Arrest of Agnes Chow may complicate Japan-China ties

The most important term of the Hong Kong agreement (Sino-British Joint Declaration) was that the capitalist system and its way of life would remain unchanged for a period of 50 years, 2047.

Is it 2047?

And that is all you need to know about China.

As conservative Japanese lawmakers, who place importance on the alliance with the United States, have urged Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to review his diplomatic strategy toward China, Chow's arrest may become another trigger to complicate ties between Beijing and Tokyo.

They gotta be kidding here right? Outside of Abe's ability to kowtow, brown-nose, and kiss-arse with his BBF Trumpy, Abe has no diplomatic abilities outside of opening a wallet, and China doesnt need his money.

China doesnt give a frack about what the world thinks when it comes to issues like this, they know one thing, this too shall pass, as the world wants their products, no matter how much they bitch and complain, they shut up when it comes economics.

Great to see Japanese people supporting the Goddess of Democracy. More and more people all over the world are rejecting Communist China, their shoddy goods, dangerous behaviour, human rights abuses, genocide, and hatred of freedom.

Japanese people love freedom and democracy, and will stand up with Hong Kong against evil Communist China and the despicable Hong Kong authorities.

Boycott police-state Hong Kong! Boycott Communist China!

Why do Japanese care about other countries and their political issues, yet never speak out about their own?

shrugs

The recent arrest of a female Hong Kong pro-democracy activist under the national security law pushed by Beijing 

is another indication of what happens when an authoritarian state quashes democracy. The current Chinese empire is showing it's little different from others in history.

And to think 'westerners' are wiling to cede the bits of their state's current democratic principles to some authoritarian run regime. Lookin' at you, USA.

she has delivered her messages to around 500,000 followers on Twitter in Japanese.

Advocating in Japanese can be an easy way to stir people's attention, particularly since so few foreigners speak the language outside the country and people really appreciate the interest someone has in their culture/language. This also awakens Japanese people to the world, creating connection and empathy,

The Uighurs should realize that if they too want their plight to be recognized here (and elsewhere) then they should also communicate in other people's languages.

“anti-Chinese sentiment would grow further, hurtling the relations between the two countries”

No need to worry about that. With perpetual violations of Japanese waters and airspace by Chinese vessels and military aircraft, the relations between two countries couldn’t get worse.

Governments will wring their hands and talk up a storm but do nothing that might hurt China enough to force Mr. Xi to change course. We however can refuse to buy anything made in China. Read the label carefully to see where the products you buy are made. If something you buy is made in China, set it down and find another similar product made somewhere else. When you shop this way you discover there is almost nothing you might want to buy made only in China. You might have to pay a little more for a product made elsewhere and often it is a better product than the Chinese version. If enough people around the world do this diligently, and make it known they are refusing to buy from China the Chinese economy will suffer. We can do what our governments won't do and punish China harshly. Refuse to buy Chinese made anything. Don't use their software, apps, social media or cellular systems. Tell your friends what you are doing, tell your political, cough , cough , leaders too. Big middle finger to the Middle Kingdom.

@Kipling. Don't mistake anti-CCP statements as anti-China. Get it straight that the Chinese Government regime is not the will of the Chinese people, but the will of a small group of people trying to maintain control and "power" over the people of China.

“Why do Japanese care about other countries and their political issues, yet never speak out about their own?”

Exactly. Perhaps because it’s easier for them to look at the speck in another’s eye, rather than the log in their own

We really won't see Ms. Chow's effect till after Covid-19 and people begin freely traveling again.

Mitsuyo...... In almost every interview they give Agnes and her cohorts say they want freedom from Chinese rule. This is against the UK-China agreement. There has never been a free or democratic Hong Kong. The hand over was just that ...from one authoritarian ruler to another.

The Uighurs should realize that if they too want their plight to be recognized here (and elsewhere) then they should also communicate in other people's languages.

Might be difficult with over a million being "re-educated" in those prison camps. Kudos to journalists who keep this story alive. This is an attempt to destroy a people and their culture.

It's chilling to see how fast HK had democracy stamped out. I hope Taiwan isn't next.

As long as Trump keeps kissing dictators' fannies nothing will get done concerning human rights, in HK or China itself.

Remember, his daughter-wife has sweatshops making clothes so neo-cons and yuppies can wear her name on their butts. Also an 'insider' in 2017 in China itself was communicating to the West about the factory work conditions. He 'disappeared' and two weeks later was 'found' dead.

