U.S. Conservatives Host 'Pop-Up CPAC' with Hong Kong Protesters

Leaders of the American Conservative Union (ACU), who put on the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) right outside Washington, D.C. every year, teamed up with conservatives from Australia and Japan to host a “Pop-Up CPAC” with Hong Kong independence leader Andy Chan Ho-tin. The Americans, Australians, and Japanese expressed their support for the Hong Kong protests, which seek to protect Hong Kong residents from the Chinese Communist Party.

“ACU and CPAC have a long history of fighting communism and socialism and bringing students together,” ACU Chairman Matt Schlapp said in a statement. “We are disheartened that these skills are now needed desperately in Hong Kong.”

Schlapp and ACU Executive Director Dan Schneider joined partners from CPAC Australia (LibertyWorks) and CPAC Japan (Japanese Conservative Union) in a meeting with 28-year-old Hong Kong independence leader Andy Chan Ho-tin, who was arrested last week on his way to go speak at CPAC Japan. He delivered remarks by video, even though he was unable to attend the conference in person.

.@ACUConservative in Hong Kong. pic.twitter.com/DGoqp29KHK

— Daniel Schneider (@Schneider_DC) September 3, 2019

Since Chan could not go to CPAC in person, CPAC came to him! Schlapp and Schneider met with protesters along with business leaders and attorneys representing students who had been detained by the authorities.

Hong Kong patriot @Andychanhotin meeting with @mschlapp and @GordonGChang #CPAC pic.twitter.com/AzhrpMGhHI

— Daniel Schneider (@Schneider_DC) September 3, 2019

“Hong Kong is at the epicenter of the battle between freedom and authoritarianism,” Schneider said in a statement.  “ACU was created for this battle and we are in direct support of those who are the tip of the spear in this fight.”

Schneider stood with protesters, saying the ACU supports people exercising “the rights God has given them.”

HAPPENING NOW: ACU and @mschlapp are on the ground to #StandWithHongKong as they demand freedom.

"The American Conservative Union is here because we support people to exercise the rights God has given them," says ACU Executive Director @Schneider_DC. pic.twitter.com/SjDglxOOvo

— ACU (@ACUConservative) September 3, 2019

Chan thanked the American conservatives for their concern about Hong Kong’s freedom.

Had a nice exchange with the US conservatives. Thanks for caring Hong Kong. https://t.co/yvmPd4Yv8n

— Chan Ho Tin (@Andychanhotin) September 3, 2019

Chan is a founding member and the conveyor of the Hong Kong National Party, the first party to advocate for Hong Kong independence. In 2016, his candidacy for the Legislative Council was disqualified due to his support for Hong Kong’s independence from communist China.

Chan sent this message to CPAC Japan. “The situation in Hong Kong is dire,” he says in the video, noting that he has been arrested twice. “It is time for us to end communism. It is time for all of us to join the revolution.” He urged people to recognize that “China’s regime is a Nazi regime.”

The Hong Kong government under pressure from China prevented @Andychanhotin from speaking @JCPAC_Official but the attendees just heard this powerful message which Andy taped this from a secure location. #FreedomIsntFree #GiveMeLiberty #JCPAC #JCPAC2019 pic.twitter.com/9BKCLJV1PN

— CPAC 2020 (Text CPAC to 56479) (@CPAC) September 1, 2019

Follow Tyler O’Neil, the author of this article, on Twitter at @Tyler2ONeil.