theBreaker.news Podcast: Hong Kong activist seeks international support for pro-democracy movement

The 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre in June sparked a new wave of protests in Hong Kong, where hundreds of thousands of people marched to oppose a proposed extradition law with China.

Protests in transit stations and at the airport have turned violent and there have been allegations of police brutality and involvement of pro-China gang members. China has threatened to send soldiers into the self-governing territory. This weekend, even more protests in the centre of Hong Kong drew hundreds of thousands of people, who have captured the attention of the world.

Pro-Hong Kong protesters have also marched in Vancouver, though a well-organized and well-funded counter-protest outside a Canada Line station by Mainland Chinese students drew larger numbers on Aug. 17. Vancouver Police officers kept a close eye on the crowd, after threats of violence against the pro-Hong Kong side on the Chinese WeChat social media service.

Hong Kongers are marching because they want China to respect the one country, two systems policy adopted with the 1997 handover from Britain to Beijing. They are battling to keep their civil rights and they want more democracy, not less, as China seeks to take more power before the initial 50 years of the handover agreement are up.

One of those protesters in Hong Kong is Isaac Cheng, vice-chair of the pro-democracy students activist organization Demosisto.

Cheng joined theBreaker.news Podcast host Bob Mackin on this week’s edition. He is calling for countries around the world, including Canada, to focus not only on economic ties with China. There are an estimated 300,000 Canadians in Hong Kong. 

“You have the value of democracy, freedom and human rights. You have the responsibility to urge the government to uphold these moral principles,” Cheng said.

Also on this edition, highlights of the 109th Pacific National Exhibition Fair with PNE president Shelley Frost.

Plus theBreaker.news headlines and commentaries.

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