Another weekend, another mass protest for embattled Hong Kong
Protesters swarm airport . . .
The eighth week of protests in Hong Kong began today with protesters chanting, “There are no riots, there’s only tyranny!” as they filed into the arrival halls of Hong Kong International Airport to air their grievances before an international audience. The protest was accompanied by a mock video that advised visitors to “remain alert and vigilant . . . because the police will no longer answer your calls,” referencing last week’s attacks at the Yuen Long MRT station and the lack of intervention by police.
Protests featured in China-US trade spat . . .
The protests in Hong Kong have provided new opportunities for both governments to hurl jabs at one another as the trade spat between Washington and Beijing continues to simmer. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has urged China “to do the right thing” and abide by the 1997 handover agreement. Beijing has stressed that this is a domestic matter and that it will not tolerate foreign interference. It even hinted that that the People’s Liberation Army, which quelled the demonstrations at Tiananmen, could step in if the Hong Kong government requests help it maintaining law and order.
Can Canada handle what may come?
A potential exodus of expats from the former British colony comes at a time of a slowing Canadian real estate sector. Real-estate brokers in Canada, especially in Toronto and Vancouver, have reported an influx of inquiries from Hong Kong investors over the last month. While a flood of capital into that sector in the coming year could give it a much-needed boost, it is uncertain whether the federal government, the provincial governments of B.C. and Ontario, and other sectors, such as education and health care, are ready to handle such a potential influx.
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- Al Jazeera: Flight attendants, airport staff join Hong Kong airport protest
- South China Morning Post: Beijing says People’s Liberation Army is a ‘pillar of stability' for Hong Kong
