How a free and open Hong Kong became a police state
2 years, 8 months ago

How a free and open Hong Kong became a police state

The Economist  

An anatomy of erasure How a free and open Hong Kong became a police state Image: Terri Po A quarter of a century after Britain returned Hong Kong to China, the texture of the city, its sights and sounds, are little changed. China’s offer of “one country, two systems” was made because the Chinese Communist Party felt a flourishing post-handover Hong Kong would be a valuable source of capital, trade and business expertise. When Li Ka-shing, Hong Kong’s wealthiest tycoon, called for restraint in 2019 from both the government and protesters, the party and its proxies labelled the 91-year-old billionaire the “king of cockroaches”. The Big Four accounting firms—Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC—all published Hong Kong, number of regional headquarters by nationality of parent company US 300 Japan 200 China Britain France 100 0 1991 95 2000 05 10 15 21 Source: Government statistics Hong Kong, number of regional headquarters by nationality of parent company United States 300 Japan 200 China Britain France 100 0 1991 93 95 97 99 01 03 05 07 09 11 13 15 17 19 21 Source: Government statistics Hong Kong, number of regional headquarters by nationality of parent company United States 300 Japan 200 China Britain France 100 0 1991 93 95 97 99 01 03 05 07 09 11 13 15 17 19 21 Source: Government statistics With the new national-security law and Hong Kong police backing them, China’s ministry of state security and the United Front started using their middlemen to make personal threats against leaders they had long cultivated, according to interviews with six people who had direct contact with the middlemen involved. “One of my colleagues was warned, ‘You had better leave Hong Kong soon’,” says the former lawmaker.

Law China Japan Legal Framework Hong Kong British Party Taiwan Earth State Chinese Beijing Mao Mainland Kong Hong Britain Free Mirror His Family Your Browser Tiananmen Square Mr Lai Jimmy Lai Lai Mr Xi Mainland China Mr Lee Two Systems Hong Kongers Parent Company Lion Rock Wen Wei Po Kongers Regional Headquarters Html5 Videos Law Impartiality 300 Japan Mr Ching Britain France Dr Chung Hong Kong National Terri Po  kongers  law  citys  china  mr  party  kong  open  mainland  kongs  free  hong  state

History of this topic

Hong Kong jails 45 pro-democracy activists in China-led crackdown on dissent
4 months, 1 week ago

Hong Kong jails 45 pro-democracy activists in China-led crackdown on dissent

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery Diplomats queue outside the West …

Hong Kong young people struggle to rebuild their lives after being jailed under Beijing’s crackdown
7 months, 4 weeks ago

Hong Kong young people struggle to rebuild their lives after being jailed under Beijing’s crackdown

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — After spending five months in jail for publishing seditious Instagram posts, Joker Chan returned to a harsh reality. Five years after the protests erupted, the lives of some young people who were jailed or arrested during Beijing’s political crackdown on the city’s pro-democracy movement remain in limbo. Brandon Yau, secretary of the prisoners’ support group Waiting Bird, …

Hong Kong detains an artist on the eve of the 35th anniversary of China's Tiananmen Square crackdown
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Hong Kong detains an artist on the eve of the 35th anniversary of China's Tiananmen Square crackdown

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Hong Kong police detained a …

Hong Kong detains an artist on the eve of the 35th anniversary of China’s Tiananmen Square crackdown
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Hong Kong detains an artist on the eve of the 35th anniversary of China’s Tiananmen Square crackdown

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — Hong Kong police briefly detained a performance artist on the eve of the 35th anniversary of China’s Tiananmen Square crackdown, underlining the city’s shrinking freedom of expression. Police on Monday took away Sanmu Chen on a street of Causeway Bay, a busy Hong Kong shopping district, close to a park that for decades hosted an annual vigil …

Hong Kong police arrest 6 people accused of violating the city’s new national security law
10 months ago

Hong Kong police arrest 6 people accused of violating the city’s new national security law

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — Hong Kong police on Tuesday arrested six people, including a former organizer of the city’s decades-long annual vigil that commemorated China’s Tiananmen Square crackdown, for allegedly publishing seditious social media posts, in what were the first publicly known arrests under the city’s new national security law. But the page started publishing a series of posts to mark …

Explained: What is Hong Kong’s new security law, and what does Article 23 specify
1 year ago

Explained: What is Hong Kong’s new security law, and what does Article 23 specify

