Walter's Blog |
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Reflections on recent events, plus the occasional fact free rant unfiltered by rational argument.
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"If you want to read a blog to get a sense of what is going on in Hong Kong these days or a blog that would tell you what life was like living in colonial Hong Kong, this blog, WALTER'S BLOG, fits the bill." Hong Kong Blog Review
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28/10/2024 1 Comment Shoot, Don't Shoot! "When attacked, never forget officers must protect life, including their own" “Shoot, don't shoot" - probably the most challenging decision a police officer will ever make. In a split second, with movement, noise and other distractions, including poor lighting in a dynamic situation, you need to present your weapon, issue a warning (if possible), aim, make sure you aren't going to hit an innocent bystander, decide to shoot and then fire. And this isn’t sequential: it’s all going on simultaneously. The media, public, judicial authorities, and every pundit with an agenda will spend months and years debating and judging the officer's split-second actions. The officer’s life will never be the same again, especially if he killed someone. After a shooting, in the melee of opinions, the usual cohort of armchair experts emerge to ask, "Why didn't the officer shoot him in the leg or arm?". Likewise, so-called self-defence experts claim that a few sharp kung fu moves or a taser would be more appropriate. Just for the record, tasers don't always work with an immediate take-down. Invariably, these commentators, with their opinions formed by Hollywood, have little or no real-world experience of dealing with a violent, determined attacker. A particular subset of "experts" are gamers who believe their hours spent alone playing Medal of Honour and other FPS games qualify them to pass an opinion. Rarely do I hear police officers or soldiers offer up nonsensical comments because they know better. The truth is that police officers react as trained, using the tools at their disposal. Firearms officers (all police officers in Hong Kong) undergo rigorous drills on ranges and scenario testing, conducting live firing. This training simulates real-world situations with noise, lighting, and mock-ups of streets. And aim for the centre mass of the body, not legs or arms. Early in my career, firearm training was simple range work, firing at a static target from a standing or covered position, learning to count the rounds you've fired and quick reloading. Speed loaders arrived when we upgraded from the Colt 38 revolver to the Smith & Wesson for patrol officers. Later, the training and annual recertification sessions evolved with video ranges using dynamic moving scenarios. Low lighting, background noise, and the option to use baton strikes, with the simulation reacting to your action, brought greater realism. I'd be tired and a little stressed at the end of these sessions. Moreover, the debriefing by the range staff could be cutting. The ‘use of force continuum’ applies, recognising that an officer can escalate to lethal force when and if the circumstances dictate. Meanwhile, specialist units undergo enhanced training in a close-quarters battle house. These sessions involve firing near live 'hostages' to hone their confidence. Fortunately, Hong Kong has controlled gun crime with strict laws and effective enforcement. Thus, most incidents where officers need to discharge their firearms involve equally dangerous knives, choppers or culprits using vehicles as weapons. As this video clip demonstrates, officers also need to react quickly when knife use is threatened. Thus, on 15 September, when faced with a man armed with a knife attacking them, an officer opened fire and killed the alleged attacker. It subsequently emerged that the deceased had a history of psychiatric issues. It is unclear that his family, who called the police to the scene, made that known, nor would it be a factor if he presented a danger to officers. Never forget officers must protect life, including their own. That’s not an option; it is a duty. In this instance, the man had already attacked his family, prompting the call to the police. Still, the wife of the deceased has come forward to claim she regrets calling the police and demanding any body camera evidence. In an initial response, the police affirmed the shooting complied with the rules, but that didn't dampen the social media commentary. The coroner will now investigate the matter, and the police will conduct an internal investigation. In light of this, and following rules on evidence, the police are restricted in the information that can be released. Still, commentators are jumping to conclusions, making recommendations, and inflaming the situation. There are dangers in this, as the Chris Kaba shooting in the UK amply demonstrates. Kaba was shot in the head by an armed officer from a specialist police unit in September 2022. He was alone driving a car known to be involved in a previous shooting and unarmed. Kaba, a young black man, was portrayed as a victim of police prejudice and unprofessionalism. Sympathetic media outlets and politicians described a family man running a construction company going about his business when ambushed and killed. This narrative played into sentiments around the BLM movement, further damaging police relations with the black community. Politicians, including prominent figures like Diana Abbott and Jeremy Corbyn, didn’t hesitate to exploit the situation to fan the flames of hatred. "As the terrible fate of Chris Kaba shows, people can lose their lives even when going about their daily lives. Defending all our fundamental human rights is crucial under this dangerous, repressive government." Yet, it later emerged that the officers conducting the stop on the car didn't know who the driver was, only that the vehicle was used in a previous shooting incident and it needed stopping for the investigation. Given the suspicion a weapon may be aboard, the tactical plan called for a 'hard-stop' - effectively an armed ambush with blocking of the car.
