EU condemns Beijing for changing Hong Kong’s political system, considers sending top officials to visit Hong Kong

The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, issued a statement on Wednesday (9) condemning Beijing’s revision of Hong Kong’s political system and will consider sending high-level EU officials to visit Hong Kong (A visit of high-level EU officials will be considered).

Borrell said that since last June, the National People’s Congress (NPC) has made a series of decisions that have brought into question Hong Kong’s freedom, democratic principles and multilateral politics. The EU urged China to respect Hong Kong’s right to a high degree of autonomy and freedom in accordance with its international commitments and legal responsibilities. The EU is deeply concerned about the arrest of a number of Hong Kong’s democratic leaders by the Hong Kong government and, in particular, calls on all parties to respect the independence of the judiciary in Hong Kong.

The EU will continue to respond to Hong Kong’s problems, support Hong Kong’s civil society and media, promote the mobility of Hong Kong people and ensure that the trials of Hong Kong’s democrats continue to be observed. It will also work with its international partners and commit to respond appropriately to extraterritorial enforcement of the Hong Kong SAR Law, involving targeting EU residents or their businesses.

The EU criticizes China for violating the US-China Joint Declaration and One Country, Two Systems, which has a negative impact on the EU’s legitimate expectations and interests. The EU expects the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities to reset confidence in the democratic process in Hong Kong.