The Hindu  

The story so far: Hong Kong’s new security law has drawn widespread criticism from several Western countries, the United Nations and human rights groups, which contend that the “rushed” legislation will further threaten freedom and empower the government to suppress dissent in the financial hub. “New legislation under Article 23 will bring a further devastating blow to the city’s autonomy, …

Hong Kong begins work on its own National Security Law, years after a similar law crushed dissent
1 year, 2 months ago

Hong Kong begins work on its own National Security Law, years after a similar law crushed dissent

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Hong Kong began work on …

A Hong Kong pro-independence activist seeks asylum in the UK after serving time over security law
1 year, 3 months ago

A Hong Kong pro-independence activist seeks asylum in the UK after serving time over security law

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — An activist who advocated for Hong Kong independence and was imprisoned under a sweeping national security law has fled to Britain to seek political asylum, according to his social media posts on Friday. “Although I had anticipated the arrival of this day in the past, I had a heavy heart when I made up my mind.” Chung …

A Hong Kong language group shuts down after police allege one of its essays breached security laws
1 year, 7 months ago

A Hong Kong language group shuts down after police allege one of its essays breached security laws

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — A group that promotes the Cantonese language shut down Monday after Hong Kong authorities said a fictional essay depicting a decline in liberties in the city on the group’s website violated the national security law, in the latest example of the city’s erosion of freedom of expression. After Beijing imposed a national security law in Hong Kong …

Q&A: Sebastien Lai on father Jimmy Lai’s Hong Kong ‘show trial’
1 year, 7 months ago

Q&A: Sebastien Lai on father Jimmy Lai’s Hong Kong ‘show trial’

Al Jazeera  

Taipei, Taiwan – The national security trial of Jimmy Lai, the jailed 75-year-old media mogul and founder of the now defunct Apple Daily newspaper, was supposed to start next month. Lai has been in custody since December 2020 and faces multiple charges related to Hong Kong’s democracy movement and protests. I think what’s happening with the foreign lawyer is unfortunate …

Hong Kong targets exiles’ loved ones as crackdown turns to old CCP playbook
1 year, 7 months ago

Hong Kong targets exiles’ loved ones as crackdown turns to old CCP playbook

Al Jazeera  

Hong Kong authorities are targeting the relatives of activists overseas in latest sign of alignment with mainland China. Taipei, Taiwan – After silencing Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, authorities in the territory have found a new target: the family members of dissidents who fled overseas. Hong Kong authorities’ shift to targeting families is the latest sign of the city’s growing alignment …

26 years of uncertainty: Hong Kong’s journey since the handover
1 year, 8 months ago

26 years of uncertainty: Hong Kong’s journey since the handover

The Hindu  

Published : Jul 03, 2023 19:20 IST - 2 MINS READ On July 1, 1997, Hong Kong officially returned to Chinese sovereignty after being a British colony for 156 years. One of the significant developments in recent years was the extension of the country’s national security laws to Hong Kong. The NPC, on its part, justified the move, saying it …

China condemns EU Parliament’s resolution on Hong Kong’s shrinking freedoms
1 year, 9 months ago

China condemns EU Parliament’s resolution on Hong Kong’s shrinking freedoms

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — China’s Foreign Ministry condemned a resolution passed by the European Parliament concerning Hong Kong’s shrinking rights to free speech, even as Beijing seeks to restore economic links with the EU. The Chinese Foreign Ministry’s office in Hong Kong issued a statement late Thursday alleging the parliament was trying to use Hong Kong to contain China’s growth, saying …

Landmark trial of Hong Kong 47 gets under way amid tight security
2 years, 1 month ago

Landmark trial of Hong Kong 47 gets under way amid tight security

Al Jazeera  

The group of pro-democracy politicians and activists are accused of subversion for organising an unofficial primary. “There’s certainly huge sympathy for the people who are standing trial,” said Al Jazeera’s Richard Kimber, reporting from Hong Kong. “There’s certainly a lot of frustration that it’s taken this long to get to this stage and that those who’ve been detained have not …

Xi defends vision of Hong Kong on 25th anniversary of return
2 years, 8 months ago

Xi defends vision of Hong Kong on 25th anniversary of return

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — China’s leader Xi Jinping marked the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return with a speech Friday that emphasized Beijing’s control over the former British colony under its vision of “one country, two systems” – countering criticism that the political and civic freedoms promised for the next quarter-century have been largely erased under Chinese rule. “Regardless of whether …

Hong Kong in limbo 25 years after British handover to China
2 years, 9 months ago

