Veckans sammanfattning av tweets relaterade till Kina har jag beslutat att helt ägna åt vad som sker i Hongkong. Det pågår förmodligen ingen annan demonstration i hela världen just nu som är viktigare för global politik eller mänskliga och civila rättigheter ur ett internationellt perspektiv.
Miljoner protesterande invånare i Hongkong har dessutom under veckan fått myndigheterna att backa vad gäller det omdiskuterade utlämningsavtalet med Kinas. Något som i sig är ett bevis på att det går att utöva påtryckningar som ger resultat även mot regimen i Peking.
Nedan följer en hel rad tweets från förra veckan om inkluderar viktiga länkar, bilder, filmer och tankar kring händelseförloppet. Men först en kort sammanfattning i kronologisk ordning:
* Söndagen 9 juni: Cirka en miljon invånare gav sig ut på gatorna för att protestera, vilket utgjorde den största demonstrationen i Hongkong sedan massakern vid Himmelska fridens torg 1989.
* Onsdagen 12 juni: Mindre men mer våldsamma protester, då Hongkongs parlament var planerade att diskutera avtalet. Polis använde sig av tårgas, gummikulor och batonger i större omfattning än under demokratiprotesterna 2014.
* Lördagen 15 juni: Hongkongs hårt kritiserade regeringschef Carrie Lam meddelar att utlämningsavtalet med Kina skjuts upp tillfälligt, efter att ha mött en av Kinas toppolitiker i stadens Shenzhen. Medger att myndigheterna brustit i kommunikationen, men försvarar fortfarande avtalets innehållet.
* Söndagen 16 juni: Uppemot två miljoner invånare tågar genom Hongkongs gator; eventuellt stadens största demonstration någonsin. En pressad Carrie Lam utfärdar ännu en ursäkt där hon bland annat säger sig helt och fullt ”acceptera all kritik” och lovar förbättra sitt styre.
En fråga som är särskilt värd att beakta är Taiwans roll. Såväl landets president som utrikesminister har upprepade gånger öppet visat sitt stöd för demonstrationerna på Twitter.
Taiwanesiska flaggor har siktats under protesterna i Hongkong, och i Taipei samlades flera tusen personer i dag för att hålla stöddemonstrationer.
Vidare kommer utvecklingen i Hongkong sannolikt påverka valet i Taiwan till fördel för den sittande presidenten Tsai Ing-wen, vilket är en sidoeffekt som torde göra ledarna i Peking mycket frustrerade.
BREAKING: Organisers have announced a turnout estimate of "close to two million," nearly doubling that of last Sunday's rally and making it the largest protest in Hong Kong's history. Police have yet to release their figure.
? In full: https://t.co/kmLJLFTZhx pic.twitter.com/dcKJCWAWwZ
— Hong Kong Free Press (@HongKongFP) June 16, 2019
? Just wondering: how often has the world witnessed protests with a turnout of two million people? #HK https://t.co/wDCLE5MqSo
— Carmen Ng 吳嘉文 (@Carmen_NgKaMan) June 16, 2019
Two million Hong Kongers on one march. Obvously, you can't just scale that up for other populations, but let's try it anyway:
10 million Canadians
18 million Britons
88 million Americans
380 million mainlanders… on one march.
— Samuel Wade (@samuel_wade) June 16, 2019
Hong Kong streets flooded by extradition bill protesters – in pictures https://t.co/tCGAm2tnh0
— Joanna Chiu 趙淇欣 (@joannachiu) June 16, 2019
The people of Hong Kong should be up for the Nobel Peace Prize. Two million protesters — orderly, recycling, giving way to ambulances as massive crowds part, giving safety hat and gear to visiting foreign correspondents — what better example of peaceful resistance in 2019?
— Melissa Chan (@melissakchan) June 16, 2019
BREAKING: The #HongKong gov't has published a statement following Sunday's mass protest.
