When China foisted its suffocating national security law on Hong Kong on July 1, 2020 – the 23rd anniversary of its handover from Britain – one gleeful official called it a “birthday present”. Days after this year’s anniversary came another surprise.
On July 3, Hong Kong police offered a reward of $HK1 million ($190,000) for information leading to the arrest of any of eight pro-democracy activists and former lawmakers who have fled to the West.
