The governments of the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement on Hong Kong on Wednesday (November 18), reiterating their grave concern over China’s adoption of new rules to disqualify Hong Kong’s democratically elected legislators. They urged China to reinstate these legislators immediately.
In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the U.S. Secretary of State and the foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand and the British Foreign Secretary said that China’s decision to use new rules to disqualify Hong Kong legislators after the implementation of the National Security Law and the postponement of September’s Legislative Council elections further undermines Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy, rights and freedoms, and violates China’s international obligations. China’s move is a clear violation of its international obligations under the legally binding Sino-British Joint Declaration, which is registered with the United Nations. It violates China’s commitment that Hong Kong will enjoy a ‘high degree of autonomy’ and the right to freedom of expression,” the statement said.
On November 11, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) disqualified four Hong Kong pan-democratic lawmakers for, among other reasons, “endangering national security. Subsequently, all pan-democrats in Hong Kong’s Legislative Council resigned en masse in protest.
The countries’ foreign ministers said Beijing’s disqualification of Hong Kong legislators appeared to be “part of a coordinated effort to silence all critical voices. The statement comes after Hong Kong’s September legislative elections were postponed and a number of elected lawmakers were accused of activities that undermine press freedom in the city.
On Wednesday, three former pan-democratic members of the Hong Kong Legislative Council were arrested by police. According to Hong Kong media reports, several pan-democratic legislators and their assistants have been arrested in recent months.
The five countries – the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand – have called on China to stop undermining the right of the people of Hong Kong to elect their representatives in accordance with the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law.
“For the sake of Hong Kong’s stability and prosperity, it is vital that the Chinese government and Hong Kong authorities respect the channels through which the people of Hong Kong can express their legitimate concerns and opinions,” the statement said.
The statement also said, “As a leading member of the international community, we expect China to fulfill its international commitments and its responsibilities to the people of Hong Kong. We urge China’s central government to reconsider their actions against Hong Kong’s democratically elected legislature and to reinstate these legislators immediately.”
In addition to being major Western developed countries, these countries are also members of the Five Eyes Alliance, which engages in intelligence sharing.
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