Hong Kong in limbo 25 years after British handover to China

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — When the British handed Hong Kong to Beijing in 1997, it was promised 50 years of self-government and freedoms of assembly, speech and press that are not allowed on the Communist-ruled Chinese mainland. Hong Kong also has banned annual protests marking China’s June 4, 1989, crackdown on the pro-democracy movement centered on Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, with authorities …

Hong Kong in limbo 25 years after British handover to China
2 years, 9 months ago

Hong Kong in limbo 25 years after British handover to China

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Hong Kong also has banned annual protests marking China's …

Hong Kong’s last UK governor says crackdowns ‘heartbreaking’
2 years, 9 months ago

Hong Kong’s last UK governor says crackdowns ‘heartbreaking’

Associated Press  

LONDON — Beijing’s crackdown on civil liberties in Hong Kong has been “a lot worse” than expected, the last British governor of the city said Monday as he launched a new book to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the former British colony’s handover to Chinese rule. Chris Patten, who led Britain’s last government in Hong Kong before the Asian …

China installing former security chief as Hong Kong leader
2 years, 10 months ago

China installing former security chief as Hong Kong leader

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — China is installing a career security official as the new leader of Hong Kong in the culmination of a sweeping political transformation that has gutted any opposition in the Asian financial center and placed it ever more firmly under Beijing’s control. The election follows major changes to Hong Kong’s electoral laws last year to ensure that only …

Timeline: The life and career of Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam
2 years, 11 months ago

Timeline: The life and career of Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced Monday that she will step down in June after 42 years in government service, ending with a tumultuous 5-year term as the city’s chief executive. July 1, 2017: Sworn in by Chinese President Xi Jinping as Hong Kong’s chief executive after winning 777 votes in March from a 1,194-member elections committee. …

How democracy was dismantled in Hong Kong in 2021
3 years, 3 months ago

How democracy was dismantled in Hong Kong in 2021

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — As the days of 2021 dwindled, so did any remaining traces of democracy in Hong Kong. any meaningful policy debates will now take place among a small circle of government loyalists,” said Kurt Tong, partner at The Asia Group and former U.S. consul general in Hong Kong and Macao. The most recent example was Wednesday’s raid by …

Why I left Hong Kong
3 years, 4 months ago

Why I left Hong Kong

Al Jazeera  

The national security law and its chilling effect on our civil liberties compelled me to leave my home. Earlier this month, almost half of 99 Hong Kong-based journalists polled anonymously by the Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents Club said they were considering or had plans to leave the city due to the decline in press freedom under the national security law. …

Young Hong Kong nationals who fled police brutality ‘languishing’ in UK asylum system
3 years, 5 months ago

Young Hong Kong nationals who fled police brutality ‘languishing’ in UK asylum system

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Young Hong Kong nationals who fled police brutality are “languishing” …

China slams US for offering residents from Hong Kong safe haven
3 years, 7 months ago

China slams US for offering residents from Hong Kong safe haven

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson in Hong Kong condemned …

London mayor sends message of support to Hong Kong emigres
3 years, 8 months ago

London mayor sends message of support to Hong Kong emigres

The Independent  

Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy …

Is Hong Kong now a police state?
3 years, 8 months ago

Is Hong Kong now a police state?

Al Jazeera  

On Thursday, July 8, 2021 at 19:30 GMT: A year after China imposed a new sweeping security law, Hong Kong is a city transformed. China says changes were necessary to “stop chaos and restore order.” Officials have also said there’s “still a lot of work that needs to be done” in terms of securing the city. “Ultimately, this sweeping and …

Hong Kong’s Apple Daily deletes social media accounts, but will live on free of censors in blockchain
3 years, 9 months ago

Hong Kong’s Apple Daily deletes social media accounts, but will live on free of censors in blockchain

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy With the final edition of …

Hong Kong passes sweeping pro-China election rules, reduces public's voting power
3 years, 10 months ago

Hong Kong passes sweeping pro-China election rules, reduces public's voting power

India Today  

Hong Kong's legislature approved the biggest overhaul of its political system in the quarter century since British rule on Thursday, in a decisive step to assert Beijing's authority over the autonomous city. The move was quickly denounced by the United States, which accused China of undermining Hong Kong's democratic institutions and said decreasing electoral representation of residents of the territory …

As democracy fades, Hong Kong’s political opposition become political prisoners
4 years ago

As democracy fades, Hong Kong’s political opposition become political prisoners

LA Times  

Former law professor Benny Tai was among 47 leading pro-democracy figures charged with subversion under a national security law. But seven years after they started dating, Wong found herself at the Lai Chi Kok Reception Center, one of Hong Kong’s largest prison facilities, delivering fresh clothes and taking meal orders for Lau, who is facing a possible life sentence on …

