The Trends Journal has been following Beijing’s crackdown in Hong Kong that started in earnest in 2019 after China announced plans to enforce an extradition bill that would bring criminal suspects in Hong Kong to courts in mainland China.
In fear of losing their civil rights, massive protests broke out, but despite the ongoing demonstrations, the extradition bill became law.
Since then, Beijing has passed more freedom oppressive “security” laws for the city, and last month, China passed new electoral rules in Hong Kong that dramatically reduces the number of elected seats in parliament. The BBC reported that would-be MPs must first be screened by a pro-China committee to make sure they are “patriotic” enough for Beijing.
On 1 April, China convicted nine activists over a rally dating back to 2019. Jimmy Lai, a media tycoon in Hong Kong, was among those convicted of organizing an unauthorized assembly. The assembly in question took part on 18 August 2019 and included about 1.7 million demonstrators. They face up to ten years in prison.
The Trends Journal reported in December, in an article titled, “HONG KONG: MORE LOCKDOWN LAWS,” that Lai was charged with violating Beijing’s national security law and was denied bail by a judge who was handpicked by Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam.
Lai was seen at the time being led into court shackled in metal chains. He has been accused of colluding with foreign forces. Lai, a billionaire who was first arrested in August, is the highest-profile arrest under China’s new security law, which sparked violent protests in Hong Kong.
Reuters reported the other activists who pleaded guilty included Lee Cheuk-yan and Yeung Sum.
“I plead guilty, but I’ve done no wrong in affirming the rights of people to peaceful procession and I believe history will absolve me,” Lee said.
TREND FORECAST: As Gerald Celente forecast when the virus first broke out in China last January, Beijing would use COVID to achieve what they were unable to accomplish before the virus struck Wuhan: lock down Hong Kong to stop the protests. Thus, Hong Kong is in full control of the city and, as we reported in the Trends Journal, it will remain the banking hub of Asia as more banks and investment gambling houses move there to get a share of the business.
