On the 26th March 2021, we found out we would have just 41 days to run five local by-elections in Islington alongside the London elections. Having met many fantastic Councillors and being involved in the local community, I knew I wanted to stand as a Councillor, but this was sooner than expected. However, supported by an incredible team, I went for it and worked alongside other fantastic candidates to make waves in Islington.
At the EGM held on 30 May 2021, attendees had a good discussion on the relative merits of retaining the name 'Chinese Liberal Democrats' or changing it to 'BESEA' or 'CESEA' Liberal Democrats.
Following the coup d'etat in Myanmar on Feb 1st this year, the 'Tatmadaw' military have killed more than 860 civilians and imprisoned more than 6000 people. Random bombings of civilians, burning villages and killing protestors, have made a full scale civil war likely. The de facto leader of Myanmar is now the brutal General Min Aung Hlaing, the Chairman of the State Administration Council.
This week's news included an early "obituary" for Apple Daily, the eponymous newspaper founded by Jimmy Lai, a long-time critic of the Hong Kong and Beijing Governments.
One Country, Two Systems was conceived by Deng Xiaoping, architect of China's Open Door Policy, as a formula not only for Hong Kong's reversion to China's sovereignty but also for Taiwan's ultimate unification with the mainland.
This week, the US State Department issued an advisory note to US companies operating in Hong Kong highlighting risks that emerge from the implementation of the Chinese government's National Security Law. US Secretary of State, Anthony J Blinken, has highlighted the "…persistent and politically motivated campaign against the free press, imprisoned Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai, and forced the closure of that publication - a bastion of independent reporting. Beijing has chipped away at Hong Kong's reputation of accountable, transparent governance and respect for individual freedoms, and has broken its promise to leave Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy unchanged for 50 years."