In a surprising and unprecedented move, a charge of murder was laid against the officer who shot Kaba. In turn, this prompted many outraged firearms officers to withdraw from armed duties, which is a volunteer role in the UK. Facing a shortage of armed officers to cover airports and embassies and mount armed responses to crime, plans to use the military were drawn up. The UK could have the army on the streets to maintain order. Last week, it took three hours for a jury to clear the officer of the murder charge after considering the evidence presented at trial. With reporting restrictions lifted, the media was able to report that Kaba is a notorious gunman and gang leader and is suspected of being involved in two recent shootings. Kaba has a lengthy criminal record from the age of 13, including for stabbings and possession of an imitation firearm. Moreover, video footage of the shooting showed that Kaba used the car to ram police vehicles, and he presented an imminent danger to police officers. The failed prosecution of the officer has left no one happy. Kaba's family claims they've been denied justice, while police officers assert they are asked to do an impossible job. Now, reports show that Kaba’s gang has put a price on the head of the officer. If true, that is a direct challenge to law and order. Meanwhile, a picture is emerging that may undermine the basis of acclaimed British justice. It is suggested that the Crown Prosecution Service charged the police officer on the recommendation of the Independent Police Complaints Commission to assuage public sentiment instead of purely on legal principles. The fact that a jury took only three hours to acquit the officer and the observations of legal professionals give credibility to this allegation. If true, this is a staggering injustice. Charges laid for political reasons or in pandering to sentiment are a slippery slope. Of course, police officers must account for any use of force. That is proper. Still, the UK is scrambling to rewire its policies given the evident imbalance favouring the criminal fraternity. Officer anonymity is one measure that helps protect them and their families. Happily, Hong Kong has avoided the woke culture wars that appear to be a factor in the prosecution of the British police officer. Let’s hope vigilance and adherence to the ‘rule of law’ will maintain Hong Kong’s position.
1 Comment
 "While Hong Kong citizens saw their relatives sent back, the Vietnamese were welcomed and provided with accommodation." The migrant crisis continues to rip through Western politics as countries struggle to control their borders. Migrants are an issue in the imminent U.S. election and British politics. Even the much-lauded Schengen Zone, a key feature of E.U. membership that allows free movement, is now under threat. This crisis is forcing changes that would be unthinkable years ago.
