Instant International
Written by: Li Xiukun
2021-06-21 23:43
Last update date: 2021-06-21 23:43
On June 17th, the Hong Kong Police National Security Department arrested five senior officials of Apple Daily, accusing them of violating the "Minato National Security Law."
The company's assets have also been frozen, "Apple Daily" may be short of funds to operate, or will cease publication.
The US media and the British media published articles commenting on the matter on June 21 and 20 respectively.
Apple Daily: The picture shows a Hong Kong police officer standing outside the "Apple Daily" building on June 17.
(AP)
The American "Wall Street Journal" editorial on the 21st stated that the depressing news is that people who want to silence the "Apple Daily" may be on their way to success.
The Wall Street Journal said that the Apple Daily is only a few days away from its suspension. This is a lesson about freedom.
The Wall Street Journal editorial stated that, with the support of China, the Hong Kong authorities have targeted the lifeblood of all news organizations-their business operations, rather than directly censoring their publications.
The newspaper said: “Here is a warning to those commercial enterprises that do not think they are related to Li Zhiying or the Apple Daily incident. The Hong Kong authorities are stealing Li Zhiying’s company because they do not like his political views — and whether they are not. After due process and judicial review, they have used police orders to do this. If they can do this to his (Li Zhiying) company, does anyone believe that they will not attack a bank or technology that offends China? Does the company do this?"
Apple Daily: The picture shows a Hong Kong newspaper vendor collating the "Apple Daily" on June 18.
(AP)
The British "Observer" pointed out in an editorial on the 20th that by ordering the arrest of "Apple Daily" senior officials, Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Communist Party of China sent an undisguised message to Western countries to express opposition to the West.
It claimed that the real crime of "Apple Daily" was to resist Beijing's illegal takeover through principled, informed, and critical journalism, and Xi Jinping and his critical political commissars could not tolerate this.
The article stated that Western leaders must stand up against Beijing’s attacks on democracy and freedom and demand that the Chinese government release detained journalists.
The editorial also mentioned that Hong Kong citizens bought a large number of newspapers last week to express their support for Apple Daily. This is an encouraging sign, which shows that Beijing’s coercion has not completely defeated Hong Kong’s independent spirit.
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Apple Daily Hong Kong Edition National Security Law Xi Jinping Chinese Diplomacy United States United Kingdom