The British bank HSBC has drawn international attention for freezing the bank accounts of former Hong Kong legislator Raymond Hui and his Family.
HSBC, headquartered in London, has drawn international criticism for freezing the bank accounts of former Hong Kong legislator Raymond Hui Chi-fung and his family, as well as the Good Neighbor North Church. The Foreign Affairs Committee of the British Parliament summoned HSBC Holdings Chief Executive Officer Praying Yao Nian (Noel Quinn) and other senior executives to explain the incident on January 26, Praying Yao Nian said that if the Hong Kong police do not freeze the accounts, will be a criminal offence, affecting the operating license; and cited pro-communist figures that there are 3 million signatures in support of the “Hong Kong National Security Law”.
In this regard, Hui Chi-fung denounced HSBC’s explanation as ridiculous, denouncing its willingness to serve as a tool of regime suppression, with practical action to infringe on Hong Kong’s freedom, calling on the international community to sanction HSBC, and alert existing bank customers need to face the risk of unreasonable freezing of accounts.
Freezing accounts at the request of the Hong Kong police, saying that non-compliance is a crime
The Foreign Affairs Committee of the British Parliament held a hearing on the freezing of the bank accounts of Raymond Hui and his family.
Apple Daily and Voice of America reported that during the 90-minute meeting, Mr. Praying and Mr. Colin Bell were questioned by various lawmakers about the appropriateness and unethical nature of the freezing of accounts, and that HSBC was helping the Chinese Communist authorities to suppress democracy and freedom in Hong Kong. Praying Yao-nian kept repeating that HSBC must comply with local laws wherever it operates; this Time, the freezing of Xu’s account is also in compliance with Hong Kong law, and has nothing to do with politics, the decision has been well thought out.
Praying Yao-nian said, if the Hong Kong police asked the bank to freeze the account is made in accordance with the law, the bank must follow, otherwise it is illegal. He will not speculate on the purpose of law enforcement agencies and make any moral or political judgment: “If we do not comply, we will commit a criminal offence. This will affect HSBC’s license to operate in Hong Kong.”
British MPs blasted the erosion of the rule of law in Hong Kong as a violation of morality
His answer provoked dissatisfaction of British MPs, Conservative MP Bob Seely pointed out that legal is not the same as right, HSBC’s practice is about the gradual erosion of the rule of law (Hong Kong), and does not meet moral standards. A number of MPs are also concerned that the practice will cause more Hong Kong people to suffer, questioning whether the dictatorial regime as long as the installation of crime, the bank will have to cooperate?
He repeated that he did not want to take a political stance or get involved in disputes, but said the word “moral” was open to interpretation, “I think we are doing a good job for Hong Kong”. comfortable”.
Last year, on the eve of the entry into force of the National Security Law, the “Hong Kong United Front for National Security Legislation”, convened by the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China, including Tam Yiu-chung, launched a signature campaign, claiming to have received 3 million signatures in 10 days in support of the National Security Law. At that time, the CEO of HSBC Group Asia Pacific, Mr. Wang Dongsheng, also publicly went to the pro-communist organization’s street station to sign in support of the national security law. British MPs asked whether this was a political statement.
Praying Yiu-nin did not answer positively whether the practice was self-contradictory, saying that HSBC wanted Hong Kong’s stability, so it issued a statement in support of the National Security Law; and cited the above signature figures to support the National Security Law has a lot of support. However, the number of signatures is widely questioned by the outside world, the media revealed that a number of Chinese institutions and bank executives have instructed their subordinates to participate in the signature, there are deceased actors and actresses “signed”, Taiwanese entertainer Xu Xiyuan and other “co-signers” and other flawed situation.
Praying Yao Nian also said that HSBC left Hong Kong is not good for Hong Kong, only bad, “we have to operate in 60 markets, each place also has its political difficulties, my focus on my guests.”
Johnnie Hui blasted HSBC willing to be a tool of regime suppression
The protagonist of the incident, Raymond Hui, responded on the social networking site Facebook, saying that he did not accept the explanation of HSBC’s senior management, saying that HSBC had not explained the legal basis for freezing his and his family’s accounts from the beginning to the end, and whether the bank’s action was in order when it received the “notice” from the police to freeze the accounts.
He pointed out that, when answering questions from legislators, Praying indicated that he was “comfortable” with the freezing of accounts and avoided responding to ethical questions, but then suddenly made a political statement of “continuing to support the National Security Law”, “and was asked why my family was involved. When asked why my family was also implicated, Praying said that the practice was ‘not unusual’ in the police investigation of the case, endorsing the Hong Kong Police Force.” He also denounced Praying that “3 million joint signatures to support the National Security Law” of the statement is “ridiculous”, not shy about the position of the Hong Kong royalist party, the Hong Kong Communist regime accepted in full.
Johnnie Hui blasted HSBC’s senior management’s reply as “evasive, hypocritical and self-contradictory”, clearly indicating its willingness to be a tool of the regime’s suppression and to infringe on Hong Kong’s freedom with practical actions. “I will continue to call on the international community to sanction HSBC and the people involved in the case, so that HSBC will pay the price for suppressing Hong Kong’s freedom.”
In an interview with Voice of America, Johnnie Hui said it was the first time he had heard HSBC’s top brass openly express their support for the National Security Law, expressing disappointment about it, “It’s also the first time he’s made such a statement of support in a public forum. So, in my view, it is very clear that they are willing to act as a punching bag… HSBC should be sanctioned for this kind of take.” He echoed statements made by some British MPs that British nationals should consider whether they should continue to be customers of HSBC. For in the face of a bank that panders to the regime at will, they too will be in a position to have their bank accounts frozen without justification in the future.
Lo Kwun Chung: Logical conscience thrown into the trash
Law Kwun Chung, a former member of the House of Representatives Legislative Council in exile in the UK, also wrote an article on Facebook, satirizing HSBC’s “logic and conscience are to be thrown into the trash can” in front of the political mandate. Praying Yiu-nin explained why he supported the National Security Law, saying it was because three million pro-establishment signatures wanted social stability; asked why he claimed to be politically neutral but supported the National Security Law, he dodged left and right, refusing to respond, “referring to his own obedience to black police instructions for the benefit of customers, but did not think about whether the personal rights of customers Hui Chi-fung were being violated.”
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