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China Tortured Me over Hong Kong, Says Former British Consulate Employee

nytimes.com

1–10 of 40 posts

Re: China Tortured Me over Hong Kong, Says Former British Consulate Employee

#2
I've been watching both For All Mankind (Ronald D. Moore, in which the Soviets beat the U.S. to the moon) and The Man in the High Castle (based on the P.K. Dick novel in which the Axis powers win WW II), and have generally always enjoyed alternate history fiction.

So, I find myself wondering how this would have all played out if the Cold War hadn't ended and Soviet Union hadn't fallen apart before 1999 when Britain was required to turn HK over to the PRC.

Re: China Tortured Me over Hong Kong, Says Former British Consulate Employee

#3

I've been watching both For All Mankind (Ronald D. Moore, in which the Soviets beat the U.S. to the moon) and The Man in the High Castle (based on the P.K. Dick novel in which the Axis powers win WW II), and have generally always enjoyed alternate history fiction. So, I find myself wondering how this would have all played out if the Cold War hadn't ended and Soviet Union hadn't fallen apart before 1999 when Britain w…

Do you mean that it's reasonable to assume that the USSR wouldn't have backed China? Or what's the "alternate" part of this history?

Re: China Tortured Me over Hong Kong, Says Former British Consulate Employee

#6
I suggest you to read the first hand report of the tortured Employee of the British Consulate. https://www.facebook.com/notes/cheng-man-kit/for-the-record-...

It's far more detailed and interesting than the article, and it clearly exposes the mindset of a 21th century secret police.

Re: China Tortured Me over Hong Kong, Says Former British Consulate Employee

#8
post #4

Nytimes is paywlled, here is Cheng's own account of the events: https://www.facebook.com/notes/cheng-man-kit/for-the-record-... Edit: archive link for the above https://archive.is/LWyz2 (I guess I'm on some kind of list now)

Bypassed paywall: https://outline.com/kXyWwy

Re: China Tortured Me over Hong Kong, Says Former British Consulate Employee

#9
post #7

The best smartphone security doesn't help when you are forced to unlock your phone.

I wonder why the embassy did not remotely wipe his phone, since this was his work phone.

With that said, I don't understand how he could not have expected that when visiting China.

Re: China Tortured Me over Hong Kong, Says Former British Consulate Employee

#10
post #7

The best smartphone security doesn't help when you are forced to unlock your phone.

Until the "best smartphone security" is two passwords: The second you enter when under duress, and it populates your phone with pro government content based on your current location. Or just wipes your phone. Or permanently locks, encrypts, and sends decryption key to some trusted source.
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