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According to NBC News, China is going after people who have fled from Hong Kong to other countries, in an effort to escape the Chinese-controlled government.
People in England who are neighbors of former Hong Kong residents are receiving mysterious letters, urging them to snitch on their neighbors in exchange for a huge bounty, worth $130,000 in U.S. dollars.
NBC reports: The “wanted” posters were sent by mail, arriving at the homes of Carmen Lau’s neighbors in the town of Maidenhead. The alleged crime? Speaking out about China’s rule in Hong Kong, where Lau has not lived since 2021.
Provide information about Lau to the Hong Kong Police Force, urged the poster, folded into envelopes with Hong Kong stamps, or “take her to the Chinese embassy.”
The reward: 1 million Hong Kong dollars, or $130,000.
The flyers that arrived in this town 7 miles from Windsor Castle are the latest threat directed at Hong Kong’s pro-democracy diaspora, who have fled the city trying to escape the long arm of Chinese law, only to find that harassment can cross borders.
Lau, who spoke to NBC News from outside the U.K. on Friday, said she did not “feel safe living at my current address,” and was now weighing temporary residence options elsewhere. (NBC News is not disclosing Lau’s current location for her safety.)
The report explains that Lau fled Hong Kong in 2021 after the former British colony enacted a sweeping and vaguely worded national security law that gave the government more power to quash dissent, following the 2019 pro-democracy protests.
Lau announced in December that she had just learned the Chinese had placed a bounty on her head, calling her a criminal. In a series of posts on X, she wrote:
1/ Today was the last working day before our year-end holiday at HKDC and I just learned that I am now a wanted Hong Konger with a HK$1 million bounty for national security offences.
1/ Today was the last working day before our year-end holiday at HKDC and I just learned that I am now a wanted Hong Konger with a HK$1 million bounty for national security offences. pic.twitter.com/OEvikV2SXO
— Carmen Lau 劉珈汶 (@carmenkamanlau) December 24, 2024
2/ I have always considered serving Hong Kongers and fighting for our freedom and democracy my lifelong obligation since the day I was elected as a district councillor. Since I fled, I have often regretted not being able to serve my people until the end.
3/ Therefore, as a member of the diaspora and as a Hong Konger, I swear to put our fight for Hong Kong before anything else, even before myself. Now that I have your attention, I would like to draw your attention to the following:
3/ Therefore, as a member of the diaspora and as a Hong Konger, I swear to put our fight for Hong Kong before anything else, even before myself.
Now that I have your attention, I would like to draw your attention to the following:
— Carmen Lau 劉珈汶 (@carmenkamanlau) December 24, 2024
4/ HKETO: There are now 10 exiled advocates wanted with bounties in the UK. The Labour government should seriously reconsider its strategies for tackling transnational repression targeting Hong Kongers.
5/ I urge a reviewal of the privileges of HKETO London, an effort to block the PRC from expanding its embassy in Tower Hill, and, most importantly, genuine efforts to put into the promised China audit without compromising democracy for economic interests.
5/ I urge a reviewal of the privileges of HKETO London, an effort to block the PRC from expanding its embassy in Tower Hill, and, most importantly, genuine efforts to put into the promised China audit without compromising democracy for economic interests.
— Carmen Lau 劉珈汶 (@carmenkamanlau) December 24, 2024
British politician Priti Patel MP warned in January, “China continues to threaten our interests and the safety and security of Hong Kong BNOs living on British soil with the issuing of bounties for arrests. Instead of defending our interests, the Labour Government are cosying up to China in a desperate attempt to get money to prop up their failing economic plans.”
China continues to threaten our interests and the safety and security of Hong Kong BNOs living on British soil with the issuing of bounties for arrests.
Instead of defending our interests, the Labour Government are cosying up to China in a desperate attempt to get money to prop… pic.twitter.com/rm4weoSTZU
— Priti Patel MP (@pritipatel) January 7, 2025
In January 2024, U.S. resident Frances Hui warned of the Chinese Communist Party’s influence in the United States, after a $1 million bounty was put on her.
🎥 WATCH: U.S. resident @frances_hui warns of the CCP’s influence on American life after CCP-controlled authorities in Hong Kong issued a $1 million HK dollar bounty on her head.
“This is not an issue only happening in China. It’s happening to the world.” pic.twitter.com/F6wjNyFoHO
— Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (@committeeonccp) January 28, 2024
In May 2024, Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) testified that the Hong Kong police had placed a bounty of $128,000 on U.S. resident Joey Siu, who previously lived in Hong Kong.
“The Hong Kong Police have placed a bounty of $128K on [@jooeysiiu’s] head.
When 600 million people in China survive on less than $140 a month, the CCP chose to spend almost 1000x that to silence a brave 25-year-old American who challenged their rule.” – Chairman @RepMoolenaar pic.twitter.com/4CP7tUgo8a
— Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (@committeeonccp) May 28, 2024
Another former Hong Kong resident, Anna Kwok, now living in the U.S., said in October 2023 that a $1 million bounty was placed on her as well.
“A few months ago, the Hong Kong government put a $1 million Hong Kong dollar bounty on my head.” — @hkdc_us director @AnnaKwokFY
Hear her message to @SecBlinken as he met yesterday with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi — calling out the CCP’s human right abuses. 👇 pic.twitter.com/E1yocwWIY9
— Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (@committeeonccp) October 27, 2023
Below is a news report from July 2023, explaining that “China has accused the UK of protecting fugitives after the British foreign secretary criticized Hong Kong’s decision to offer HK$1m bounties for the arrest of eight democracy activists based overseas, as the territory’s leader said the group would be “pursued for life”.”
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