China’s anschluss

HONG KONG (BLOOMBERG) – Chinese lawmakers plan to put fewer than 10 people – all chosen by national security officials – on a committee to vet any candidates for top elected positions in Hong Kong, the South China Morning Post reported.

The report said vetting committee members would be chosen by Beijing’s National Security Office in Hong Kong as well as the Committee for Safeguarding National Security chaired by the territory’s chief executive – two bodies created under a sweeping national security law imposed last year.

Bloomberg

China to ensure only adults in the room can govern Hong Kong

Beijing says the goal is to keep “unpatriotic” figures from positions of political power in Hong Kong.

But critics warn it would mean the end of democracy in Hong Kong, eradicating whatever opposition there is left.

BBC

We’re about to find out whether what the NYT and Wapo told us about international norms and rule-based multilateral systems is as true as their coverage of Cuomo.