Hong Kong; United Front; HSBC's troubles; Eight Parliament Alliance; Disinformation

Today is the one year anniversary of the massive demonstrations in Hong Kong that kicked off the months of protests and chaos and resulted in the impending National Security Law to be imposed from Beijing. There were protests today but the size was a tiny fraction of the crowds a year ago. 

After the National Security Law was introduced at the National People’s Congress last month there was some expectation that the Standing Committee of the NPC would approve it at its June meeting, but the agenda announced today for the June 18-20 meeting does not list the law. I am not sure what that means for its timing, or whether it is possible that the full agenda may differ from what has been announced. 

Alex Joske of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute has written a deep report on “foreign interference and the Chinese Communist Party’s united front system”. Joske previously wrote the report “Picking flowers, making honey” about the PLA’s collaboration with foreign universities, and that re…