"The chief executive apologises to the public, and promises that [she] will accept criticism in the most sincere and humble way"
? In full: https://t.co/kmLJLFCnSX #notochinaextradition pic.twitter.com/wx30o9cWAM
— Hong Kong Free Press (@HongKongFP) June 16, 2019
Profile of Carrie Lam in @nytimes. Anson Chan says, “She was never a team player, and ever since she took up this post, she has become ever more authoritarian.” https://t.co/flL7mCwzQY
— Keith Bradsher (@KeithBradsher) June 14, 2019
An MTR driver said in his PA: “I can’t go to the protest today. I hope all of you to go to the match today for me. We should persevere. HKers, add oil!” His voice was breaking. HT @galileocheng
— Grace Tsoi (@gracehw) June 16, 2019
A Citybus in Hong Kong put a sign at the front window “students didn’t riot” #HongKong #Extraditionbill #616March #逃犯條例 pic.twitter.com/iXtkmykt2Q
— Cherie Chan 陳卓妍 (@cheriechancy) June 16, 2019
Hong Kong: Dead Anti-Extradition Protester Hailed as Martyr | Time https://t.co/J5tNmudbTv
— noname (@noname_8) June 16, 2019
Carrie Lam has singlehandedly changed the focus of Taiwan's election campaign from economics to sovereignty and boosted Taiwan-Hong Kong solidarity. Can't imagine Beijing being pleased. https://t.co/gAqvoyJzAp
— Chris Horton 何貴森 (@heguisen) June 16, 2019
Thousands of people gather outside Taiwan's parliament in solidarity with Hong Kong protesters who are marching against proposed China extradition bill pic.twitter.com/BiuHCvUO2X
— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) June 16, 2019
Heading to the protest. Taiwan flags on Hennessy Rd. pic.twitter.com/kryTlpBdU5
— Shelley Zhang (@shelzhang) June 16, 2019
We stand with all freedom-loving people of #HongKong. In their faces, we see the longing for freedom, & are reminded that #Taiwan’s hard-earned democracy must be guarded & renewed by every generation.
As long as I’m President, “one country, two systems” will never be an option. https://t.co/yYckfeNxw0
— 蔡英文 Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) June 9, 2019
The people of #Taiwan are watching closely the development of the #HongKongProtest.
In their pursuit of democracy & freedom, the people of #HongKong is not alone. Because we know that if you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything. pic.twitter.com/degneLGkhy
— 蔡英文 Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) June 13, 2019
I salute the brave #HongKong citizens on the streets, uncowed by the threat of police brutality. The people of #Taiwan share your values & struggle. Our paths & destinies are linked as we both live under the shadow of the #CCP regime. We shall overcome together. JW #616黑衣大遊行 https://t.co/c9dmBtIdCR
— 外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) ?? (@MOFA_Taiwan) June 16, 2019
"If [the extradition bill] passes, the Congress has no choice but to reassess whether Hong Kong is ‘sufficiently autonomous’," said US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a statement earlier.
Full coverage: https://t.co/kmLJLFCnSX #NoToChinaExtradition pic.twitter.com/U5aVsJ6ezm
— Hong Kong Free Press (@HongKongFP) June 12, 2019
Statement by @GermanyDiplo on the protests against #extraditionbill:
"…we are examining whether the current bilateral extradition agreement between Germany and Hong Kong can retain validity if the planned extradition law is adopted in its current form."https://t.co/RWd5AVSHzI
— Simon Henderson (@simjhenderson) June 13, 2019
HK Extradition bill stopped (temp). We see the protests working. A secondary part, if only to give motivation to HKers, was growing international support. Sweden @SweMFA @margotwallstrom could have played a role, but instead we merely got silence. https://t.co/PKrCNQvQ60
— Peter Dahlin (彼得·达林) (@Peterinexile) June 15, 2019
Tycoons in Hong Kong, the longtime financial hub of Asia, have started moving assets offshore as fears rise over new extradition law. Many now looking to Singapore https://t.co/r1103m0hbe
— Amy Qin (@amyyqin) June 14, 2019
I'm shocked by how many mainlanders I speak with genuinely believe that the HK protests were plotted by the CIA.
— Elliott Zaagman (@ElliottZaagman) June 15, 2019
Chinese hackers are the best in the world.
China behind hacking attack on Telegram messaging app, says founderhttps://t.co/QfzF9A0uNc
— Charles Mok 莫乃光 (@charlesmok) June 13, 2019