China could attack any other country, but she knows that if she does that, she would get isolated from others definitely.

Personally I don't believe she has the power to say anything; except be quiet. What she can do is to bark, but nothing more than that.

I have studied this case, I keep asking this question,.why is this lady not asking chinese all over the world to help???. Instead, she is asking japanese for help???.

The more countries and individuals that put pressure on China the better. Even if the ruling elite do not change their ways voluntarily, rising unemployment might lead to rising unrest, and perhaps then an internal revolution and an overturning of the ruling elite.

Christopher GlenToday  11:54 am JST

“Why do Japanese care about other countries and their political issues, yet never speak out about their own?”

The same we talk about many foreigners here at Japantoday who care about Japan's issues rather than their own country' s issues. I have seen news regarding other countries here, but I noticed that some who loves to criticize Japan never makes comments on threads about their own nation.

I personally never had reason to speak out about Japan because the problems in Japan are different than North Korea, China and South Korea; countries that have hard time to deal with other countries and need to make provocation to get attention from others. Japan different than those mentioned nations is not forcing them to live/think and act according to his way of life. In addition to that, I can't be quiet after seeing a country exploring other people as China is doing with Hong Kong now.

Agnes is in this righteous struggle for the long haul and if she knows the Japanese, in particular their government, she will not be counting on any help from them. They never stick their necks out even for their own people and like all "gaijin" she will be thrown under the bus before you can say, "Help me, Honda". Sugihara Chiune was a rare example of courage and principle in whose footsteps few dare to tread today. Agnes is only a pawn in their game and future Chinese-Japanese relations will not hang on her fate.

We have no right to interfere with Chinese domestic policy on USA bequests.

we should embrace China as a friend and join the Belt and Road initiative that the US is so scared of.

At least Germany has the balls to carry on with the NordStream.

If people stop buying iPhones from China it might hurt China more than the Huawei losses

Lets start by destroying our made in China iphones now and buy made from other countries units.

Mr Kipling

I would be very interested on learning about it for sure. As far as I know Agnes Chow is not fighting for independence, but for freedom and democracy. It is easy to make comments and give opinions about the issue, but to make you comment creditable you should show a document that proves that such group has this intention; otherwise, what you said will be just a mere opinion based on nothing.

Something is the matter with the implementation of government in China despite its much vaunted bureaucracy. Sort of self-fed overconfidence that it is the center of the world and it can't give a damn about what is logical from experience elsewhere. Compare China's overall reaction to the coming of foreigners in the 19th century to that of Japan, or Siam. Compare the success of China's installation of democratic government after ousting the Emperors in 1911 with the history in most 20th century countries. Compare China in the period October 1949-1978 (family cooking pots were melted down to "improve" steel production, CCP factions fought each other and even killed each other, millions were sent to re-education camps) with the recoveries of equally impoverished 1945 Japan, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan province, or with the later successful economic policies of one-of-a-kind "capitalist roader" Deng Xiao-ping... And it continues.

P.S. Why on earth does China militarize islands in the South China Sea? Such islands become a considerable military burden for the PLA, will be the first thing to be easily attacked in case of war, will represent a loss of face for the then Chinese leadership, and thereby will become a source of Chinese internal stability...

Governments will wring their hands and talk up a storm but do nothing that might hurt China enough to force Mr. Xi to change course. We however can refuse to buy anything made in China. Read the label carefully to see where the products you buy are made. If something you buy is made in China, set it down and find another similar product made somewhere else. When you shop this way you discover there is almost nothing you might want to buy made only in China. You might have to pay a little more for a product made elsewhere and often it is a better product than the Chinese version. If enough people around the world do this diligently, and make it known they are refusing to buy from China the Chinese economy will suffer. We can do what our governments won't do and punish China harshly. Refuse to buy Chinese made anything. Don't use their software, apps, social media or cellular systems. Tell your friends what you are doing, tell your political, cough , cough , leaders too. Big middle finger to the Middle Kingdom.

hear, hear!!!!

Sovereignty. Interference in the domestic affairs of another country is exactly that. US criticism of human rights in China, received a reply: "I can't breathe." Ms. Chow is a courageous woman. One way or another the State will crush he and any movement she is associated with.

China is a stink bomb, let's review her status,

Currently in a stink with the United States.

Currently in a stink Russia,

Currently in a stink with India,

Currently in a stink with Japan,

Currently in a stink with Hong Kong,

Currently in a stink with many African countries.

