US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday expressed Washington's solidarity with the people of Hong Kong as they experience what he called an "erosion of autonomy" under Chinese rule, and called for their personal freedoms to be restored.
"It is now evident that Hong Kong and Beijing authorities no longer view democratic participation, fundamental freedoms, and an independent media" as part of the One Country, Two Systems governance model agreed by Britain and China at the time of the handover in 1997, Blinken said in a statement.
Saying a strict security law imposed in Hong Kong by Beijing in 2020 had led to an "erosion of autonomy," Blinken added: "We stand in solidarity with people in Hong Kong and reinforce their calls for their promised freedoms to be reinstated."
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday is to preside over somewhat muted celebrations marking the handover of the city from Britain to China, with once annual pro-democracy demonstrations now silenced.
Xi said Thursday that after mass protests in 2019, Hong Kong had been "reborn from the fire and emerged with robust vitality."
Blinken however said the subsequent implementation of China's strict security law — including the closure of media outlets and the jailing of opposition figures — was part of "an effort to deprive Hong Kongers of what they have been promised."
Johnson vows UK 'not giving up on Hong Kong' 25 years after handover
London (AFP) June 30, 2022 –
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Thursday Britain was "not giving up on Hong Kong" and accused Beijing of failing to keep its promises, on the 25th anniversary of the handover of the city to China.
"We made a promise to the territory and its people and we intend to keep it, doing all we can to hold China to its commitments," Johnson said in a video message posted on Twitter.
"We simply cannot avoid the fact that for some time now, Beijing has been failing to comply with its obligations," he added, as Hong Kong marks the landmark handover anniversary with a visit from Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
"It's a state of affairs that threatens both the rights and freedoms of Hong Kongers and the continued progress and prosperity of their home."
The anniversary on Friday marks the halfway point of the 50-year governance model agreed by Britain and China under which the city would keep some autonomy and freedoms.
But London has become increasingly critical of Chinese rule there after Beijing imposed a harsh national security law in 2020 following huge and sometimes violent protests in Hong Kong the previous year.
In response, the UK has started offering a pathway to citizenship for British National (Overseas) passport holders and their families from the city.
"It's no surprise that 120,000 Hong Kongers and their families have already set out down that path," Johnson said in his video address.
He branded Britain "a place where freedom of speech, assembly and association is respected and not criminalised" — although critics have accused his government of treating protests in an increasingly draconian manner.
Earlier Thursday, during his first visit since the business hub's democracy movement was crushed in 2020, Xi said Hong Kong had been "reborn of fire and emerged with robust vitality."
"The facts have proved that One Country, Two Systems has great vitality," he said, referring to pledges Beijing made in 1997 that the city would maintain a high degree of autonomy and independent judicial power.
It also agreed that Hong Kong's leader would be appointed by Beijing on the basis of local elections or consultations.
However, echoing Johnson, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said there had been "a steady erosion of political and civil rights" there in the last two years.
"Authorities have stifled opposition, criminalised dissent and driven out anyone who can speak truth to power," she argued.
"The UK continues to stand unwaveringly with Hong Kong," Truss said, adding London was "working with our allies and partners as part of a global network of liberty to hold China to its international obligations".
