Before Beijing implemented the National Security Law in Hong Kong at the end of June last year, the former founding chairman of the Hong Kong House of Representatives in exile in the United Kingdom, Mr. Law Kwun Chung, together with eight overseas Hong Kong people, including the former secretary general of the Hong Kong Federation of Students, Mr. Chow Wing Hong, and former legislator Mr. Hui Chi Fung, held an online press conference on Sunday to announce the launch of the 2021 Hong Kong Charter, hoping to unite the resistance forces of Hong Kong people scattered overseas, to avoid the bubbling of the protest movement due to factional disputes, and to continue to fight for The Charter also calls on the international community to confront China and the United States. The Charter also calls on the international community to confront the expansion of the Chinese Communist Party‘s authoritarian power and to work together to protect the values of democracy and freedom.
In early June 2019, an unprecedented anti-China protest movement broke out in Hong Kong, fighting for the withdrawal of the amendment to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance, the immediate implementation of dual universal suffrage for the Legislative Council and the Chief Executive, and other “five demands”. In the past year, the street protests have gradually calmed down.
Hong Kong’s social movement is at a low ebb after the implementation of the National Security Law
In late June last year, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) of China bypassed the local legislative process and directly implemented the National Security Law in Hong Kong through Annex III of the Basic Law on June 30.
The National People’s Congress of China has recently passed amendments to Hong Kong’s electoral system, including the composition, seats and functions of the Chief Executive Election Committee and the Legislative Council, to ensure that the so-called “patriots rule Hong Kong”, and the room for the pro-democracy camp to participate in politics has been significantly narrowed. The social movement is also at an unprecedented low.
Law Kwun Chung and other overseas Hong Kong people launch a protest movement to renew the Charter
Law Kwun Chung, Chow Wing Hong, former secretary general of the Hong Kong Federation of Students, Hui Chi Fung, one of the protesters who broke into the Legislative Council on July 1, Wong Tai Yeung, former spokesman of the Local Democracy Front, Leung Chung Hang, former spokesman of the New Deal for Youth, Cheung Kun Yeung, former spokesman of the International Affairs Delegation of Hong Kong Universities and Colleges, and Kwong Chung Ching, former spokesman of the Keyboard Front, are among the eight Hong Kong people who have left the country to hold an online press conference on Sunday (March 14). press conference to announce the launch of the 2021 Hong Kong Charter.
Speaking at the press conference, Mr. Lo said that after the implementation of the National Security Law in Hong Kong, it is difficult for Hong Kong people to organize protest actions, and he believes that Hong Kong people who are separated from overseas have a greater responsibility to speak out and continue to fight for international attention to continue the protest movement in Hong Kong.
He said, “Especially after the National Security Law comes into effect at the end of June 2020, we will see a certain degree of division of labor between the local protest community in Hong Kong and the Hong Kong people living abroad, especially under the National Security Law, it is difficult to continue the international front we used to talk about, or to talk about the international vision of the democracy movement, because anyone Therefore, under such a high-handed situation, it is the responsibility and the duty of the Hong Kong people overseas to continue to speak out and consolidate the support and attention of the Hong Kong democracy movement internationally. “
Luo Guancong said that the Charter is a record of the voice of the times
Luo Guancong said that after the Chinese National People’s Congress directly amended the Hong Kong election system, he believes that overseas Hong Kong people need to coalesce their voices, in order to unite the power of overseas Hong Kong people from different backgrounds. However, he said it is not easy to unite Hong Kong people who are scattered overseas because they have various backgrounds, including those who left after the 1989 pro-democracy movement, those who left after the 2014 Umbrella Movement, and those who left after the 2019 anti-Send-China movement.
Lo said they launched the “2021 Hong Kong Charter” to record the voices of the times, to protect the values of Hong Kong people, and to continue to fight for democracy and freedom.
After a long discussion, we finally got the movement of “2021 Hong Kong Charter” today, which represents the beliefs of several of our initiators and countless Hong Kong people, and this is also a record of the voice of the times. All of us have only one wish, that is, we hope to use our own way to guard the value of Hong Kong, for the road to the restoration of Hong Kong continue to pave our own road to the restoration of light.”
