Leading Macao democrat arrested for alleged violation of national security law
Police and media outlets in Macao say the suspect is 68-year-old Au Kam San.
Au had served as a member of the territory's legislative assembly for 20 years and organized memorial events for victims of the Tiananmen Square incident.
Au is known as a leading advocate for freedom and democracy.
Police issued a statement on Thursday, saying that the suspect has colluded with foreign forces to incite hatred against Beijing and undermined national security.
Macao is set to hold legislative elections in September. Pro-democracy candidates were barred from running in the elections four years ago.
Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed a hardline stance aimed at containing pro-democracy moves in Macao when he spoke at a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of its return to China in December last year.
He stressed that Chinese people should implement the overall jurisdiction of the central government and should not deviate from this commitment under any circumstance.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Nikkei Asia
8 hours ago
- Nikkei Asia
China and Russia collaborate in global spread of surveillance states
Comment Political meddling in Georgia shows threat of growing authoritarian coordination Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping are working to expand their countries' influence in Georgia, a crucial South Caucasus link between Asia and Europe. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Reuters) HIROYUKI AKITA TBILISI, Georgia -- It was a rare instance of a senior Chinese official speaking with unusual candor: On July 2, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told European Union top diplomat Kaja Kallas that he does not want to see Russia lose the war in Ukraine.
Japan Times
10 hours ago
- Japan Times
China and Russia start joint military drills in Sea of Japan
China and Russia began joint naval drills in the Sea of Japan on Sunday as they seek to reinforce their partnership and counterbalance what they see as a U.S.-led global order. Alongside economic and political ties, Moscow and Beijing have strengthened their military cooperation in recent years, and their relations have deepened since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The Joint Sea-2025 exercises kicked off in waters near the Russian port of Vladivostok and would last for three days, China's Defense Ministry said in a statement Sunday. The two sides will hold "submarine rescue, joint anti-submarine, air defense and anti-missile operations, and maritime combat." Four Chinese vessels, including the guided-missile destroyers Shaoxing and Urumqi, are participating in the exercises alongside Russian ships, the ministry said. After the drills, the two countries will conduct naval patrols in "relevant waters of the Pacific." China and Russia have carried out annual drills for several years, with the Joint Sea exercises beginning in 2012. Last year's drills were held along China's southern coast. The Chinese Defense Ministry said Friday that this year's exercises were aimed at "further deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership" of the two countries. China has never denounced Russia's more than three-year war nor called for it to withdraw its troops, and many of Ukraine's allies, including the United States, believe that Beijing has provided support to Moscow. China insists it is a neutral party, regularly calling for an end to the fighting while also accusing Western countries of prolonging the conflict by arming Ukraine.
Japan Times
11 hours ago
- Japan Times
Ishiba unlikely to make personal statement on WWII anniversary
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has decided not to make a personal statement on the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II on Aug. 15, sources have said. Ishiba had also considered making such a statement on Sept. 2, the date when Japan formally signed the surrender document in 1945, but no such announcement is likely to be made that day either, senior government officials and lawmakers in Ishiba's ruling Liberal Democratic Party said Saturday. Ishiba is still looking for an appropriate time to make a statement, which would be based on the results of a review of the war. But some believe that it would be difficult to do so any time soon. A personal statement by Ishiba, who is viewed as relatively dovish, could intensify the calls for his resignation that have emerged inside the LDP — especially among the party's more hawkish wing — following its rout in the July 20 Upper House election. Japan has issued a prime minister's statement to mark each of the 50th, 60th and 70th anniversaries of the country's surrender in the war. But this tradition of marking key anniversaries could be broken by Ishiba. The prime minister has already given up on the idea of releasing a prime minister's statement on the war that requires Cabinet approval. He is instead considering working on a document to present his view, based on the results of experts' examination of the circumstances that led Japan to enter the war. But preparations for such a document did not progress because he was busy with the Upper House election and the Japan-U.S. tariff negotiations. A source close to the prime minister said Ishiba would not be able to announce his views by Sept. 2. In a statement issued 10 years ago, then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that the deep remorse and heartfelt apology expressed by past Cabinets "will remain unshakable." However, Abe also said: "We must not let our children, grandchildren, and even further generations to come, who have nothing to do with that war, be predestined to apologize." Supporting this view, many LDP lawmakers who belonged to the now-defunct faction that had been led by Abe think that no further war statements are necessary. Ishiba appears to believe that releasing a personal statement would further fuel the moves to oust him that are already simmering within the party. "It's better not to release anything," a source close to the prime minister said. Ishiba has not entirely scrapped the idea of compiling a paper to show his view. Sources said that he is looking for the appropriate time, while monitoring the situation inside the party. But he may be forced to abandon the idea if LDP turmoil continues. With the LDP having suffered three consecutive election setbacks, following last October's Lower House election and the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election last month, long-standing dissatisfaction with Ishiba's leadership has boiled over among his rivals. A number of LDP members are calling on him to resign, but Ishiba has vowed to stay on in order to deal with pressing issues, including the matter of U.S. tariffs on Japanese goods, and in the belief that stepping down would lead to more political uncertainty. The LDP is planning to hold a joint plenary meeting of all its parliamentary members on Friday, during which Ishiba will likely face pressure to quit. An LDP panel is also formally assessing the results of the Upper House election and will release its report this month. Depending on the content of the report, calls for Ishiba to take responsibility may further intensify.
