"Hong Kong could see itself in a major political upheaval that would draw international support."
"Hong Kong could see itself in a major political upheaval that would draw international support."
The two-month long protest of the Hong Kong people has reached a point of no return. A loss of face is unacceptable to both the Chinese cabal in Beijing and the protesters.
The demonstrators have made clear they won’t accept a compromise even if Hong Kong chief administrator Carrie Lam already stated that the controversial extradition bill is dead. The protesters who have smelled the whiff of victory want more—the formal withdrawal of the proposal to bring the accused from Hong Kong to the mainland for trial. They know they don’t stand a chance in a rigged court in Beijing. Further, the protesters demand the resignation of Lam as administrator.
Will China allow these two demands to happen? To do so would show a chink in the armor of a rising China. But to unleash the full force of the People Liberation Army to subdue the protesters would certainly have international repercussions.
As it is, China is already in a flux in its trade war with the United States with US President Donald Trump poised to raise more tariffs on imported Chinese products. A violent crackdown against the protesters can only draw more trade sanctions from other trading partners like Europe, Japan and other countries closely monitoring how events unfold in the former British colony. It was supposed to be a one country-two system accord when the British turned over Hong Kong to China in 1997. A military intervention by the Brits is out of the question, but trade sanctions is the new political weapon to impose punishment. China with its myriad challenges in the South China Sea and restiveness in some parts in the mainland cannot afford to have any more problems.
The US which is determined to keep international sea lanes open for commercial cargo might step in, not to protect the Philippines under the US-PHL Mutual Defense Treaty but more to assert itself as a Pacific power to allay the fear of treaty allies Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
To show ambivalence against the Chinese agenda of hegemony in the region would make the US look weak and an unreliable military ally.
As we have written before, the Hong Kong protests by two million people is not on the same scale as at the Tiananmen student uprising confined to Beijing’s famous square. If not handled properly, Hong Kong could see itself in a major political upheaval that would draw international support. More trade sanctions by the international community is going to hurt China which has to feed its billion people. These are the stakes in its covetous claim of the entire South China Sea. Aside from the potential oil, gas and minerals under the seabed, the South China Sea is a vast expanse of waters rich in fish to feed the Chinese who cannot rely on their own domestic food supply.
How do the local Chinese taipans stand on the Hong Kong issue? Our taipans are conservative businessmen who would surely take a patient wait-and-see attitude. They, after all, also have financial investments in mainland China which could be seized by the Chinese in case they get too expressive with their political views.
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On the issue of the possible pardon of Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez, we are glad to know President Rodrigo Duterte has made clear there will be no early release of the convicted rapist-murderer of UP Las Baños students Eileen Sarmenta and Allan Gomez. This columnist was among the first to write his opposition to Sanchez’s early release. The outrage of the victims’ parents also raises the bar of public opposition to Sanchez’s pardon.
Why in heaven’s name should a convict accused of a heinous crime like rape and murder be pardoned? It’s bad enough that the country has scrapped the death penalty. To pardon persons who Judge Harriet Demetriou said “committed criminal acts straight out of hell” is downright injustice. To pardon these beasts can only encourage them to commit heinous crimes without fear of capital punishment.
Does having a statue of Mama Mary in his cell constitute good behavior? This is the height of hypocrisy when a convicted rapist murderer pretend to be a religious person. It does not lessen his guilt nor those of his policemen confederates who also took turns in ravishing the prostrate body of Eileen Sarmenta after Sanchez had finished with her.
The sin of one is the guilt of all in a conspiracy. The policemen bodyguards of Sanchez abducted Sarmenta and her friend Allan and offered the girl as a gift to their boss. This then is multiple rape, adding to the gravity of the heinous crime.
A pardon for Sanchez and his co-accused would be a grave miscarriage of justice.