Zhang Kunyang said the Charter to avoid the bubbling of overseas protest movements
The Charter” one of the initiators, participated in the July last year, the democratic Legislative Council 35 + primary election of Zhang Kunyang said in a press conference speech, he participated in the primary election after exile overseas, so far more than six months, he saw the situation in Hong Kong is the rapid deterioration, many democratic people were politically persecuted, to different charges were prosecuted, many people are being returned to scabbard.
Zhang Kunyang described Hong Kong as being in a “critical and precarious situation”, and recalled that many democratic movements in the past have also initiated the Charter, for example, China’s first Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo initiated the Charter 08, and he hoped that overseas Hong Kong people would also use the Charter to record the voice of the times in Hong Kong.
Zhang Kunyang said the first part of the 2021 Hong Kong Charter is “the belief of the separated Hong Kong people”, which mentions that the separated Hong Kong people will continue to think about the overall well-being of Hong Kong people; the protest movement should unite more Hong Kong people and avoid the bubble of factionalism and overseas protest movement.
The first part is to focus on the common beliefs of Hong Kong’s separated people. First of all, we will of course emphasize that Hong Kong people overseas want to avoid the bubbling of the movement, and at the same Time we all want to bring into play the spirit of mutual help and unity to restore Hong Kong together.”
Demanded the immediate repeal of the Hong Kong State Security Law
Zhang Kunyang said that the second part of the Charter is “Hong Kong”, mentioning that Hong Kong people are a unique community and should maintain a unique identity; Hong Kong people should have the right to decide the future and affairs of Hong Kong, in response to China’s National People’s Congress to amend the electoral system in Hong Kong, and mentioned that the Hong Kong National Security Law is a draconian law that infringes on the freedom of Hong Kong people and should be immediately repealed.
Zhang Kunyang said: “This “2021 Hong Kong Charter” will also state that we hope that Hong Kong people in the face of a future, as well as an internal affairs issues, we have the right to decide our affairs and future, and at the same time we also hope to fight for a truly democratic system, and this matter are also directly to fight back, we see the NPC How to amend our electoral system in Hong Kong, so we very much hope to reintroduce the voice of the real Hong Kong people, is absolutely can not accept an unjust, unjust, not open, unfair, unjust electoral system, we want a comprehensive and genuine dual universal suffrage, and we are also all need to abolish the National Security Law, so that all political prisoners and exiles overseas can be returned Home as soon as possible. “
Appeal to the international community to confront the expansion of Chinese Communist authority
Zhang Kunyang said the third part of the Charter is the “China chapter”, they believe that only by ending one-party dictatorship in China can the values of democracy and freedom be put into practice. The Charter also emphasizes that the democratic movement in Hong Kong is directed against the Chinese Communist Party, not Chinese nationals. The Charter also focuses on the cultural cleansing and genocide of ethnic minorities in Inner Mongolia, Tibet and Xinjiang, and demands that the Chinese Communist Party stop its military intimidation of Taiwan and respect the right of the Taiwanese people to democratic self-determination and autonomy.
Zhang Kunyang said that the fourth part of the Charter is the “International Chapter”, which mentions that international initiatives should be carried out with cross-party beliefs, including actively linking with social movements for climate justice and racial equality, and uniting with communities fighting for social justice, so that the governments of more democratic countries can jointly support the democratic movement in Hong Kong and confront the expansion of the Chinese Communist Party. We will work together to protect the values of democracy and freedom.
We hope to call on them to stand together in the global trend of confronting authoritarianism, and to work together for the promotion of democratic and liberal values in the international arena,” said Zhang Kunyang. We hope to call on them to stand together in the global trend of confronting authoritarianism and to work together for the promotion of democratic and liberal values internationally.”
