Foreign Digest, East Asia: China, North Korea and the Philippines

China: There have been more persecutions in Hong Kong, in continued violation of Communist China’s promise to respect autonomy and liberty in the city-state when it reverted from British rule in 1997. The United States extended temporary refugee status to residents of Hong Kong. The U.S., Canada, United Kingdom and the European Union imposed coordinated sanctions for human rights violations against Uighurs, the Muslim minority being persecuted by Communist China. Australia pulled out of China’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative, citing incompatible politics. The U.S. has proposed a new Silk Road initiative to counter the Chinese initiative. The United States accused the Communist Chinese government of financing cyberattacks, including some that were cases of extortion for ransom. As I posted today on Russian developments, Communist China, like the Russian Federation, spreads misinformation about American vaccines to undermine confidence in them in favor of their own vaccines. North Korea: A United Nations report found that North Korea had stolen over $300 million through cyberattacks on foreigners. Philippines: Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte, the “Filipino Trump,” rejected an investigation by the International Criminal Court into his policy of encouraging the murder of drug dealing suspects that has resulted in the deaths of thousands in police custody. The Philippines had withdrawn from the ICC treaty.