Hong Kong activists say democracy fight to continue abroad
4 years ago

Hong Kong activists say democracy fight to continue abroad

India Today  

Hong Kong democracy activists have launched a new push to continue their fight among residents living abroad in the wake of a sweeping crackdown by Beijing and changes to the semi-autonomous Chinese city's electoral system aimed at shutting out opposition voices. Join us: https://t.co/UIXV9Sn1Au#StandWithHongKong pic.twitter.com/iCvGAx7103 — Nathan Law March 15, 2021 The letter, co-signed by eight prominent opposition figures, calls …

The Hindu Explains | How will China’s new election law impact Hong Kong’s autonomy?
4 years ago

The Hindu Explains | How will China’s new election law impact Hong Kong’s autonomy?

The Hindu  

The story so far: The National People’s Congress of China, the ceremonial legislature in Beijing, on March 11 approved what it called “a decision on improving Hong Kong’s electoral system”. Currently, 35 of the 70 members of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council are directly elected through “geographical constituencies”, while 35 are nominated from “functional constituencies”. If Hong Kong’s pro-democracy parties are …

Future of Hong Kong: Inside Hong Kong's new Britain-based pro-democracy movement
4 years ago

Future of Hong Kong: Inside Hong Kong's new Britain-based pro-democracy movement

The Telegraph  

This article is the third in our three-part series, The Future of Hong Kong, looking at how much has changed since the first protests against Beijing's extradition bill two years ago. Mr Cheng, a former employee of the British Consulate in Hong Kong who was allegedly tortured at the hands of Chinese secret police, fled to the UK and was …

‘Freedom, justice’: Why Hong Kong people are moving to the UK
4 years ago

‘Freedom, justice’: Why Hong Kong people are moving to the UK

Al Jazeera  

China’s security law a key reason that Hong Kong people are leaving the territory to start their lives anew elsewhere. Ever since last June, when Beijing imposed a national security law that criminalised protests and other forms of anti-government organising, many Hong Kong people have been on tenterhooks. “If you can pay, the door is more open.” Crackdowns open door …

Explainer: How a primary got Hong Kong activists in trouble
4 years ago

Explainer: How a primary got Hong Kong activists in trouble

India Today  

Hong Kong democracy supporters are being locked up in jail, charged with being a threat to national security. Their arrests come under a new security law imposed on the semi-autonomous Chinese territory by Beijing that has largely silenced dissent in Hong Kong. Following that, opposition legislators would intensify protests, block the budget twice to force Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam …

UK opens citizenship path for Hong Kongers
4 years, 1 month ago

UK opens citizenship path for Hong Kongers

Hindustan Times  

A new visa scheme offering millions of Hong Kongers a pathway to British citizenship went live on Sunday as the city’s former colonial master opened its doors to those wanting to escape China’s crackdown on dissent. - A new visa scheme offering millions of Hong Kongers a pathway to British citizenship will go live later on January 31, 2021 as …

Hong Kong police detain 11 for allegedly helping activists escape
4 years, 2 months ago

Hong Kong police detain 11 for allegedly helping activists escape

Al Jazeera  

Latest arrests are related to a group picked up by the Chinese coastguard as they fled in a speedboat, and now jailed on the mainland. Police in Hong Kong arrested 11 people under the territory’s national security law on Thursday morning for allegedly helping 12 activists who attempted to escape the city by speedboat and were last month tried and …

Hong Kong’s prominent democracy activists face agonising choice
4 years, 3 months ago

Hong Kong’s prominent democracy activists face agonising choice

Al Jazeera  

Former legislator Ted Hui the latest to go into exile, as cases mount against those who took part in 2019 protests. “Probably, staying in Hong Kong is going to mean jail time for all legislators and activists who participated directly in last year’s protests,” said Suzanne Pepper, a Hong Kong-based writer and political scientist. “The crime of secession is actually …

Analysis: Beijing gives up on even the pretense of allowing opposition in Hong Kong
4 years, 4 months ago

Analysis: Beijing gives up on even the pretense of allowing opposition in Hong Kong

CNN  

Hong Kong CNN — For more than two decades, Hong Kong has been the freest city in China, a status symbolized by two things: regular street protests, and elections to the city’s legislature. At a press conference Wednesday, she said that those who do not respect China’s sovereignty “cannot genuinely perform their duties as legislators.” “I welcome diverse opinion in …

'Still Asia's finest' - HK police force in eyes of its expat officer
4 years, 7 months ago

