Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said in a joint statement March 13 that Australia and New Zealand share the serious concerns of their Group of Seven (G7) partners about changes to the Hong Kong electoral system made by the Chinese National People’s Congress.
The statement reads, “The Australian and New Zealand governments share the G7 foreign ministers’ deep concern that the changes to Hong Kong’s electoral system adopted by the (Chinese) National People’s Congress on March 11 further undermine the rights and freedoms and the high degree of autonomy guaranteed to Hong Kong by China under the Sino-British Joint Declaration until 2047. Australia and New Zealand have always wanted Hong Kong to succeed, given its role as an important hub for finance, trade and our overseas communities. This depends on Hong Kong continuing to enjoy a high degree of autonomy and respect for the rule of law.”
The statement said, “These changes run counter to the ultimate goal of electing Hong Kong’s Chief Executive by universal suffrage, weakening Hong Kong’s democratic system and eroding freedom of expression and association: all of which are enshrined in the Basic Law. This is an important step in further undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy. We urge the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities to fulfill their commitment to give the people of Hong Kong real channels of participation in governance and to safeguard the role of the Legislative Council as a venue for expressing dissent and monitoring the government.”
Earlier, the foreign ministers of the seven member states of the Group of Seven (G7) – the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Italy and Canada – and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy issued a joint statement on December 12, expressing serious concern over the Chinese government’s revision of Hong Kong’s election laws. The statement said Beijing‘s decision to amend Hong Kong’s electoral law “strongly indicates that the Chinese authorities are determined to eliminate dissenting voices and views in Hong Kong. The G7 foreign ministers and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy unanimously called on the Chinese side to respect Hong Kong’s freedom and autonomy and to stop cracking down on pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong.
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