The CEO election candidate Li Jiachao’s YouTube channel was blocked. The parent company, Google, said that the company must abide by the US sanctions laws. Li Jiachao criticized the US sanctions for being unreasonable and bullying.
Many officials of the current SAR government have been sanctioned by the United States. It is a common practice. Even if the sanctioned person is not in office in the future, the sanctions will still take effect.
The government is about to change. If people with lofty ideals join the "hot kitchen", should they be prepared to be sanctioned by the West at any time?
Liu Zhaojia, vice-chairman of the National Association for Hong Kong and Macau Studies, believes that those who have the will to serve the country and Hong Kong will not be affected by the sanctions. He described the sanctions as "patriotic certification" and more assured that they are "true patriots".
It is expected that the US government is behind
In August 2020, the U.S. Treasury Department announced actions to sanction 11 officials from Hong Kong and mainland China for "violating human rights and undermining Hong Kong's autonomy", including Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, Secretary of Justice Zheng Ruohua, and then Secretary of Security Li Jiachao.
Afterwards, everyone said that they were not afraid of the US sanctions and sneered. Lam once said that although it was inconvenient and he had to pay in cash every month, he was proud of maintaining national security.
Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor once mentioned in a closed-door setting that she was "predicted to be sanctioned" because she had checked the record of US sanctions against Iran. Even if the sanctioned person is not in power in the future, he will still be sanctioned.
Li Jiachao was selected by the stars for the election of the chief executive, and the outside world is concerned about his team work. When he communicated with the election committee recently, he said that he was not worried about the input of team talents, because there are many people who are eager to serve the society.
Under the complex and ever-changing international situation, joining the SAR government as an accountability officer will have the opportunity to be sanctioned by the West at any time. Liu Zhaojia pointed out that sanctions are a trick of the United States, and the scope of sanctions has never been clearly explained. The U.S. government is behind the credit, "maybe other (social platforms) will not be used, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, you must be mentally prepared."
▼In August 2020, the U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions on 11 Hong Kong and mainland officials▼
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Liu Zhaojia: It is necessary to formulate countermeasures such as the "Anti-Sanctions Law" into Hong Kong
Liu Zhaojia also pointed out that in the face of unreasonable sanctions from the United States, the country will not sit idly by and Hong Kong should work with the country to formulate a countermeasure plan. .
The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress was originally scheduled to vote in August last year to include the Anti-Sanctions Law in Annex III of the Basic Law, but it stopped at the last minute. At that time, it was rumored that financial institutions and high-level Chinese capital directly lobbied Beijing.
Accountable senior officials have to bear the risk of being sanctioned, and even their family members will be affected. Will it reduce the willingness of capable people to join the next government?
Liu Zhaojia said that SAR officials inevitably have to stand on the side of the country and adhere to bottom-line thinking. He believes that people who are aspiring to serve the country and Hong Kong should not be affected. Instead, being sanctioned is a "patriot certification" to ensure that they are "true patriots." ".
Tang Jiahua: More or less influence depends on belief
Tang Jiahua, a member of the presidium of the campaign office and senior counsel, said that YouTube may have violated the "Anti-Sanctions Law", but because this national law has not yet been implemented in the SAR, Li Jiachao will have to go to the mainland people's court to accept it. It is difficult to prove its actual loss.
As for whether the "Anti-Sanctions Law" needs to be included in Annex III, Tang Jiahua said that he did not dare to speculate, but he could imagine Hong Kong's status as an international financial center, describing it as "the price to be paid by one country, two systems."
Tang Jiahua pointed out that Western sanctions have more or less affected the willingness of capable people to join the government, depending on whether they have strong beliefs.
Li Jiachao's YouTube blocked by Zhou Haoding for hampering election Tang Jiahua: or violating "Anti-Sanctions Law"