Pro-Democracy Books Are Banned In Hong Kong Following China’s New National Security Law
In 2019, protests erupted in Hong Kong following the proposal of a bill that would allow extradition to mainland China, thus exposing Hong Kong residents to the unjust court system of the Communist Party.
Though Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of China, it has economic and administrative autonomy under the “one country, two systems” principle. Unfortunately, though, the threat of Communist tyranny has long loomed over the people of Hong Kong and is now becoming far more potent.
The Consequences of China’s New National Security Law for Hong Kong
In June, China imposed a new national security law on Hong Kong that essentially allows the Beijing government to inflict harsh punishment on protesters for the four major offenses of separatism, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign countries. The ambiguously worded and quietly-passed law severely threatens the freedom of Hong Kong’s people. With the new law in place, police arrested hundreds of protesters using great force.
The Beijing government can now legally inflict harsh punishment on Hong Kong protesters.
Pro-democracy books are being pulled from public libraries in Hong Kong.
Following the installment of this draconian law, authorities began removing pro-democracy books from public libraries in Hong Kong. Chief Executive of Hong Kong Carrie Lam has said that the books are being reviewed to see if they violate the new law. Along with historical textbooks, several books by Joshua Wong (a pro-democracy activist) have been pulled for “review.” Wong courageously took to Twitter to express his condemnation of the book bans, noting that Hong Kong will now become an “Orwellian society of the 21st century.”
Tennessee senator Marsha Blackburn voiced her support for Wong via Twitter.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has also communicated the United States’ disapproval of the Communist Party’s latest act of oppression, noting that the law ends free Hong Kong. He also stated that the United States “will not stand idly by while China swallows Hong Kong into its authoritarian maw.”
Democratic Countries Must Defend Democracy Worldwide
The free world absolutely cannot stand idly by and allow democracy to be destroyed by villainous, tyrannical governments. America defeated the tyranny of the Soviet Union, and we fought multiple wars to save other nations from the evils of communism. Hong Kong deserves better from America. We may be plagued with many of its own problems and upheavals, but we cannot ignore the threats to democracy abroad. If we simply allow such oppression and brutality to be inflicted upon others, then we kowtow to evil and ensure its rapid spread throughout the world.
America has, since its conception, been the land of the free, and it’s our duty to fight for this freedom around the globe.