Hong Kong becomes major hub for shipping banned tech to Iran, Russia

Hong Kong's government and local businesses undermine sanctions by deliberately facilitating the transfer of restricted and sensitive technology to naughty regimes, according to a report released on Monday by the nonprofit Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation. The US and its allies restrict exports of advanced …

[lglethal]

No doubt those intercepted components where headed to the Chinese mainland for Chinese customers. Which would be going against the mandate of Emperor Pooh, that China shall be self-sufficient and only use locally produced chips.

The stuff heading for war zones? Breaching sanctions? That's fine, so long as the mark up is enough to ensure the relevant bribes to CCP Party members are paid on time and in full, then there is no problem there....

[Anonymous Coward]

Good job it's a single party oppresive regime.

If it was a democracy then one side could be shipping arms to Iran to make things look bad for Xi in the next election

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm aware of someone dealing with Russia through HK. In his case, he claims that he's not sanction busting, just avoiding immense and oppressive paperwork presently required for buying raw materials from Russia (but he would say that).

[blaver]

Who runs and pays for Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation ?

Visited https://www.thecfhk.org/who-we-are . A lot of older white man with an axe to grind with China. Curious who funds this NGO.

[Bartholomew]

Re: Who runs and pays for Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation ?

10 out of 10 times any "independent" non-profit company with "Freedom" in their title is a shell company funded by the >>>insert TLA here<<< which is based in the US of A.

[Jellied Eel]

Re: Who runs and pays for Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation ?

10 out of 10 times any "independent" non-profit company with "Freedom" in their title is a shell company funded by the >>>insert TLA here<<< which is based in the US of A.

They're based in Washington and their Chair is this chap-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_B._Cunningham

As Consul General, (from 2005–2008) Cunningham was responsible for Hong Kong and Macau, both special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China.

Their Form 990 shows revenue of around $430k with no breakdown, so guessing that means State Department. Also in typical 501(c)(3) 'NGO' fashion, over half of that disappearing as unspecified expenses. Wining and dining in Washington isn't cheap.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Who runs and pays for Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation ?

> Curious who funds this NGO

Also, when the British ran it, Hong Kong was run by an unelected Governor, an Executive Council and a Legislative Council

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Who runs and pays for Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation ?

Soooo.... that makes all this - what? A lie? Okay?

Or maybe people with a deep knowledge of Hong Kong and concern for it sliding into piracy status are going to be ex-govt representatives from elsewhere with old ties to the place...

[jasonxxx]

Re: Who runs and pays for Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation ?

Typical "poison the well" tactics used by people with nothing constructive to add. When you can't find a rebuttal against the argument, you call into question the credibility of the author.

[Magani]

Who knew?

AFAICS, Hong Kong = China these days.

As long as the requisite palms are greased, just business as usual under the table.

[DS999]

Re: Who knew?

Hong Kong = China these days

Not quite, because Hong Kong still has a lot of western ties and it sounds like it trading on those relationships and its former status. Its leadership may regret this in the long run if it gets hit with sanctions itself as a result of encouraging the "business" of sanctions evasion. Or maybe not - maybe this as the best way to chase out the remaining westerners and western influence and become "fully" Chinese.

[Bitsminer]

HK Customs intervening...

ISTR that those cases were not sanctions busting but illegally avoiding duties (for import into China).

Not the same thing.

[martinusher]

Banned tech?

When we talk about "banned tech" who exactly is doing the banning? Typically its us -- the US -- that's issuing the ban and other countries are expected to follow it. The UK has always been ready to click its heels in response -- you'll find examples of enforcement action dating back to the late 1970s -- but Hong Kong isn't a British possession any more, its part of China. Demanding that HK obey our laws is curious way to advocate for freedom and democracy, it might explain why people seem to fall over themselves to try to ignore us these days.

[jasonxxx]

Re: Banned tech?

Any country is free to ignore the ban! Just know that if you want to continue doing business with the US, you must follow their demands!

Want to continue doing business with China, you are not allowed to refer to Taiwan as Taiwan!

[nijam]

> Simply put, Hong Kong has gone rogue...

It's not so much gone rogue, as gone Chinese.

[Yet Another Anonymous coward]

But China are our greatest friends and allies. We have been bending over backwards to maintain friendly trade relations with them - how could they stab us in the back like this !

[Zolko]

You're not well informed : China is our vassal where we outsource our dirty work for their slave labor. How come they don't obey us ?

[Tron]

Hong Kong is on the way to becoming "a key destabilizing force in the world."

Shameful! That's Trump's job!

[Anonymous Coward]

Nice to see the lobsters were saved

Can’t have any lobsters harmed. Can’t they stick to rhino penises?