159: The Great Firewall closes down Hong Kong communication. @Michael_Yon
Image: The Great Wall in 1907 Michael Yon, Far East reporter based in Thailand, @Michael_Yon , in re: Office for Safeguarding National Security, China’s boot in Hong Kong. The Great Firewall has descended; few communications today. The Iron Curtain has fallen on HK. More brutal than the old Soviet methods. To be behind the Great Firewall means you can't access many websites without a VPN, which, itself, can be shut off. If it is, Hong Kong will no longer be a global financial center, but merely like Shenzen or Shanghai. Everyone knew this day was coming; that’s why everyone was on the streets. This was the Alamo. They were desperate to stop it. Did previous Washington administrations understand the power [and brutality] of Beijing? No. Safe for a European citizen to travel to HK to do business? Depends on the person—neither Gordon nor I should. All we can do now is apply political and economic pressure