"The anchoring in Hong Kong waters of a sanctioned Russian oligarch’s superyacht is ramping up tensions between Beijing and Washington, which warned against the financial center being used as a safe haven.

The 465-foot Nord, owned by steel magnate Alexey Mordashov, moored west of the Chinese territory’s Victoria Harbour last week after departing from the far-eastern Russian city of Vladivostok, according to website MarineTraffic.

Its presence has drawn onlookers in passing boats eager to snap photos of one the world’s biggest luxury vessels. Equipped with two helicopter pads, a cinema and swimming pool, it can be seen flying a Russian flag. It has also ignited a spat between U.S. and Chinese officials, already at loggerheads over Beijing’s crackdowns on freedoms in the former British colony.

“The possible use of Hong Kong as a safe haven by individuals evading sanctions from multiple jurisdictions further calls into question the transparency of the business environment,” a U.S. State Department spokesman said in a statement Saturday.

“Hong Kong’s reputation as a financial center depends on adherence to international laws and standards,” the statement said."

https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-hong-kong-sanctioned-russian-tycoons-superyacht-prompts-china-u-s-barbs-11665393941?

Questions:
Should the owner given the opportunity to explain why the sanction against him is mistaken? And/or why parking his boat there should be allowed?

If so, shouldn't Hong Kong assemble experts of international laws and standards from NATO/EU and non-NATO/EU nations to independently determine the issue outside of the US?

On Monday, October 10, 2022 at 8:10:18 PM UTC+8, ltlee1 wrote:
> "The anchoring in Hong Kong waters of a sanctioned Russian oligarch’s superyacht is ramping up tensions between Beijing and Washington, which warned against the financial center being used as a safe haven.
>
> The 465-foot Nord, owned by steel magnate Alexey Mordashov, moored west of the Chinese territory’s Victoria Harbour last week after departing from the far-eastern Russian city of Vladivostok, according to website MarineTraffic.
>
> Its presence has drawn onlookers in passing boats eager to snap photos of one the world’s biggest luxury vessels. Equipped with two helicopter pads, a cinema and swimming pool, it can be seen flying a Russian flag. It has also ignited a spat between U.S. and Chinese officials, already at loggerheads over Beijing’s crackdowns on freedoms in the former British colony.
>
> “The possible use of Hong Kong as a safe haven by individuals evading sanctions from multiple jurisdictions further calls into question the transparency of the business environment,” a U.S. State Department spokesman said in a statement Saturday.
>
> “Hong Kong’s reputation as a financial center depends on adherence to international laws and standards,” the statement said."
>
> https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-hong-kong-sanctioned-russian-tycoons-superyacht-prompts-china-u-s-barbs-11665393941?
>
> Questions:
> Should the owner given the opportunity to explain why the sanction against him is mistaken? And/or why parking his boat there should be allowed?
>
> If so, shouldn't Hong Kong assemble experts of international laws and standards from NATO/EU and non-NATO/EU nations to independently determine the issue outside of the US?

US is being childish when the sanction issue is on imports and exports of trades and is not individual item of such property as yacht or even a car. Does it mean the sanction is not applicable if the yacht is a small old yacht and if the car is a cheap old American made car?

On Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at 5:08:39 PM UTC, stoney wrote:
> On Monday, October 10, 2022 at 8:10:18 PM UTC+8, ltlee1 wrote:
> > "The anchoring in Hong Kong waters of a sanctioned Russian oligarch’s superyacht is ramping up tensions between Beijing and Washington, which warned against the financial center being used as a safe haven.
> >
> > The 465-foot Nord, owned by steel magnate Alexey Mordashov, moored west of the Chinese territory’s Victoria Harbour last week after departing from the far-eastern Russian city of Vladivostok, according to website MarineTraffic.
> >
> > Its presence has drawn onlookers in passing boats eager to snap photos of one the world’s biggest luxury vessels. Equipped with two helicopter pads, a cinema and swimming pool, it can be seen flying a Russian flag.. It has also ignited a spat between U.S. and Chinese officials, already at loggerheads over Beijing’s crackdowns on freedoms in the former British colony.
> >
> > “The possible use of Hong Kong as a safe haven by individuals evading sanctions from multiple jurisdictions further calls into question the transparency of the business environment,” a U.S. State Department spokesman said in a statement Saturday.
> >
> > “Hong Kong’s reputation as a financial center depends on adherence to international laws and standards,” the statement said."
> >
> > https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-hong-kong-sanctioned-russian-tycoons-superyacht-prompts-china-u-s-barbs-11665393941?
> >
> > Questions:
> > Should the owner given the opportunity to explain why the sanction against him is mistaken? And/or why parking his boat there should be allowed?
> >
> > If so, shouldn't Hong Kong assemble experts of international laws and standards from NATO/EU and non-NATO/EU nations to independently determine the issue outside of the US?
> US is being childish when the sanction issue is on imports and exports of trades and is not individual item of such property as yacht or even a car. Does it mean the sanction is not applicable if the yacht is a small old yacht and if the car is a cheap old American made car?

What is the "international laws and standards" on deciding LEGITIMATE sanction
targets? Assuming the process involved is not a matter throwing darts on a list of
names.

On Wednesday, October 12, 2022 at 2:20:06 PM UTC, ltlee1 wrote:
> On Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at 5:08:39 PM UTC, stoney wrote:
> > On Monday, October 10, 2022 at 8:10:18 PM UTC+8, ltlee1 wrote:
> > > "The anchoring in Hong Kong waters of a sanctioned Russian oligarch’s superyacht is ramping up tensions between Beijing and Washington, which warned against the financial center being used as a safe haven.
> > >
> > > The 465-foot Nord, owned by steel magnate Alexey Mordashov, moored west of the Chinese territory’s Victoria Harbour last week after departing from the far-eastern Russian city of Vladivostok, according to website MarineTraffic.
> > >
> > > Its presence has drawn onlookers in passing boats eager to snap photos of one the world’s biggest luxury vessels. Equipped with two helicopter pads, a cinema and swimming pool, it can be seen flying a Russian flag. It has also ignited a spat between U.S. and Chinese officials, already at loggerheads over Beijing’s crackdowns on freedoms in the former British colony.
> > >
> > > “The possible use of Hong Kong as a safe haven by individuals evading sanctions from multiple jurisdictions further calls into question the transparency of the business environment,” a U.S. State Department spokesman said in a statement Saturday.
> > >
> > > “Hong Kong’s reputation as a financial center depends on adherence to international laws and standards,” the statement said."
> > >
> > > https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-hong-kong-sanctioned-russian-tycoons-superyacht-prompts-china-u-s-barbs-11665393941?
> > >
> > > Questions:
> > > Should the owner given the opportunity to explain why the sanction against him is mistaken? And/or why parking his boat there should be allowed?
> > >
> > > If so, shouldn't Hong Kong assemble experts of international laws and standards from NATO/EU and non-NATO/EU nations to independently determine the issue outside of the US?
> > US is being childish when the sanction issue is on imports and exports of trades and is not individual item of such property as yacht or even a car. Does it mean the sanction is not applicable if the yacht is a small old yacht and if the car is a cheap old American made car?
> What is the "international laws and standards" on deciding LEGITIMATE sanction
> targets? Assuming the process involved is not a matter throwing darts on a list of
> names.

https://www.dw.com/en/hong-kong-leader-laughs-off-us-sanctions-amid-calls-to-seize-russian-yacht/a-63400141

""Hong Kong's leader John Lee said he "laughs off" United States sanctions amid calls to seize a
superyacht linked to Russian billionaire Alexey Mordashov.

The superyacht Nord, allegedly owned by Mordashov, arrived in the Asian port last Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Lee said Hong Kong is compliant with United Nations sanctions.

But targeted measures from the likes of the US, the United Kingdom or the European Union —
which each sanctioned Mordashov after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February — don't apply
in Hong Kong, he said.

"We cannot do anything that has no legal basis," Lee told reporters. "We will comply with United
Nations sanctions, that is our system, that is our rule of law.""