conditions on full display.
Britain’s foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, advised the HK government in August to “respect peaceful protests”. As if it hadn’t.
The EU voiced its “alarm” over Hong Kong, and pressed for a “complete inquiry”.
Macron — self styled leader of Europe in Mutti Merkel’s demise — had a go, lecturing Beijing and the Hong Kong governments about their responsibilities.
Australia too, has weighed in.
But if Beijing voices an opinion, even if it sends troops in to help with the clean up after another night of vandalism, oh my goodness it’s Beijing’s black hands!
RELATED: In HK crisis, the joke’s on Washington
ADDED: I just watched C-E Carrie Lam give her weekly presser. I must say she does come across as aloof, hardline, arrogant, not at all empathetic to our situation. Her words about the police were without exception ultra supportive, uncritical. Then she just turned on her heel and walked out. It’s the attitude, stupid. A Clintonian “I feel your pain” moment is needed.
ADDED (20 Nov): Whoops! I’ve no sooner written the above than Beijing wades right in by slamming the Hong Kong High Court ruling on the face mask ban, which was to say it is unconstitutional. Thing is, whatever the correctness or legality of Beijing’s view, the protesters have ubiquitously ignored the ban. So, practically, why pursues it? CNA report.
For the record, I noted at the time the ban was implemented that there are at least a dozen other countries, including my own Australia, that have bans in face masks.
Yet surely it’s crazy that everyone feels entitled to criticise Beijing over Hong Kong, but if Beijing voices a view, how dare they?! Finger points... interference!
This morning on BBC radio, US Sec of State Pompeo had a go at Beijing, lecturing on the need to “keep its promises” in the Basic Law, to uphold Freedoms and instructing them to tell C-E Carrie Lam to set up an independent investigation into police actions. (saying nothing about the rioters’ actions which have included death and attempted murder).
US Senator Ted Cruz, a “bloated John Wayne”, was in town recently, putting his ignorance of local conditions on full display.
Britain’s foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, advised the HK government in August to “respect peaceful protests”. As if it hadn’t.
The EU voiced its “alarm” over Hong Kong, and pressed for a “complete inquiry”.
Macron — self styled leader of Europe in Mutti Merkel’s demise — had a go, lecturing Beijing and the Hong Kong governments about their responsibilities.
Australia too, has weighed in.
But if Beijing voices an opinion, even if it sends troops in to help with the clean up after another night of vandalism, oh my goodness it’s Beijing’s black hands!
RELATED: In HK crisis, the joke’s on Washington
ADDED: I just watched C-E Carrie Lam give her weekly presser. I must say she does come across as aloof, hardline, arrogant, not at all empathetic to our situation. Her words about the police were without exception ultra supportive, uncritical. Then she just turned on her heel and walked out. It’s the attitude, stupid. A Clintonian “I feel your pain” moment is needed.
ADDED (20 Nov): Whoops! I’ve no sooner written the above than Beijing wades right in by slamming the Hong Kong High Court ruling on the face mask ban, which was to say it is unconstitutional. Thing is, whatever the correctness or legality of Beijing’s view, the protesters have ubiquitously ignored the ban. So, practically, why pursues it? CNA report.
For the record, I noted at the time the ban was implemented that there are at least a dozen other countries, including my own Australia, that have bans in face masks.
