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UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan made a joint statement on behalf of 55 countries at the United Nations on Tuesday night, declaring Hong Kong an inalienable part of China and urging foreign forces not to interfere in Beijing’s internal affairs.
Cuba also made a joint statement on behalf of 45 countries in support of China’s counter-terrorism measures in Xinjiang. Kuwait made a similar statement supporting China on behalf of three Arab nations.
“The Hong Kong special administrative region is an inalienable part of China, and Hong Kong affairs are China’s internal affairs that do not admit interference from foreign forces,” Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Munir Akram, told the Third Committee of the General Assembly.
Early Tuesday, Germany led a group of 39 countries at the UN that condemned China’s policies in Xinjiang, Hong Kong and demanded “immediate, meaningful and unrestricted access” to Xinjiang to investigate allegations of human rights violations in the region.
Debt relief seeks to recover from Covid-19 crisis
The United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand also signed this joint statement which expressed deep concern about the political situation in Hong Kong. In 2019, a similar text written by Great Britain obtained only 23 signatures.
The decision not to ask a Muslim country to lead the advocacy group in Xinjiang reflects Beijing’s awareness of the sensitivities associated with this issue. It would have been shameful for Muslim nations to take a public position on a Muslim-majority region.
Other Muslim countries that supported China’s position on Hong Kong include Iran, Iraq, Bangladesh, Algeria, Afghanistan, Egypt, Bahrain, Eritrea, Mauritania, Morocco, Palestine, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
Russia, Syria, North Korea and Venezuela signed both declarations, drawn up by Pakistan and Cuba.
Pakistan’s statement reminded UN members that non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states was an important principle enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and the basic rule of international relations.
“We support China’s implementation of ‘one country, two systems’ in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. In any country, legislative power over national security matters rests with the state, ”said Ambassador Akram, reading the statement on behalf of 54 other member states.
The statement noted that the enactment of China’s law to safeguard national security in Hong Kong was a legitimate measure that “ensures that one country, two systems function in a stable and lasting manner and that Hong Kong enjoys long-term prosperity and stability. “.
Ambassador Akram said that “the legitimate rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents can best be exercised in a safe environment.”
However, Germany’s ambassador to the UN, Christoph Heusgen, said that the countries that signed his statement were “deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Xinjiang and recent events in Hong Kong.”
Zhang Jun, China’s permanent representative to the UN, made a joint statement on behalf of 26 countries on Monday, criticizing the United States and other Western countries for violating human rights, calling for the immediate and complete lifting of unilateral sanctions and expressing his serious concern about systematic racial discrimination.
In Beijing, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that some 70 states had supported its policies on Hong Kong and Xinjiang at the Third Committee of the 75th UN General Assembly.
“China firmly opposes any person, country or force that creates instability, secessionism or unrest in China,” ministry spokesman Hua Chunying said on Wednesday. “We also strongly oppose political manipulation in Hong Kong and Xinjiang-related issues and interference in China’s internal affairs.”
He said China was willing to work with all parties to “carry out constructive dialogue and cooperation based on the principle of equality and mutual respect.”
APP adds: Akram, while highlighting Prime Minister Imran Khan’s call for debt relief at the UN, said on Wednesday it was one of the quickest ways to create fiscal space for developing countries to recover from. the serious crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
“With adequate financial and technological support, developing countries can build sustainable economic models without sacrificing growth,” the ambassador told the Second Committee of the General Assembly, which deals with economic and financial affairs.
Posted in Dawn, Oct 8, 2020