Zhou says he struggled to sign the charter
The former secretary-general of the Hong Kong Federation of Students (HKFS), Chow Wing Hong, who was sentenced to prison by the Court of Appeal of the High Court for participating in the 2014 Umbrella Movement to retake the Civic Square, said in a press conference that he was not in exile overseas, but went to the United States in 2018 to study for a doctoral program, and then the situation in Hong Kong took a sharp turn when the anti-sending movement broke out.
But today we must ask ourselves a question, that is, whether to participate in this thing, do not do this thing, and the cost of this and the consequences are some what, some very simple things, such as the Department to run a magazine “such as water”, such as overseas participation in an overseas Hong Kong people’s initiative organizations, and sign this “Charter” we have to face a problem. Why do these things is to subvert the state? (That) a country has much fear, much fear, will be afraid that you say some ordinary people, ordinary people do things, is going to make it the whole country is going to cross Taiwan, this thing itself to see this generation today, in fact, we Facing a very absurd situation.”
Called on overseas Hong Kong people to transcend party rivalry
Chow said that after several struggles, he decided to sign the Charter, not for his own sake, but to express the people of Hong Kong even in the face of difficulties, but also will continue to fight without rebellion. He also said that he saw the challenge of bubbling up the protest movement of overseas Hong Kong people, and he believes that the important purpose of the Charter is to allow overseas Hong Kong people to transcend partisan disputes; he also stressed that the Charter is not a final word, but an initiative, hoping that overseas Hong Kong people can work together to promote the democratic movement in Hong Kong.
Zhou said: “In the process of struggle I think the ideal Hong Kong people, including some of our companions in Hong Kong, as well as Hong Kong people overseas who are already in exile and separated, I believe we all feel that the ideal Hong Kong people, even in the face of struggle, will be righteous enough to sign this statement and the Charter, to advocate the direction listed in the Charter, and in In the past six months, I have observed overseas that for Hong Kong people overseas, the most urgent task is to help each other, to continue to promote democratic participation, and to clarify the way forward through discussions. The most crucial point is that we must go beyond party disputes.”
Xu Zhifeng said the Charter establishes the common values of the separated Hong Kong people
At a press conference, former democratic legislator Xu Zhifeng, who went into exile at the end of last year and recently moved to Australia from the United Kingdom, said that the separation of Hong Kong people is a new phenomenon, and that many people who left Hong Kong are not immigrants, but fugitives. He believes that the Charter is to establish the identity of the separated Hong Kong people and their common values, as well as the relationship between the separated and Hong Kong.
Xu Zhifeng said that seeing Hong Kong’s pro-democracy comrades and protesters suffer made him know that the freedom he now enjoys is a luxury. He also said that if he lives comfortably, he will blame himself, and he believes that the Charter is also his aspiration to insist on fighting against tyranny.
Hong Kong Security Bureau said the national security law has extraterritorial effect
In response to eight overseas Hong Kong people, including Luo Guancong, launching the 2021 Hong Kong Charter, calling on overseas Hong Kong people to support the abolition of the Hong Kong National Security Law, the overthrow of the Chinese Communist regime and international democratic governments to assist the democratic movement in Hong Kong, a spokesman for the Hong Kong Security Bureau said Monday night that the Hong Kong government will pursue the legal responsibility of anyone who violates the laws of Hong Kong.
The Security Bureau spokesman stressed that the “Hong Kong National Security Law” has extraterritorial effects, violators of the National Security Law, regardless of their identity or background, or where they are, the Hong Kong government will deal with them in accordance with the law, to pursue their legal responsibilities.
The Security Bureau said that the Hong Kong National Security Law has clearly set out all the elements of the four categories of crimes against China’s national security. Among them, according to Articles 20 and 22, any person who organizes, plans, commits or participates in the commission of acts aimed at secession, undermining the unification of China, or by unlawful means aimed at subverting the state power of China, commits an offence. And under Articles 21 and 23 of the National Security Law, any person who incites, aids, or abets others to commit the above-mentioned acts also commits an offense. Under Article 29, any person who requests a foreign country to impose sanctions or take other hostile actions against Hong Kong or China also commits an offense.
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