Rather than rallying passionate support, the so-called "2021 Hong Kong Charter", tossed out last week by a handful of Hong Kong activists who fled the city after committing criminal offenses there, has been widely met with laughter.

Childish as it sounds, the document calls for the support of the city's diaspora and international community for their cause — the "liberation" of Hong Kong and the end of China's Communist Party of China-led political system. 

The group, some of whom have made a living out of politics, are not so naive as to believe that the international community will take their nonsense seriously. Indeed, that doesn't really matter to them. They care more about whether their stunts can cater to the needs of their patrons, whose support, particularly donations, are all the more important to them now they are living in self-imposed exile.

The so-called charter is nothing more than a compilation of the anti-China narratives created and peddled by the China-bashers in the West. The parrot-like repetition in the document of the balderdash these Western politicians come up with to bad-mouth China is no doubt music to the ears of the anti-China foreign forces who need "moral ammunition" to back up their current vilification campaign against China. A campaign that is driven by either ideological bigotry or unwarranted fears of a stronger China posing a threat to the West's political system.

It is rather ironic that these political opportunists should call for the "liberation" of Hong Kong and the safeguarding of democratic values and freedom in the city. What did they do to safeguard democratic values, rights and freedom when the rule of law was being undermined in Hong Kong? It was they who incited the violence of the black-clad rioters who wreaked havoc in Hong Kong for more than half a year, firebombing police officers carrying out their duties, harassing and assaulting residents who did not share their views, including setting an old man on fire. They not only condoned all the criminal acts done in the name of their cause, some of them even participated in such criminal activities. Obviously, they have no respect for the democratic values they claim to be peddling — including the rule of law — and will trample on the rights and freedoms of anyone else without hesitation if they are not supportive of their own political aspirations or agenda. 

The talk of building and strengthening an "international front" is self-deceiving. The so-called charter is in violation of the law banning acts of subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces. The eight prominent anti-government figures who have co-signed the document should recognize that they are being pandered now because they are useful pawns. They will be discarded like used batteries when they are seen to be of no effect to their intended purpose.

The author contributed this article to China Watch exclusively. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of China Watch.

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