Biden Makes Last Minute Extension to Hongkongers

Biden giving his last address to the nation tonight

Counting down the days before he leaves office on January 20, US President Joe Biden has given some relief to Hongkongers in America by extending a program that allows those who want to, can stay another two years. The program was supposed to expire in a few weeks.

The extension of the Deferred Enforced Departure program allows certain Hongkongers who have stayed in the US since the program started in August 2021, to continue living and working in the country until February 5, 2027.

There are 19 activists on the wanted list

"The United States supports the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the residents of Hong Kong," Biden said on Wednesday.

"I am therefore, directing an extension and expansion of the deferral of removal of certain Hong Kong residents, regardless of country of birth, who are present in the United States."

However, this extension does not apply to those who voluntarily returned to Hong Kong or China, or have not continuously lived in the US since the program started in 2021, or when it was renewed again in January 2023.

Biden's declaration of the extension comes after the Hong Kong government announced last month the HK$1 million bounties for the arrests of six more activists who allegedly violated the national security law, and that the passports of seven others have been revoked, including Elmer Yuan Gong-yi, Frances Hui Wing-ting, and Joey Siu Nam, who have apparently settled in the US.

"The decision was made because of continued and repeated attacks by Beijing and Hong Kong authorities on the protected rights and freedoms cherished by people in the city," said Matthew Miller, a US Department of State spokesman.

Hui is an activist who allegedly violated NSL

He accused Beijing and Hong Kong authorities of targeting overseas democracy activists, citing the cancelling of their passports and the latest arrest warrants of others.

"These acts of transnational repression are a threat to US sovereignty and national security and show blatant disregard for democracy and human rights," he said.

Six More Activists with HK$1M Bounties

Six more activists have HK$1M bounty on their heads

Even though the Christmas holidays are upon us, the Hong Kong police are busy putting a HK$1 million (US$128,691) bounty on six more activists, bringing the total to 19 people who have allegedly violated the national security law.

The six are political commentator Chung Kim-wah, Joseph Tay, former TVB actor and founder of Canada-based NGO Hongkonger Station, former convenor of Studentlocalism Tony Chung Hon-lam, Carmen Lau Ka-man, a former district councillor now at Hong Kong Democracy Council, former Sing Tao editor and now YouTuber Victor Ho Leung-mau, and Chloe Cheung Hei-ching from the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation.

Ho is a former editor and in Metro Vancouver

"Their common denominator is betraying their own country and Hong Kong, neglecting Hongkongers' interests, as well as continuing to endanger national security and detriment Hong Kong's interest after fleeing overseas," said Andrew Kan Kai-yan, deputy police commissioner overseeing national security.

He added the force would cut off the six wanted people's funding resources and investigate their confederates and funders.

In addition the Hong Kong government issued a gazette on Tuesday announcing that Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung had revoked the passports of seven activists who had fled the city, including Ted Hui Chi-fung, Kevin Yam Kin-fung, Anna Kwok, Frances Hui Wing-ting, and Elmer Yuan Gong-yi.

Except that Siu, Kwok and Yam have foreign passports and Frances Hui has asylum in the United States.

Yam stated on social media that he never had a Hong Kong passport, so how could his passport be revoked?

Tay is running as a Conservative candidate

Nevertheless Tang said: "The targets of this crackdown are those who have been wanted for a long time, have been absconding overseas and are determined to continue endangering our national security through various means.

"The [Hong Kong] government will certainly use all means to pursue and crackdown on criminals who have fled overseas and endanger national security."

Elmer Yuen's Relative Taken into Questioning

Yuen holding his Hong Kong passport in a recent photo

Days after former lawmaker Nathan Law Kwun-chung's parents and brother were questioned by police and then released, another person from the group of eight with bounties on their head has had a family member taken in for interrogation as well.

The police took away trade unionist Mung Siu-tat's brother and took him, his wife and son for questioning, as well as relatives of Dennis Kwok Wing-hang. They were later released without charge.

Yuen's son Derek is married to Eunice Yung

Now a third family has now been affected -- Elmer Yuen (Yuan Gong-yi)'s eldest daughter, Mimi Mi Wahng Yuen was "taken away" by Hong Kong national security police after she arrived in the city from Los Angeles on Monday. 

Over a week ago Yuen, 74, was in Vancouver urging Hongkongers in Canada to take part in a virtual Hong Kong parliament with elections for representatives later this year or in early 2024. For this he has been charged with with subversion of state power and foreign collusion

Yuen, who lives in the United States, had previously urged foreign countries to impose sanctions on Hong Kong officials and members of the judiciary on various online platforms between July 2020 and May 2023.

He has three children. His son Derek is a former advisor for the pro-establishment New People's Party and an academic studying international policy. Derek Yuen told Sing Tao Daily that he had "a brief meeting" with his father and has avoided any financial exchanges.

Yung's notice of severing ties with Elmer Yuen

Derek is married to Eunice Yung Hoi-yan, a pro-Beijing lawmaker and member of the New People's Party. In August 2022, she publicly severed her relationship with her father-in-law Elmer. And since the arrest warrants were announced for the eight people including Yuen, Yung has called for him to return to Hong Kong and surrender.

