The Hong Kong government is pressuring an American provider of web services, Automattic, the creator of WordPress.com, “to suspend the website of a media service founded by overseas Hong Kong democracy activists” (VOA News, October 21, 2024).
The site has been blocked within Hong Kong, but officials there also want the site to be shut down internationally.
Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, the top Democrat on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), wrote to web services company Automattic on Monday to ensure the webpage belonging to Flow HK, an online media outlet founded by Hong Kong pro-democracy activists who are in exile, remains operational despite pressure from the Hong Kong police….
Automattic has not complied with these requests, a decision that Krishnamoorthi praises as “the correct choice,” in a letter exclusively obtained by VOA.
“Hong Kong’s effort to use its National Security Law to extraterritorially remove lawful content in the United States is unacceptable, and American companies should not help facilitate such repression,” the lawmaker said in his letter….
“This is not the first time the CCP has tried to use Hong Kong’s National Security Law to target overseas pro-democracy activists, and it won’t be the last. Bounties have been placed on activists, even Americans,” Krishnamoorthi told VOA.
“Congress must be crystal clear that we will not tolerate the CCP using its laws to target overseas activists, including their websites hosted here in America.”
Automattic’s refusal to obey the Chinese regime’s demand to delete Flow HK, if Automattic is indeed refusing, is praiseworthy, as is Krishnamoorthi’s letter making clear that this is a good thing, that caving to the Chinese Communist Party on this matter would be a bad thing, and that the rest of the world must be on guard against attempts by China to impose censorship internationally.
An unfortunate aspect of VOA’s article is a word choice in its headline: “Congressman rails at Hong Kong efforts to block US-based content.” The passages quoted from Krishnamoorthi’s letter don’t exhibit the implied tone. Merriam-Webster tells us that to rail in the relevant sense is “to revile or scold in harsh, insolent, or abusive language.”
Flow Hong Kong was founded in 2021. According to the website: “In the face of unprecedented historical trials, we who are scattered across the world are determined to maintain this unique community of Hong Kong people and pass on the flame of resistance.”