Faced with a massive surge in irregular (read illegal) migrants, Germany has re-imposed border controls. Public outrage at the killing of three citizens at a music festival in August by a Syrian migrant proved the final straw. And German public sentiment has stiffened over the years since more evidence has come to light around the awful New Year 2015/2016 events. That night across Germany, gangs of primarily migrant men raped, sexually assaulted and attacked women. Well over 1,000 German women and girls were attacked, with some 2,000 perpetrators identified. The media played down these attacks as police officers fearful of the racist label fudged the identity of attackers. The terms a ‘North African’ and foreign male hid the truth of marauding gangs of migrants praying on vulnerable women. Anyone familiar with the ‘Asian’ rape gangs that operate in England will recognise this approach. The British media is adept at massaging its coverage by a nomenclature switch using the term ‘grooming gangs.’ That sounds much nicer. Meanwhile, Poland has just announced it will suspend all asylum claims. Donald Tusk, the past President of the European Council and a former strong advocate of open borders, has suddenly switched direction since taking over as the Polish Prime Minister in December 2023. In a bombshell move, Tusk is now pursuing harsh migration policies that may threaten the unity of the entire E.U. project. Poland’s challenges are in part due to massive numbers of migrants crossing from Belarus with the suspicion that this movement is part of a Russian effort to destabilise the E.U. Other countries, such as Austria and Cyprus, are also tightening border controls or discussing deporting asylum-seekers back to war-torn countries such as Syria or Afghanistan. The trajectory of these events has echoes in Hong Kong. Faced with a massive influx of Vietnamese migrants starting in the late 1970s, Hong Kong was encouraged to accept these people with the promise of U.N. support, including funds, and their onward travel to other countries. The U.S., in particular, was vocal and encouraged Hong Kong to take the Vietnamese in. Yet, often forgotten is that at the time, Hong Kong was returning illegal Chinese border crossers daily to the Mainland. So, while Hong Kong citizens saw their relatives sent back, the Vietnamese were welcomed and provided with accommodation, albeit spartan, and fed. Then, when riots broke out in the Vietnamese camps and migrants became involved in crime, community sentiment hardened. Stories of Vietnamese women taking up places in maternity units to displace locals didn’t help matters. By 1982, in the face of overwhelming opposition from the West, the Hong Kong government announced that Vietnamese migrants who entered Hong Kong after July 1 of that year must enter a closed camp. This policy helped assuage community concerns and acted to discourage arrivals. Still, the policy had its challenges, with considerable resources committed to housing, feeding, giving medical care and maintaining order in the closed camps. These commitments drew manpower away from dealing with routine policing, including tackling the triads, gun gangs and other crimes. As a result, I spent time in the 1980s and early 1990s searching Vietnamese Camps for weapons and illicit alcohol and dealing with the occasional outbreak of disorder. All the while, the U.N. and others were on our shoulders, criticising and finding fault. Of course, the optics of placing men, women and children behind barbed wire is never good. Likewise, fostering conditions that encourage or provide incentives to make a hazardous journey invites risks. As far as I’m aware, there are no records of how many Vietnamese drowned making the crossing to Hong Kong. From debriefings, we know many hopped along the coast while others travelled across land and only took a boat for the final run into Hong Kong. Still, the hazards are there. Hong Kong’s challenge with the Vietnamese migrants came on the back of the U.S.’s retreat and the eventual collapse of South Vietnam in April 1975. Again, history looks to repeat itself. Refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq make up a portion of the migrants heading to Europe. Again, retreats — plus the failure to nation-build after invasions — set people on the move. One point: the U.N. still owes Hong Kong taxpayers an estimated HK$1 billion for housing the Vietnamese migrants. It is doubtful that the debt will ever be paid. Hence, as Europe and elsewhere face an unrelenting wave of migrants, irregular or illegals, or however you wish to label them, some tough decisions shaped by realpolitik and national self-interest will be needed. In this process, the liberal values that shaped the West’s doctrine face an unprecedented shift. The door is closing. 4/10/2024 0 Comments China at 75! "No one in China is fretting over pronouns or any of the postmodern nonsense that infects the West's institutions." On the 1st October, China marked the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic. Hong Kong joined the festivities with fireworks and concessions on public transport, restaurants, and cinemas. Meanwhile, in recent days, panda fever gripped the city. The birth of two pandas at Ocean Park enthralled the public like the second coming of Christ, with daily updates on weight gain a feature of news bulletins.
