China’s war on religious liberty is going beyond the Uyghur slaughter. Beijing’s new front is Catholicism. Hong Kong cops arrested Cardinal Joseph Zen on Wednesday.
He is “accused of inciting international groups to apply sanctions on Hong Kong, which could damage national security,” officials said.
He spoke freely, which the CCP condemns. Zen was apprehended with a former pro-democracy MP.
The arrest of 90 years old Cardinal Joseph Zen it is absolutely shameful and a challenge to the Church of God. I hope that the Holy Father will make his voice strongly heard against this unbelievable act. pic.twitter.com/TAQpE81oNd
— Bishop Athanasius Schneider (@BishopAthanas1) May 13, 2022
Free Speech is a No-No
Fundamental human rights are being blatantly ignored once again.
On the other hand, it’s a gratuitous slur on the entire world. China’s administration knows this arrest will trigger global upheaval. Another tyrannical ruler might have thought about that before acting, but not China.
The CCP’s unwavering display of complete control is paramount. If unsure, attack. In essence, Zen is a foe of Xi’s terrible dictatorship because he is unsustainable with it.
He is a decent man who dedicated his life to higher values and the less fortunate. Zen is everything CCP isn’t.
The detention comes days after hardline Communist Party leader John Lee was named Hong Kong’s new leader.
Beijing claims Lee was elected; although he was the only person who could run. Lee, a security autocrat by trade, is expected to tighten down on people who seek a Hong Kong that respects human rights.
The Sino-British Joint Declaration, a legally binding contract governing Hong Kong’s transition to China, requires Beijing to maintain autonomy until at least 2047.
The Communist Party’s promises are as reliable as its propaganda. Still, the contradiction between what Communist China says and does is remarkable.
In an act of outrageous intimidation, China's courageous Cardinal Joseph Zen has been arrested by Hong Kong’s national security police, along with barrister, Margaret Ng and singer Denise Ho Wan-sze- 3 of 5 trustees of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund. https://t.co/hE5B5kQ3ob pic.twitter.com/v1NSFKaDMI
— Lord (David) Alton (@DavidAltonHL) May 11, 2022
Just last week, Lee, the new boss, said he was Catholic.
Faith betrayed! Of course, this is just the beginning. Whereas we in the West have escaped Zen and the Uyghurs’ hardship, their stories encourage us to scrutinize Xi and his party.
Hypocrisies Abound
While the Communist Party purports to serve its people, it throws two million Uyghurs into confinement camps.
It enforces severe COVID lockdowns, family separations, and eliminates anyone who complains about its leader. Any criticism of the central government is swiftly blocked from Chinese social media platforms.
Insecurities manifest themselves in the regime’s use of censorship, which costs tens of billions of dollars to maintain. We should remember this when complaining about Twitter’s chaos.
Instead of allowing international investment and improving the legal system, the Communist Party imposes technology transfers and steals foreign intellectual property worth hundreds of millions.
Following in the footsteps of large American firms, such as Coca-Cola and Disney, and cultural institutions like Hollywood and the NBA, China likewise wants silence. China wants a feudal, commercial empire led by Xi, not a global economy.
The Communist Party’s quest for benevolent “win-win collaboration” in foreign dealings reflects its feudal nature.
In this sales presentation, debt traps for developing countries, hostage-taking of foreign visitors, the encirclement of large international waters, and the culling of marine life are not mentioned.
So, Zen is only the beginning. If communist China is willing to do this to its own people, what does it mean for us to be the most powerful country in the world?
