Hong Kong police arrested at least 86 Hong Kong people on October 1 for participating in a march and rally. In response, the U.S. State Department issued a statement on October 3 expressing outrage at the arbitrary arrests, saying that the arrests once again underscore Beijing’s complete departure from its commitment to uphold “one country, two systems.
The Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF), which has repeatedly sponsored anti-sent-away demonstrations involving more than a million people, organized a march on November 11 to demand the release of 12 Hong Kong people detained by the mainland and to reiterate the five demands of the anti-sent-away campaign.
However, during the march, the police banned the “FDD’s Eleventh Day March”, citing the “restriction on gathering” order to prevent neo-congressional pneumonia and other reasons. Afterwards, there were still netizens who launched the “Blossom everywhere” action. The police deployed 6,000 police officers in Hong Kong, and also sent police officers to Lion Rock on alert to prevent Hong Kong people from reenacting last year’s Mid-Autumn Festival to express their demands such as the Lion Rock human chain and laser; however, on the night of the “Eleventh Day”, there were still people climbing Lion Rock and waving the “Glorious Return of Hong Kong” banner. Beams of light were thrown down the hill in a reenactment of the scene during last year’s protests, during which at least 86 people were arrested by police, including four district council members. At least 86 people were arrested by police during that period, including four district council members.
U.S. State Department spokesman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement posted on the U.S. State Department website Saturday (Oct. 3) that a stable and prosperous Hong Kong depends on respect for freedom of assembly, speech and other fundamental freedoms. But by suppressing peaceful public opinion, the Hong Kong government has once again demonstrated its complicity with the Chinese Communist Party in abolishing Hong Kong’s autonomy and freedom for Hong Kong people. The statement said, “We strongly oppose the continued use of police force by local authorities (in Hong Kong) for political purposes, which runs counter to upholding the rule of law and respecting human rights, including freedom of assembly and expression.”
The State Department’s statement comes at a time when U.S.-China relations are at an all-time low. The U.S. and China are at odds over a wide range of issues, including trade, human rights, the Hong Kong version of the National Security Law, and the neo-crown virus. The United States has taken countermeasures against Hong Kong in response to the Hong Kong version of the National Security Act, including terminating three bilateral agreements with Hong Kong on the transfer of fugitives, the transfer of sentenced persons, and the exemption of profits tax on international shipping, and sanctioning 11 Chinese and Hong Kong officials, including Chief Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor.
There has also been a strong international backlash against China’s imposition of national security laws in Hong Kong. Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom have all announced the suspension of extradition regulations with Hong Kong.
On September 30, the U.S. State Department announced its Refugee Admissions Program, which for the first time includes Hong Kong on the list of countries and territories that receive special assignments for refugees, allowing them, unlike many asylum seekers, to receive additional assistance in the United States. In response, the Hong Kong government expressed its opposition to the practice, emphasizing that there are no so-called “persecuted” refugees in Hong Kong.
In response to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s comment that the U.S. is considering welcoming Hong Kong residents to the U.S., the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that Hong Kong affairs are purely an internal affair of China that cannot be interfered with by any foreign country, and hoped that the U.S. would do more for the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong and the development of China-U.S. relations.
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