Now with this latest development, will Elmer Yuen continue to be as gutsy and continuing his campaign in North America? 

Those family members who continue to have some kind of links with the eight with bounties on their heads will put the former in a perilous situation... relations by blood are thicker than water, but in the case of the national security police, do people cave in?

Yuen Promotes Virtual HK Parliament in Vancouver

Yuen showing his Hong Kong passport in this handout photo

Despite having a HK$1 million bounty on his head, Elmer Yuen (Yuan Gong-yi) is unfazed and traveling to Vancouver proposing a virtual Hong Kong parliament with representatives in the diaspora.

"I don't feel threatened," the venture capitalist said in an interview with a Canadian news outlet. "[Chinese President Xi Jinping] is more scared than I am."

He has even distributed photographs of himself holding his Hong Kong passport, though Yuen probably holds another passport.

Ho (left) and Yuen promoting HK Parliament

Yuen was spurred by the arrest warrants for him and seven others, to fly to Vancouver from the United States to promote his virtual Hong Kong parliament to Hongkongers here and try to get the federal government to endorse it.

"My whole idea of this traveling is to get everyone to vote in order to run for the members of parliament. So that's what I'm doing. I'm not scared," he said.

"Because of this warrant for my arrest is everywhere, at least 1 million people got news of what's happening about the Hong Kong parliament."

This is not a new idea -- he proposed it last July together with Vancouver journalist Victor Ho Leung-mau, who was accused by the Hong Kong government of subverting the national security law.

They are hoping to jump-start the election later this year or next year, with the aim of having the parliament reflect the democratic power of Hongkongers that had been promised to them before 1997.

"I want the Canadian government to recognise the Hong Kong parliament. That's the most important (thing). I am no a mission and my mission is to fight the Communist party and you cannot fight as an individual," said Yuen.

Yuen's son Derek is married to Eunice Yung

"You must have the organisation and the organisation is [the] Hong Kong parliament."

Yuen also plans to travel to Taiwan, Australia and the UK to promote this parliament-in-exile plan.

"If they want to fight for the freedom of Hong Kong, the best thing is to vote. You don't have a gun, you don't have anything. So, your weapon for democracy and freedom is your vote," he said.

However, Hong Kong police have accused Yuen of colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security.

His daughter-in-law, New People's Party lawmaker Eunice Yung Hoi-yan is urging Yuen to surrender himself, even though she claims to have cut ties with him last August.

In the meantime will Yuen be able to realise his plan for a parliament-in-exile? 

Some may just be too busy keeping their head above water to contemplate this plan... 

HK$1M Bounty on Eight Dissidents

Official NSL arrest warrants for eight activists 

Just as I was going to bed last night, there was breaking news that the Hong Kong police had issued arrest warrants for eight pro-democracy activists, and that there was a HK$1 million (US$127,600) bounty on their heads.

The eight are: former legislators Nathan Law Kwun-chung, Dennis Kwok Wing-hang, and Ted Hui Chi-fung, unionist Mung Siu-tat, lawyer Kevin Yam Kin-fung, and activists Finn Lau Cho-dik, Anna Kwok Fung-yee, and Elmer Yuan Gong-yi.

Lee said the eight would be pursued for life

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu endorsed the arrest warrants, and encouraged people to come forward with any information of the eight activists' whereabouts.

"Police should do it because that's the message not just to Hong Kong, but to those who try to endanger our national security. And we want them to know that we will not sit and do nothing," he said. "We'll be pursuing the [suspects'] criminal responsibilities for life until they surrender themselves."

However, legally the threat was weak considering the activists are residing in the UK, Australia and the United States, where these countries have suspended extradition treaties with Hong Kong following the implementation of the national security law three years ago.

The US said such an application of the security law was a "dangerous precedent" that threatened human rights, while the Chinese Foreign Ministry's office in Hong Kong warned "foreign interference forces" should stop shielding "criminals" immediately.

And are the authorities hoping people in the respective countries will come forward with information about these dissidents?

Law maintains he is doing peaceful advocacy

Interviewed by a Canadian media outlet, Law seemed to think the chances of that happening were slim, but pointed out if someone actually did do that, then they would be assisting the Chinese regime. There is also no clear information about what informers need to do in order to be eligible collect the money.

It is also worth noting the HK$1M bounty is many times more than for murderers and pedophiles who have only HK$100K to HK$300K on their heads.

Law, who is accused of foreign collusion and inciting secession, said on Facebook that he was again targeted by the Chinese authorities and that he felt "invisible pressure", but would not give in.

"All I did was reasonable, justifiable and peaceful advocacy work," he wrote.

In his interview Law said he would continue to live a discreet life in the UK and hoped he would be able to return to Hong Kong in decades.

"I don't know if it sounds optimistic or pessimistic, but most of us have the determination to walk that through like we are running a marathon, not a sprint."