HONG KONG (AP) — China’s Foreign Ministry condemned a decision handed by the European Parliament regarding Hong Kong’s shrinking rights to free speech, whilst Beijing seeks to revive financial hyperlinks with the EU.
The EU physique overwhelmingly adopted a decision Thursday citing the deterioration of town’s freedoms for the reason that imposition by Beijing of a sweeping nationwide safety legislation in 2020. It urged the Hong Kong authorities to launch and drop all fees in opposition to activist writer Jimmy Lai, who was arrested below the safety legislation, together with different pro-democracy activists. It additionally renewed its name on the EU to introduce focused sanctions in opposition to officers chargeable for “the ongoing human rights crackdown in the city,” together with Hong Kong chief John Lee.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry’s workplace in Hong Kong issued an announcement late Thursday alleging the parliament was attempting to make use of Hong Kong to comprise China’s progress, saying such a technique was “doomed to failure.” The assertion stated the EU Parliament was interfering with China’s inner affairs and trampling on the rules of worldwide legislation.
“The political drama of a small number of foreign politicians cannot shake the (Hong Kong) Government’s firm determination to administer Hong Kong according to law and hold crimes accountable,” the assertion learn.
Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to China’s rule in 1997, was promised the suitable to retain its Western-style freedoms for 50 years after the handover. But after the 2019 pro-democracy protests that spiraled into violence, Beijing has steadily tightened its grip on the semi-autonomous area.
Since then, massive numbers of democracy supporters and a portion of the educated center class have left town, and the U.S. has imposed sanctions in opposition to previous and current Hong Kong leaders over the cruel crackdown on rights within the worldwide monetary hub.
Beijing and its native allies, who now management native authorities totally, see the motion as a Western plot to comprise China and have ruthlessly prosecuted opponents.
Another main supply of rivalry is China’s alleged “secret overseas police stations,” which have been reported throughout North America, Europe and in different nations the place Chinese communities embody critics of the Communist Party who’ve household or enterprise contacts in China. China denies that they’re police stations, saying that they exist primarily to offer citizen providers reminiscent of renewing driver’s licenses.
In its assertion Thursday, the parliament stated it “condemns the attempts made by Chinese authorities to target their diaspora communities in the EU.”
“Finally, Parliament calls on the Chinese authorities to repeal the National Security Law and to stop impeding the work of journalists,” the assertion stated. The decision was adopted by 483 votes in favor, 9 in opposition to and 42 abstentions.
China’s response dismissed the politicians’ works as “nothing more than a botched political performance.”
In separate assertion Friday, the international affairs workplace additionally lashed out at a U.S. State Department report on human trafficking in Hong Kong, saying it was “full of political bias” and used human rights as a instrument to stigmatize others.
The U.S. report stated the Hong Kong authorities didn’t totally meet the minimal requirements for the elimination of trafficking, though it was making important efforts to take action.
China has additionally been rankled by EU politicians making visits to Taiwan and internet hosting politicians from the self-governing island that Beijing considers its personal territory and threatens to invade.
The escalation of the diplomatic row between China and the EU comes days earlier than Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s deliberate go to to Germany and France subsequent week, marking his debut on the worldwide stage as China’s second-ranking chief.
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