The Communist Government with few friends! Except North Korea,,,,,maybe.

I’m supportive of the freedom of speech and freedom of the press, but you guys sound like you are ready to democratize China and start a revolution. The US government has tried that for over 85 years and failed.

Don’t you think you’re getting a little bit ahead of yourselves?

Compare the success of China's installation of democratic government after ousting the Emperors in 1911 with the history in most 20th century countries. Compare China in the period October 1949-1978 (family cooking pots were melted down to "improve" steel production, CCP factions fought each other and even killed each other, millions were sent to re-education camps) with the recoveries of equally impoverished 1945 Japan, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan province, or with the later successful economic policies of one-of-a-kind "capitalist roader" Deng Xiao-ping... And it continues.

Those are good points made. The CCP had no experience running a country let alone one the size of China’s.

China was a young democracy unstable but supported by the US. Japan invaded which led to the US oil embargo, then Pearl Harbor. The US actually got dragged into the Pacific War over China.

So what you have is a bully (Japan) bullying a weak guy (China) then a bigger guy (US) steps in and beats up the bully (Japan) but he just left the guy (China) alone. Then he feels bad for beating up the bully that he befriends him and helps him. Now they’re BFF.

Three quarter century later, the original guy that was bullied is now 6’5” and is going around bullying other smaller guys. The US is about to step in again.

The current and former prime ministers of Australia say in an interview, US-China military conflict no longer inconceivable. Not a trade war but actual war, between the US and China. What will Japan do this time around? Nothing.

They never stick their necks out even for their own people and like all "gaijin" she will be thrown under the bus before you can say, "Help me, Honda". 

Help me Honda yeah getChina to depart. Don’t hold your breath Agnes.

Typo... organisms - organizing protests

This is just the beginning folks. China has gone into the next phase of its hundred year marathon. Arresting young activists popular overseas is a calculated and deliberate move. Cause, what’s anyone/nation/group/leader gunna do? Diddley sweet FA.

I have studied this case, I keep asking this question,.why is this lady not asking chinese all over the world to help???. Instead, she is asking japanese for help???.

To complicate Japan-China ties?

Agnes and her US funded buddies want to separate Hong Kong from China. It is them who are trying to destroy the Sino-British agreement. Of course China isn’t going to allow this. Neither would any other country. All part of the anti China rhetoric that is central to Trumps re-election plan.

The CCP has nobody to blame but themselves. The CCP pushed for the ability to extradite suspected criminals to the mainland for trial and then pushed for an oppressive and vague security law. That was certainly not the work of the US or the UK and previous Chinese Presidents were not so insecure as Mr. Xi to attempt such foolish policy measures. The people of Hong Kong wanted no part of either law. Combined with a half dozen cases of Hong Kong business people being kidnapped and put on trial in the mainland these acts created the conditions that led Hong Kongers to protest in the streets. Everything that happens in the world isn't some grand US conspiracy but those who cannot handle the truth, namely hatred of the CCP, cannot seem to fathom the notion that rational people would march in the streets to protest the possibility of communists usurping their freedoms.

@Kipling. Don't mistake anti-CCP statements as anti-China. Get it straight that the Chinese Government regime is not the will of the Chinese people, but the will of a small group of people trying to maintain control and "power" over the people of China.

Half my family is still in China. They suffered horribly under Mao. Momma is lucky to be alive. The Red Guards killed a lot of teachers like her. The family lost their home of many generations and were exiled to the countryside to live in abject poverty. A party cadre still occupies our family home. Momma's first husband was arrested one day. The next day Momma was told he "committed suicide". The Red Guards killed him. There is no love of the CCP or communism. Their rules are avoided or broken whenever possible. Our family motto is "the government does what it wants and we do what we want".

there's no concentration camps in Xinjiang, it's just vocational schools. China taking the preventive approach of De radicalization program for IS returnees. These are all blatant lies fabricated from Turkey Ughyurs terrorists with support from American NGO's

Uyghurs are non native to Xinjiang, but Kazakh, Ubek, Kyrgry, Turkiskh were, Uyghurs were late comer from Anatolia region of Turkey to Xinjiang and they were given a refuge land called YiLi in Xinjiang.

Agnes and her US funded buddies want to separate Hong Kong from China. It is them who are trying to destroy the Sino-British agreement. Of course China isn’t going to allow this. Neither would any other country. All part of the anti China rhetoric that is central to Trumps re-election plan.

But she is kawaii, especially when she speaks Japanese.