Then, we had a blow-by-blow account of the arrival of An An and Ke Ke, a pair of five-year-old pandas, on 26th September. Thus, Hong Kong is now home to six pandas. Everybody was getting in on the act, with Cathay Pacific seeking to polish its reputation by claiming it sent 'top guns' to fly the pandas here. I suppose the author of that tagline didn't recollect the infamous quote from the movie. The pandas will undoubtedly prove a crowd-pleaser, although I'd prefer to see them in their natural habitat. That's not to detract from the remarkable success of the Chinese conservation effort. On the 75th anniversary, it's only natural to marvel at China's awe-inspiring achievements. In the four decades since 1979, one-fifth of humanity emerged from abject poverty to a life of abundance. The speed of this transformation is nothing short of stunning, and it's mankind's largest and most successful poverty alleviation effort. In 1980, China's per capita income was only $430. By 2020, it had increased 23 times to more than $10,000. It jumped ahead of the E.U. (including the U.K.) but was still below that of the U.S. However, by applying the World Bank's purchase power parity measure, the International Monetary Fund estimated that China overtook the U.S. as the world's largest economy in 2014. For sure, the China project over the past 75 years has entailed great strides forward and missteps that had terrible outcomes—periods of disorder resulted in reversals, hence the mantra of stability above all else. At the same time, recent economic challenges underscore the need for China to adapt. On the green front, China's achievements are staggering. China hit its 2030 target for total renewable energy six full years early. Even the typically anti-China New York Times concluded that China is leading the world's efforts on renewables and reforestation. What's truly astounding is China's relentless pace of change, a pace that Western nations can only dream of matching. By mid-2024, China had 46,000 km of high-speed rail lines, more than double the length of the following ten countries—a feat that highlights China's technological advancements. These advances starkly contrast with the U.K., which struggles to complete a 230 km high-speed rail link. After the U.S. banned China from participating in the international space station, a move designed as a strategic blow to China's space ambitions, Beijing launched its own space station, Tiangong, in 2021. This significant achievement demonstrates China's technological prowess and growing influence in the space race. China, in cooperation with Argentina, France, and Austria, landed Tianwen-1 on Mars. At the same time, its sights are set on returning humans to the Moon with a permanent lunar base. Meanwhile, the foundations for further growth are laid as China produces more than eight times the number of U.S. graduates in science, technology, engineering, and medicine and has more engineering graduates than the rest of the world combined. China continues to make strides internationally as the U.S.'s influence wanes, particularly in the global south. As the Middle East grapples with another spasm of warfare, Arab nations now view Beijing as a genuine mediator. Unlike Washington, Beijing is not seen to interfere in internal affairs. The Chinese approach to trade is without the 'messianic' goal of transforming the world in its image. China's Belt and Road Initiative has passed $1 trillion. BRI agreements in 151 countries have seen railways built across Africa and other colossal infrastructure commitments. So, while the West was throwing trillions of dollars away in failed conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, China made inroads across the globe through trade. The no-doubt apocryphal statement, "What we get from China is an airport. What we get from the U.S. is a lecture," has more than a ring of truth. Behind this achievement is a salient point that undermines the standing of the "Western democratic" model. China made great strides without tying itself to the processes that undermined the West. Indeed, that model is increasingly frail as vested interests (i.e., big money) control who gets elected, while overregulation and protectionist sentiments stall progress. And no one in China is fretting over pronouns or any of the postmodern nonsense that infects the West's institutions. China has learned and harnessed the best lessons from the West. The West could also learn from China about the importance of long-term planning and investing in infrastructure. I have travelled widely in China, including cycling in remote regions. The people's friendliness, curiosity, and energy are striking. Far from being isolated and unworldly, the folks I met have a profound comprehension of China's history, the nation's struggles, and coming challenges. They are not the ignorant masses portrayed by agenda-driven, Sinophobic Western media outlets. In the next 75 years, China's influence will undoubtedly grow as a multipolar world emerges. Given the integrated nature of the world economy, China's success is in everyone's interest. In many ways, XI Jinping and his successors carry the fate of humanity on their shoulders. |
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December 2025
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