'Still Asia's finest' - HK police force in eyes of its expat officer

China Daily  

File photo of HK police. "I think all of the overseas officers working with the force have one thing in common -- that Hong Kong is their home. The Hong Kong police force recruited quite many overseas officers before 1994. According to Worrall, police officers move positions normally every 18 months to 24 months, which in his eyes is another …

'Still Asia's finest' - HK police force in eyes of its expat officer
4 years, 7 months ago

'Still Asia's finest' - HK police force in eyes of its expat officer

China Daily  

File photo of HK police. "I think all of the overseas officers working with the force have one thing in common -- that Hong Kong is their home. The Hong Kong police force recruited quite many overseas officers before 1994. According to Worrall, police officers move positions normally every 18 months to 24 months, which in his eyes is another …

Hong Kong police arrests four under new national security law for online posts 'inciting secession'
4 years, 8 months ago

Hong Kong police arrests four under new national security law for online posts 'inciting secession'

Firstpost  

The month-old law has curbed pro-democracy protests as activists along with academics and others wonder if their activities could be targeted Hong Kong: Hong Kong police have signaled their intent to enforce a new Chinese national security law strictly, arresting four youths Wednesday on suspicion of inciting secession through social media posts. “Our investigation showed that a group has recently …

Hong Kong students held in first arrests under new security law
4 years, 8 months ago

Hong Kong students held in first arrests under new security law

Al Jazeera  

The detention of the four, one just 16, is the first under legislation that was imposed by Beijing earlier this month. Hong Kong police have arrested four people, the youngest just 16, for suspected offences under the city’s new national security law, the first such detentions outside of street protests since the legislation took effect a month ago. “We arrested …

U.K. to open citizenship path to Hong Kongers from January
4 years, 8 months ago

U.K. to open citizenship path to Hong Kongers from January

The Hindu  

Britain’s government announced Wednesday that it will open a new special pathway to obtaining U.K. citizenship for eligible Hong Kongers as of January, taking another step toward solidifying a policy denounced by China. Britain announced in early July it was extending residency rights for up to 3 million people eligible for the British National Overseas passport in Hong Kong, stressing …

Hong Kong grappling with future under national security law
4 years, 8 months ago

Hong Kong grappling with future under national security law

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam offered scant reassurance Tuesday over a new national security law that critics say undermines liberties and legal protections promised when China took control of the former British colony. Hong Kong has come a long way in the last 20 years to warm up to China and this really just backfired.” Lam, the …

Hong Kong grappling with future under national security law
4 years, 8 months ago

Hong Kong grappling with future under national security law

India Today  

Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam offered scant reassurance Tuesday over a new national security law that critics say undermines liberties and legal protections promised when China took control of the former British colony. The new law criminalizes some pro-democracy slogans like the widely used "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our time," which the Hong Kong government says has separatist connotations. …

China vows to retaliate if Britain extends Hong Kong citizenship plan
4 years, 8 months ago

China vows to retaliate if Britain extends Hong Kong citizenship plan

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “We urge the British side …

Hong Kong: Defiance and fear after China-backed national security law takes hold
4 years, 8 months ago

Hong Kong: Defiance and fear after China-backed national security law takes hold

CNN  

Hong Kong CNN — If Beijing thought a new national security law would guarantee a quiet birthday for Hong Kong, it was mistaken. Riot police detain a man after they cleared protesters taking part in a rally against a new national security law in Hong Kong on July 1, 2020. Video Ad Feedback CNN speaks to only Hong Konger on …

China Enacts Security Law, Asserting Control Over Hong Kong
4 years, 9 months ago

China Enacts Security Law, Asserting Control Over Hong Kong

NPR  

China Enacts Security Law, Asserting Control Over Hong Kong Enlarge this image toggle caption Kin Cheung/AP Kin Cheung/AP Updated 12:50 p.m. But legal experts say the national security law demonstrates how Beijing sees its own political diktat as now superseding Hong Kong's rule of law. Yet Lam also admitted that Hong Kong officials had not seen the full proposed text …

China reveals new national security law for Hong Kong to stop 'terrorism' amid international condemnation
4 years, 9 months ago

China reveals new national security law for Hong Kong to stop 'terrorism' amid international condemnation

ABC  

The Chinese Government has unveiled the national security law it is imposing on Hong Kong, punishing crimes of secession and sedition with up to life in prison and stoking concern it heralds a more authoritarian era for China's most freewheeling city. Some pro-Beijing officials have described the national security law as Hong Kong's "second return" after authorities failed to tame …

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