The British government’s call for the removal of a China-imposed national security law that Britain claimed had been used to persecute, “silence and discredit” pro-democracy opposition figures was condemned by Hong Kong authorities on Friday, according to Reuters.
In the most recent six-monthly report on Hong Kong, Britain’s Foreign Secretary James Cleverly wrote that he had spoken out at a U.N. hearing in February about how Hong Kong authorities had used the security law to crack down on opposition figures, many of whom are currently in jail or have been forced into exile.
Cunningly approached Beijing to execute proposals made in an autonomous U.N. Common liberties Gathering report last July, including “eliminating the Public safety Regulation” that Beijing forced on the previous English settlement in 2020.
Hong Kong specialists said in an explanation that they “passionately disproved, emphatically objected and immovably dismissed the criticizing comments and sick intentioned political assaults”.
Britain should “stop interfering in Hong Kong matters, which are purely China’s internal affairs,” according to a Hong Kong government spokesperson.
The representative said Hong Kong’s security regulation had brought dependability after mass supportive of a majority rules system fights in 2019, and that while Hong Kong regulations ensured specific individual privileges, “such freedoms and opportunities are not outright” with regards to protecting public safety.
In its report, Britain mentioned the deterioration of Hong Kong’s rule of law, such as the transfer of “powers once vested in the judiciary” to the pro-China leader there and the inability of those charged with national security to challenge decisions made by the government in court.
Cleverly wrote in the report’s foreword, “We have stood with our partners in condemning the steady erosion of civil and political rights and Hong Kong’s autonomy.”
Cleverly mentioned jailed media mogul Jimmy Lai, who will face a national security trial in September, and stated that he had discussed Lai’s situation with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng this month.
The pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper, which police raided and shut down in 2021, was founded by the 75-year-old Lai.
In accordance with an agreement guaranteeing its freedoms for at least 50 years, Britain returned Hong Kong to China in 1997.
While relations among London and Beijing have been stressed since Beijing forced the public safety regulation, a senior English authority visited Hong Kong this month, the first such visit in quite a while.
Source – Whbl
