China to enact Article 23 National Security Law in Hong Kong

[The Simpsons Cinematic Universe]

Bad guys are going to do bad guy stuff.

How will our PRC apologists handle this?  my guess is ignore.

Why? Is this a super bad thing? HK is failing its constitutional duties. They had a chance to do it themselves. Without a law like this, HK citizens could get away with some grave offenses against the central government. With the presence of foreign intelligence operations in HK I don't think anyone with a brain would want to take that risk.

So...you do agree with the CCP padlocking grandmothers in their homes?

If a dude tripped on a set of stairs and fell on his nuts, some folks would be out here writing: "So... do you agree with the CCP forcibly sterilizing dissidents?"

Yeah, bad stuff happened sometimes with the lockdowns, obviously not coming from the central government. Hubei natives faced discrimination in some residential communities, the government spoke out against it, people on social media spoke out against it. I'm sure that there was some ayi somewhere who wouldn't comply with the lockdown so the other people at the residential complex locked the door on her from the outside instead of just sending her to jail. It's a huge country. The national government isn't the same thing as "the CCP" either - CCP members are normal members of society driving your Didi, your civically inclined coworkers, the small shop owner, one of the guys you eat hot pot with on weekends. Some local party branches definitely do some stupid sh**t with the autonomy they have, and the residential communities - functioning similarly to American homeowners' associations in a more urban context - had some of the dumbest policies. I am lucky mine handled everything really well, though.

[The Simpsons Cinematic Universe]

Oh no, what a nightmare.

This is what I hate about talking about this kind of thing with Americans. The same principles applied to the United States would be entirely uncontroversial - look at how crazy Americans went over Maria Butina allegedly spying for Russia. There's a risk of spying, of terrorism, of doing things to harm the country. You've got people parading in the streets of Hong Kong committing racist attacks against people speaking Putonghua and holding up banners asking for Trump to send in the troops. Imagine if people in Texas were getting beaten for speaking English by rallies of people holding Mexican flags and asking for AMLO to invade. That wouldn't even be an issue... because Texas State doesn't lack laws against treason.

[The Simpsons Cinematic Universe]

imagine supporting high rents and human rights violations over such things as t e r r i t o r i a l i n t e g r i t y

You know what would solve the massive economic issues of HK? Integration into the mainland. The central government cannot and does not seem to want to rush that, because it's politically infeasible, Hong Kongers do not want to give up their special position despite the basis of it - its economic significance within China - being greatly diminished.

I think issues of censorship are a genuine concern preventing that, I don't expect Hong Kongers to just all buy a VPN overnight. I think it's reasonable to expect certain changes to have to take place before a greater degree of integration and freedom of movement between Hong Kong and the rest of China can begin.

And why is that, do you think?

Short answer: Orientalism.

A little elaboration: this is an American forum, and Americans are used to a manner of speaking about international affairs where its privilege and interests are just kind of "assumed", if not as "good", at least as "not evil."

Why would I imagine that? I'm trying to masturbate less, not more.

same tbh good visual

[The Simpsons Cinematic Universe]

I remember in 1991 in college I read a Mainland China newspaper article which talked about a Fujian Province plan to over take Taiwan Province in total GDP by 2030. There always have been a rivalry between Fujian and Taiwan Province since both speak the Hoklo dialect and Taiwan Province was part of Fujian Province until 1885 when it was broken out.  Anyway when I read that, my own Taiwanese regional pride told myself "well, I am sure Fujian Province will take off economically but we on Taiwan Province will also advance rapidly economically so I doubt this plan will work out."  Bear in mind that the early 1990s was the peak ROC relative economic power.  I had totally overestimated the economic potential of Taiwan Province over the coming decades.  It seems that Fujian Province will achieve its goal by 2025 at the latest and 5 years ahead of schedule.

A lot of Taiwanese go to other provinces of China for economic opportunities now. Happy to say that in my city, many fantastic and innovative businesses are run by Taiwanese entrepreneurs.

My girlfriend went to university in Fuzhou and my best friend is in Taiwan Province right now, I can say from experience Fujian is wonderful, and from everything I've heard of Taiwan, this can only be attributable to fantastic management on the mainland side of the strait, because Taiwan Province is itself is, like Macau SAR, and in contrast to Hong Kong SAR, governed quite effectively.