{"id":1551686,"date":"2022-07-13T07:49:52","date_gmt":"2022-07-13T11:49:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1551686"},"modified":"2022-07-13T07:50:11","modified_gmt":"2022-07-13T11:50:11","slug":"hong-kong-uses-covid-excuse-to-extinguish-citizens-last-remaining-freedoms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hong-kong-uses-covid-excuse-to-extinguish-citizens-last-remaining-freedoms\/","title":{"rendered":"Hong Kong Uses Covid Excuse To Extinguish Citizens\u2019 Last Remaining Freedoms"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhong-kong-uses-covid-excuse-to-extinguish-citizens-last-remaining-freedoms%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1551686&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Queue_outside_Lek_Yuen_Community_Hall_in_early_February_2022.jpg\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" alt=\"image\" \/><\/div>\n<p>In a bid to further cripple the freedom of their citizens, Hong Kong government officials are ramping up their response to Covid with a series of new draconian policy measures.<\/p>\n<p>On Monday, the city\u2019s Health Secretary Lo Chung-mau announced several new restrictions allegedly aimed at curbing the spread of the virus, including a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msn.com\/en-us\/travel\/news\/hong-kong-is-making-covid-19-patients-wear-a-tracking-bracelet-so-they-cant-leave-the-house\/ar-AAZrCbm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">mandate<\/a> that requires positive Covid patients quarantined at home to \u201cwear an electronic tracking bracelet.\u201d Used earlier during the pandemic to keep tabs on new arrivals to the city, the revamped policy seeks to ensure that people who have tested positive for the respiratory virus do not leave their homes without government authorization. <\/p>\n<p>Moreover, Lo also announced that the city will be updating its contact-tracing app, which will now include a requirement that citizens register by name when using the software. As Reuters <a href=\"https:\/\/news.yahoo.com\/hong-kong-covid-19-app-101502706.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a>, users were previously \u201cnot required to register with their personal details, and the app was used to enter venues and display vaccination records.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Taking a page from the Chinese communist\u2019s playbook, Hong Kong will also be <a href=\"https:\/\/news.yahoo.com\/hong-kong-covid-19-app-101502706.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">implementing<\/a> a traffic light color-code system, which aims to \u201crestrict movement of infected residents and close contacts.\u201d As Lo <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msn.com\/en-xl\/news\/other\/covid-19-hong-kong-to-enact-china-style-health-code-system-electronic-bracelets-for-those-in-home-isolation\/ar-AAZrJR2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">described<\/a>, residents who test positive will receive a red code and \u201cbe barred from entering a list of premises, including \u2018high-risk\u2019 places such as hospitals and nursing homes,\u201d while all people arriving to the city will automatically be flagged as yellow. Lo did not, however, explain what the codes \u201cwould entail specifically in terms of access to venues.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019d like to say that we would make use of technology to put in place a precision strategy,\u201d Lo <a href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Health\/wireStory\/hong-kong-mulls-movement-restrictions-covid-cases-rise-86592237\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a> in response to concerns about the government\u2019s invasion of privacy. \u201cThis is to reduce our cost in our fight against the epidemic and to maximize effectiveness.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Covid is a Means to an End for the CCP<\/h2>\n<p>While officials such as Lo and newly sworn-in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2022-07-06\/hong-kong-should-not-lie-flat-on-covid-says-leader-john-lee\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Chief Executive John Lee<\/a> will cast the city\u2019s draconian measures as an attempt to save lives, the arbitrary policies actually serve as a mechanism for the China-backed government to further suppress the liberties of the Hong Kong people. Since the enaction of a <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2020\/07\/01\/freedom-fighters-flee-as-hong-kongs-new-security-law-hands-the-city-to-the-communist-party\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">so-called national security law<\/a> in June 2020 by the Chinese government in response to the <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2019\/10\/15\/be-brave-be-water-be-ready-three-days-among-the-freedom-protesters-in-hong-kong\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">citywide protests of 2019<\/a>, Hong Kong authorities \u2014 with the backing of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) \u2014 have initiated a government crackdown on basic freedoms throughout the administrative region. <\/p>\n<p>In addition to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/how-chinas-national-security-law-silences-hong-kong-11656673119\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">arresting more than 200 people<\/a> for \u201cnational-security offenses\u201d since the law\u2019s enaction, CCP-backed authorities have <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2021\/07\/22\/hong-kong-police-arrest-and-charge-four-more-pro-democracy-journalists-with-collusion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">detained pro-democracy journalists<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2021\/12\/30\/hong-kong-news-outlet-forced-to-close-following-staff-arrests-police-raid\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">forced several media outlets to cease operations<\/a>, with such actions leading to the complete demolition of the city\u2019s free press. Government officials have also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2021\/09\/24\/world\/asia\/hong-kong-elections.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">overhauled the region\u2019s election systems<\/a>, wherein only \u201cpatriots\u201d who have demonstrated their loyalty to the Chinese government are permitted to run for public office. <\/p>\n<p>As demonstrated in <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2022\/05\/16\/communist-china-doubles-down-on-impossible-zero-covid-benchmark-to-control-citizens-with-brutal-lockdowns\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">mainland China<\/a>, the primary interest of CCP-aligned officials has never been to preserve life, but rather to maintain the current power structure. By using Covid as an excuse for more restrictions, the CCP and its lackeys in Hong Kong are hoping to further assimilate the city into the top-to-bottom-run system used in China, while attempting to uphold the image of Hong Kong as a free system independent of influence from Beijing.<\/p>\n<p>Chinese dictator Xi Jinping alluded to such desires during his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scmp.com\/hong-kong-25\/politics\/article\/3183808\/read-full-english-transcription-chinese-president-xi-jinpings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">July 1 speech<\/a> marking the 25th anniversary of Great Britain\u2019s handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997, in which he repeatedly emphasized the need for \u201cpatriots\u201d to maintain their rule over the city.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cKeeping political power in the hands of patriots is a political rule commonly practiced in the world. No people in any country or region in the world will ever allow political power to fall into the hands of forces or individuals who do not love, or even sell out, or betray, their own country,\u201d Xi said. \u201cTo keep the power to administer the Hong Kong [Special Administrative Region] firmly in the hands of patriots is essential for safeguarding the long-term governance and security of Hong Kong; at no time should this principle be allowed to be compromised.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Just as CCP officials in China used the country\u2019s health code system to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news.com.au\/world\/asia\/china-is-allegedly-using-its-covid-tracking-system-to-stop-protests\/news-story\/74cdf4244044083eac2cfd50fc6ced6d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">suppress citizens protesting corruption<\/a>, expect Hong Kong officials to abuse their newly adopted restrictions to carry out similar actions against their people. For the CCP and their Hong Kong allies, employing <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2022\/03\/24\/while-everyone-else-panicked-two-years-ago-the-federalist-was-right-about-lockdowns-doing-more-harm-than-good\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">disproven lockdown policies<\/a> is simply a steppingstone in maintaining greater dominion over the region\u2019s civilian population \u2014 thus putting a final nail in the coffin for a once-free city. <\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\" \/>\n<p>\n  Shawn Fleetwood is an intern at The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He also serves as a state content writer for Convention of States Action and his work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics, RealClearHealth, and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a bid to further cripple the freedom of their citizens, Hong Kong government officials are ramping up their response to Covid with a series of new draconian policy measures.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":539,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1551686","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1551686","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/539"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1551686"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1551686\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1551686"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1551686"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1551686"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}