Would HK lose more face than it saves at WTO?

Proof that you should use your quota of free articles wisely – the SCMP has a good in-depth feature on the pros and cons of Hong Kong appealing to the WTO over the US decision to require ‘Made in Hong Kong’ goods to be labeled ‘Made in China’. With comments from former trade reps and others. The author has more background on the story here.

Essentially, such a complaint would require the presentation of evidence by both sides. Does Hong Kong really want an international tribunal highlighting every aspect of the economic and other cross-border integration that the CCP has been pushing for well over a decade? Or of the new quasi-direct rule from Beijing under the NatSec Law regime?

Hong Kong’s response will – like so many things nowadays – be decided by Beijing’s officials, so don’t expect the city’s interests (whatever they might be) to come first. Also, the process would take years. A pity, because it could backfire on the government nicely.

On the subject of these labels, HKFP reveals the identities of two Hongkongers colluding with evil foreigners to try to split the city from the nation. The splittists want to dissociate local products from those of the rest of the glorious motherland – almost as if Mainland goods have a poor reputation owing to bad quality or manufacturers’ use of enslaved Uighurs. 

One example of where accurate labelling would be useful: the United Front’s copycat opinion pollster in Hong Kong – with a similar name to Robert Chung’s PORI, but none of the transparency in methodology. HKFP interview with Chung here.

And the National Endowment for Democracy hits back at Beijing’s (and blue ribbons’ and tankies’) allegations that it masterminded Hong Kong’s protests. (A bit hard to disentangle quotes from original commentary, but the last two paras seem to be from the NGO itself.) 

A few interesting items on glorious-motherland affairs…

CMP on the contrast between spotless Xi Jinping and…

Li Keqiang trudging through the muddy waters, engaged in an active discussion with local officials. A man of the muck. A man of the people.

From Willy Lam, a layman’s introduction to one of Xi Jinping’s big economic ideas – the ‘great domestic circulation’, or an attempt to engineer a more self-sufficient market.

And a CNN interview with Cai Xia. Globular Times is sorely vexed at her treachery.