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LONDON: Britain said on Thursday (November 12) that China had violated its main bilateral treaty on Hong Kong by imposing new rules to disqualify elected legislators in the former British colony, warning that it would consider sanctions as part of its response.
The British flag was flown over Hong Kong when the colony was returned to China in 1997 after more than 150 years of British rule, imposed after Britain defeated China in the First Opium War.
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Hong Kong’s autonomy was guaranteed under the “one country, two systems” agreement enshrined in the 1984 British-Sino Joint Declaration signed by then-Chinese Prime Minister Zhao Ziyang and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
“Beijing’s imposition of new rules to disqualify elected legislators in Hong Kong constitutes a clear violation of the legally binding Sino-British Joint Declaration,” Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said.
“China has once again broken its promises and undermined Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy,” Raab said.
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Britain summoned China’s ambassador, Liu Xiaoming, to express its deep concern, and Raab’s MP Nigel Adams told parliament that he was considering possible sanctions on individuals for China’s actions.
“We will continue to consider appointments under our Magnitsky-style sanctions regime,” said Adams, the British minister for Asia. Lawmakers asked if Britain would sanction Hong Kong CEO Carrie Lam.
Adams said it wouldn’t be helpful to speculate on names at this stage. The Chinese embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
HONG KONG
Hong Kong’s opposition lawmakers said on Wednesday they would resign in protest at the removal of four of their colleagues from the city’s assembly after Beijing gave local authorities new powers to further curb dissent.
The Chinese parliament previously adopted a resolution allowing the city executive to expel lawmakers who are seen as defending Hong Kong’s independence, colluding with foreign forces or threatening national security, without going through the courts.
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Opposition members of the Hong Kong assembly say they have tried to oppose what many people in Hong Kong see as Beijing’s curtailing of freedoms and institutional checks and balances, despite the promise of a high degree of autonomy.
China denies restricting rights and freedoms in the world’s financial center, but authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing have moved quickly to suppress dissent after anti-government protests broke out in June last year and plunged the city into a crisis.
Britain now considers that China has violated the Joint Declaration three times, including with national security legislation for Hong Kong introduced this year.
“The UK will defend the people of Hong Kong and denounce the violations of their rights and freedoms,” Raab said. “With our international partners, we will make China comply with its freely assumed obligations under international law.”
The national security law punishes what China broadly defines as subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life imprisonment.
Critics of the law fear it will crush freedoms, including freedom of protest and an independent judiciary. Supporters say it will bring stability after last year’s sometimes violent unrest against the government and against China.
