Hong Kong ‘strongly disapproves’ of US report critical of crackdown on rights, freedoms

In a statement, the Hong Kong government, on Saturday (April 1) said that it “strongly disapproved” and “firmly rejected” the recent findings in a new United States government report. The report finds that Washington’s interests had been threatened and that Beijing continues to “undermine the rule of law” and freedoms on the island under its national security lockdown. This comes after China imposed its National Security Law in Hong Kong, in 2020 outlawing crimes such as subversion with possible life imprisonment.

What did the US report say?

The US report called the 2023 Hong Kong Policy Act Report, published on Friday, said, “PRC (People’s Republic of China) and Hong Kong authorities continued to use ‘national security’ as a broad and vague basis to undermine the rule of law and protected rights and freedoms.”

Add WION as a Preferred Source

In reference to Beijing imposing the National Security Law in Hong Kong in 2020 without any local legislative or consultative process, it said the law in question banned secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces in Hong Kong. The laws are quite similar to mainland China where President Xi Jinping has implemented a fierce crackdown on dissent for years.

“Hong Kong authorities continued to arrest and prosecute people for peaceful political expression critical of the local and central governments, including for posting and forwarding social media posts,” said the US report. Notably, more than 230 people have been arrested in Hong Kong under the national security law.

Last week, dozens of protesters participated in a small rally after permission from the Hong Kong police, one of the first ones since the enactment of sweeping laws. Several images of the protest show people wearing numbered badges around their necks and were also reportedly barred from face masks.

China’s response to the report

The next day, the government in Hong Kong released a statement, saying that it “strongly disapproved” and “firmly rejected” what it referred to as US’ “unfounded and fact-twisting remarks”. A spokesperson for the government said that it “strongly disapproves of and firmly rejects the slandering remarks and ill-intentioned attacks in the US’ so-called 2023 Hong Kong Policy Act Report".

The city is an “inalienable part of the People’s Republic of China (and) is a local administrative region that enjoys a high degree of autonomy under ‘one country, two systems,’” added the spokesperson. The “one country, two systems” is the Chinese government principle that refers to the autonomous status afforded to the regions of Hong Kong and Macau.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.