TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- Exiled Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui (郭文貴), who last week was accused of spying for Beijing, on Thursday (Aug. 1) claimed that China will send in People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops to impose martial law on Hong Kong on August 4.
On his YouTube channel on Thursday, Guo claimed that martial law will be declared in Hong Kong on Aug. 4 and that PLA soldiers will be deployed to enforce the declaration. Ominously for Westerners, he also said that American and European institutions and foreign nationals with U.S. and British passports will be "cleaned up."
Guo, also known as Miles Kwok, is a very outspoken, self-proclaimed political dissident living in New York who is known for his provocative commentary on Chinese and Taiwanese politics. On July 19 in a federal court hearing, Washington-area research firm Strategic Vision US LLC claimed that, far from being a dissident, "Guo Wengui was, and is, a dissident-hunter, propagandist, and agent in the service of the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party," reported the Wall Street Journal.
In Guo's YouTube video, Guo shows footage of a video uploaded on Wednesday (July 31) by the Hong Kong Garrison of the PLA which showed soldiers with heavy weaponry blasting targets to smithereens and troops in riot gear rounding up civilians like prisoners of war. He then claims that his news outlet is the first to receive news that the Communist Party of China has already issued an edict to impose martial law on Hong Kong at some point between Aug. 4 and Aug. 6.
Guo said that according to Hong Kong administrative government personnel, the action will take place at 1 a.m. on Aug. 4 or 1 a.m. on Aug. 5. Guo claimed that his source for his information in Beijing's government is an "internal comrade in arms."
Guo then listed four major facets of the allegedly impending crackdown:
1. The Communist Party: will announce on August 4th that based upon the PLA Garrison Law and National security laws, the Hong Kong government has requested martial law be enforced by the PLA army stationed in Hong Kong.
2. The safety of Hong Kong, public order. and the entry and exit of personnel shall all be under the unified direction of the martial law command.
3. The martial law command will impose massive restrictions on the movement of people in and out of Hong Kong, essentially barring them from entering but allowing them to leave the territory freely. They will also clean up U.S. and European institutions based in Hong Kong and foreigners with U.S. and British passports.
4. The Hong Kong police will make many arrests associated with the peaceful protests which have occurred since June 9, as troops stationed in Hong Kong impose martial law.
He said that he was releasing this news to all of his comrades in arms in Hong Kong to enable them to prepare. He said that he will resolutely stand with Hong Kong countrymen and fight together with them no matter what happens.
Guo said that what China is preparing to carry out is a massacre, robbery, and crime. He said that this is a violation of the freedom, democracy, and legal system that will definitely not succeed.
If true, the move could be timed to head off a three-day city-wide strike scheduled to start on Monday (Aug. 5) and endorsed by civil servants from 52 government offices, along with the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions, representing 95 member businesses. On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump struck an ambivalent tone when he told a reporter "That's between Hong Kong and ... China" and "They don't need advice," which was potentially perceived by Beijing as a green light.
