China Über Alles: Episode 19 – If We Can’t Trust The Media, Who Can We Trust?

The team expresses some sadness and frustration with the events yesterday at the capitol.

Nan mentions that Trumps administration facilitated a historic shift in US China relations.  He also mentions that Facebook blocked the presidents account yesterday and asks, if the president doesn’t have free speech, who does?

Amy says she received a message from China suggesting there would be a “Hollywood” show in your country prior to the events at the capitol.  After some sole searching, Amy wondered “what is freedom of speech?” and “what is propaganda?”.

She recalls that in 1968 she went to the re-education camp.  Everyone who attended was invited to contribute to the 60th anniversary book called “Never Regret”, not asking whether they had done anything wrong.  In 2010, Amy visited Israel and met a lady over 100 years old who said something very inspiring. Her friend had been a concert pianist who survived the holocaust.  Her friend describes how the Jewish concentration camps in Germany in the early days, were not called “concentration camps”.  The Nazi propaganda suggested they were happy places. Amy’s friend was asked to perform and participate in Hitlers propaganda.  After the war, she found out that most of the people in her family had died.  Her friend was suicidal for her guilt in having participated in the propaganda, but she instead dedicated her life to fighting propaganda.

Amy decided not to participate in the CCP propaganda regarding the re-education camps and encouraged her friends not to participate either, unless she would be allowed to tell the truth.

Amy suggests that the real reason for the Pro-Trump demonstrations in D.C. is lack of trust in the media.

She asks again, “What is freedom of speech?”  She mentions that right now she feels fear of retaliation if she expresses her thoughts. So right now she does not feel that she has freedom of speech.

Nan introduces Ken Chan, founding member of the Northern California Hong Kong Club.

Nan mentions that more than 50 pro-democracy protestors have been arrested in the past week.  Ken explains that their arrests were under the pretext that they had committed acts of subversion. The actual offense was for organizing a democratic primary to achieve representation.

Billy asks why it was assumed the Hong Kong would want to be reunified with Mainland China.  Ken explains some of the history of Hong Kong and the 99 year lease which expired in 1997.  He explains that Hong Kong was in a strong negotiating position then because of their comparably large economy. So they were able to agree the one country two system deal.  Now we see, it is in fact a one country one system deal. 

Ken also explains various details about the way Hong Kong’s government has functioned.  He describes that Hong Kong’s public opinion has been pro-democracy, but the legislature has been fixed against them ever exercising their majority.

Ken describes various details of the legal implications of the arrests and the intention to intimidate.

Amy asks if the democratic movement is still active.  Ken explains that demonstrations are already banned. So, these arrests are to discourage other forms of advocacy.  Ken provides some detail on the arrest and imprisonment of pro-democracy advocate Jimmy Lai on August 10th, after the enactment of the Hong Kong National Security Law.  Jimmy Lai was charged with conspiracy with a foreign power, essentially for posting a speech on Twitter. 

Ken explains that Hong Kong is heading in the wrong direction in terms of Human Rights.  He describes the scope of the protests clearly demonstrating that the people of Hong Kong to not want CCP rule.  He says the situation in Hong Kong is worse than what most people expected even after the 2024 reunification.

Amy asks if social media is allowed in Hong Kong. Ken says it is still not like China yet.  He suggests that a person posting a pro-democracy post in Hong Kong which appeals to another country would be arrested.

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Nan questions the ability of the tech giants to take away the presidents accounts, regardless of what the president does.  Amy suggests that big US tech companies have similar censorship powers to the CCP.  She makes the comparison to a telephone company shutting down your phone, because they don’t like what you talk about.

Dick calls in to speculate on the aftereffects of the incident on Capitol Hill.  He suggests that the breach of the Capitol building caused all the pro-Trump Republicans to give up.  He considers various forms of corruption and foresees hate laws in the future. He sees the worst of the CCP’s control systems coming to the US.  Dick sees the US media having propagandized the US people already.

Billy suggests we have two years to fix our electoral system.

Billy asks Amy about the fate of Tank Man from Tienanmen Square.  Billy suggests that he did not survive very long.

The Team discuss many aspects of the events on Capitol Hill.  Amy asks why the security was so inadequate. 

Billy asks about the fate of Jack Ma, billionaire Alibaba founder, who has not been seen for more than two months.  Nan explains that Jack had harshly criticized Chairman Xi for stopping the launch of a new financial services business.   Amy suggests that Jack Ma is under house arrest. 

Billy mentions that three significant Chinese telecom companies have been de-listed from the NYSE and China has vowed to retaliate.  Nan explains that those three companies have ties to the Chinese military.  Nan suggests that American companies should consider de-coupling from China, because of the risk.

Nan explains many aspect and risks of investing in a Chinese company. The team discusses various CCP accusations and dishonesty.  Nan mentions the recent arrest and imprisonment of the citizen journalist who reported on the Pandemic outbreak.

Billy brings up the rising concern now showing factories being built next to forced labor camps in Xinjiang and other Chinese territories.  Nan suggests that companies such as Walmart are de-facto working with the communist party.

John discusses the issue of private companies free speech restriction is a failure of government.  Nan says the government should change section 230. John suggests that Tank Man sacrificed his own safety, but he was doing it for the good of others.

Billy suggests we should pay attention to “how bad it can really get” under an authoritarian regime like the CCP.  He suggests that, if Jack Ma can be imprisoned, there must be authoritarian acts of violence at many levels of the power structure.

Nan mentions that China Unicom the telecom company set up all the internet in North Korea.  Amy wonders why these three state owned Chinese companies have been allowed on the NYSE in the first place.  She thinks they will be relisted very soon.  Nan hopes the China policy will not change.  Billy thinks we should have strict industrial espionage laws.  Nan suggests any relationship to the Chinese military should preclude access to US investors.  Nan suggests very strict auditing of Chinese companies should be a minimum to access US investors.