Hong Kong’s Global Bounty Hunters
By The Editorial Board, July 3, 2023, WSJ

June 30 marked the third anniversary of Hong Kong’s notorious national-security law, but apparently the city’s government thinks that jailing publisher Jimmy Lai and other locals for years isn’t enough. On Monday Hong Kong issued arrest warrants
and offered a bounty of HK$1 million ($127,636) each for eight pro-democracy advocates now living abroad.

The eight are former lawmakers, commentators and union representatives: Nathan Law Kwun-chung, Elmer Yuen Gong-yi, Dennis Kwok Wing-hang, Kevin Yam Kin-fung, Anna Kwok Fung-yee, Mung Siu-tat, Finn Lau Cho-dik, and Ted Hui Chi-fung. The Hong Kong Security
Bureau notes that because “the National Security Law has extraterritorial effect, the Police have the responsibility to pursue the liability of those who have allegedly committed offences under the National Security Law outside Hong Kong.”

The eight now live in freedom in the likes of the U.S., Britain and Australia, and the government’s move confirms they were right to flee Hong Kong when they did. Hong Kong knows these countries won’t extradite the dissidents. But it’s a warning
for people still in Hong Kong that they can be arrested even for communicating with people abroad.

It’s also a reminder that China recognizes no international boundaries to its police state. In April two men were charged for operating an illegal secret Chinese police station in Manhattan. The station is one of dozens around the world used to monitor
and harass Chinese abroad. The eight who are targeted will have to be careful where they travel lest some government seeking to win points in Beijing snatch them and send them to the dungeons of Hong Kong.

The announcement of arrest warrants and bounties is further evidence that the line once distinguishing Hong Kong from China has vanished. Chief executive John Lee is under U.S. sanctions, though in June the Biden Administration said it hasn’t made a
final decision on whether Lee will be allowed to enter the U.S. to attend the next meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in San Francisco in November.

Anna Kwok is executive director of the Hong Kong Democracy Council in Washington and one of those targeted by Mr. Lee’s government. She tweeted that she is urging Biden “to give a strong and firm NO” to letting Mr. Lee attend APEC. Good idea. Free
societies need to show China and Hong Kong that we take our own laws as seriously as Hong Kong and China so readily abuse theirs.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/hong-kong-bounties-pro-democracy-advocates-national-security-law-john-lee-china-e1104f9e

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