The Hoover Institute hosted a special seminar on May 14th to delve into the changes in Hong Kong’s civil society, the identity of Hong Kong’s exiled residents, and the future development of Hong Kong after the implementation of the National Security Law and the 23 new rules. The seminar commenced with a brief 2-minute video introducing the story of Jimmy Lai. Starting as an illegal immigrant at the age of 12, Lai defied the odds to establish the Next Media Group, risking everything for freedom, declaring, “If we lose freedom, we lose everything” and vowing to fight for it until his last breath.
The event was organized by the Hoover Institute’s China Global Sharp Power Initiative. Notable speakers included the Chairman of the Hong Kong Free Press Committee and former U.S. Consul General to Hong Kong, James Cunningham (2005–2008); democracy advocate and Lai’s son, Mark Simon Lai; former Director of China Affairs at Human Rights Watch, Sophie Richardson; and former head of the Alliance Canada Hong Kong, Cherie Wong. The seminar was chaired by William L. Clayton Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institute, Larry Diamond.
Since the passage of the National Security Law in Hong Kong on June 30, 2020, significant changes have unfolded in the city’s rule of law, democracy, civil society, and press freedom. The seminar highlighted that the plight of Apple Daily and its founder, Jimmy Lai, epitomized these transformations.
Mark Simon Lai, the son of Jimmy Lai, emphasized that his father founded Apple Daily after the 1989 Tiananmen Square incident to fight for freedom for over 30 years. Facing death threats and assassination attempts, Lai Sr. has been in detention for three years under the National Security Law. Mark pointed out the stark contrast between the Hong Kong of the past—a city that commemorated Tiananmen—and the present, where his father was jailed for 13 months merely for holding a candle to mourn the event. This, he argued, symbolized the erasure of history and crackdown on dissent in present-day Hong Kong.
He expressed concerns that Hong Kong, once a city known for its press freedom, has now turned into a police state under the Chinese regime’s authoritarian grip. Mark is actively working to free his father and the 1,800 imprisoned democratic activists, cautioning that the world is watching and holding the CCP accountable for its persecution.
Cherie Wong, former head of the Alliance Canada Hong Kong, highlighted the worsening political climate in Hong Kong, where the CCP’s oppression has expanded beyond pro-democracy figures to target all dissenters. She warned about the manipulation of education curricula, whitewashing history, and fabricating facts.
She emphasized the CCP’s policy of “leaving Hong Kong but not leaving people,” where mainland Chinese professionals have taken over positions in various sectors in Hong Kong, propagating a message that conformity with Beijing’s dictates is paramount. Any dissent, even as minor as a social media post or possession of a sticker, could result in charges for incitement.
James Cunningham, a former U.S. Consul General, stressed the importance of caring about Hong Kong’s future as a matter of upholding democratic values globally. Supporting Hong Kong is tantamount to supporting democratic principles and freedom worldwide in the 21st century’s battle for these ideals.
Sophie Richardson, the former Director of China Affairs at Human Rights Watch, pointed out the muted response from most democratic nations towards the CCP’s authoritarian regime due to vested business interests in Hong Kong. She underscored the need for increased pressure on Hong Kong authorities to release individuals like Jimmy Lai and engage with democratic groups to understand their needs, protect their space for survival, and international initiatives to assist Hong Kong further.
The Hong Kong Legislative Council swiftly passed the 23 new rules on March 19th, with immediate effect upon gazetting on the same day. Cherie Wong commented that the 23 regulations revealed the CCP’s intent to outlaw any form of dissent. Designed to be vague, these rules can be applied arbitrarily to anyone or any situation.
She recounted witnessing a pro-Beijing politician crying outside the Liaison Office in Hong Kong, holding an envelope, trembling, and in tears, out of fear as she did not know where the red lines were drawn. She believed that these regulations stripped Hong Kong’s legal norms, legitimizing persecution and repression, eroding the city’s rule of law.
Mark Simon Lai highlighted that the National Security Law’s impact extended beyond Hong Kong, affecting all Chinese diaspora globally. Despite his father holding British citizenship with no Chinese passport ever, the CCP often treated individuals of Chinese descent as their citizens, denying diplomatic protection, even for those never holding Chinese nationality, reflecting a dangerous fallacy in their thinking.
He noted the peculiar CCP belief that all Chinese ethnicity belongs to them, branding dissenters as traitors and the challenges they face in legal representation under the National Security Law. The infamous policy of assuming loyalty from all ethnic Chinese worldwide not only lends legitimacy to the CCP’s suppression but also threatens their families on the mainland.
Larry Diamond reflected on the CCP’s strategy to consider all ethnic Chinese as nationals, demanding unwavering loyalty to justify its repression and manipulate overseas Chinese with threats to their families. Cherie Wong pointed out that the extraterritorial clauses of the National Security Law target overseas critics of the CCP and the HK government, making cross-border oppression legal, making it possible for the CCP to enforce its laws worldwide, underscoring the need for greater global awareness and action against the CCP’s transnational repression.
She emphasized the necessity of building a resilient Hong Kong community for expatriate Hong Kongers to practice their culture, language, and traditions, support one another, unite against CCP oppression, and counter the regime’s authoritarian grip.
James Cunningham stressed the urgency to secure the release of political prisoners like Jimmy Lai, advocate for more space for Hong Kong, guide China’s transition, dismantle the CCP’s false narratives, and expose the reality of Hong Kong to the world.
While pessimistic about Hong Kong’s future, Cunningham found hope in recalling how disbelief in the reunification of Germany persisted until the fall of the Berlin Wall. Richardson recognized the severity of the CCP’s and HK government’s actions as approaching crimes against humanity and genocide, yet lamented the lack of international sanctions against the CCP for their grave violations, hoping for accountability on a global scale.
Cherie Wong expressed hope for Hong Kong, believing that under her lifetime, the CCP will collapse, granting freedom to Hong Kong, Tibet, and other regions. Mark Simon Lai warned of the dark and foreboding path Hong Kong and China were treading unless a course correction is made.
Yet, amidst these challenges, Mark remained hopeful for the people of Hong Kong, citing instances of Hongkongers queueing to purchase newspapers from Apple Daily despite government pressure, exemplifying the spirit of Hong Kong where even a blank piece of paper carries immense significance.