27 nations tell UN that China must reconsider implementing Hong Kong’s new national security law

China must reconsider its sweeping national security law imposed on Hong Kong which undermines the city’s freedoms. 27 countries said this in a joint statement on Tuesday.

During a rare criticism of China at the UNHRC in Geneva, Britain, France, Germany, Japan and other states said that Beijing must allow the UN rights chief meaningful access to its western Xinjiang province.

Advertisement

Julian Braithwaite, Britain’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, read the statement at the council, on behalf of all the signatories.

Imposing the law without the direct participation of Hong Kong’s people, legislature or judiciary “undermines” the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ principle guaranteeing Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy, rights and freedoms, the signatories said.

The statement said, “We urge the Chinese and Hong Kong governments to reconsider the imposition of this legislation and to engage Hong Kong’s people, institutions and judiciary to prevent further erosion of the rights and freedoms that the people of Hong Kong have enjoyed for many years.”

The statement pointed out that, “A number of the signatories to this statement submitted a letter last year to express concern about arbitrary detention, widespread surveillance and restrictions, particularly targeting Uighur and other minorities in Xinjiang. These deep concerns have been reinforced by additional information now in the public domain.”

A study by a German researcher said Monday that Chinese authorities were carrying out forced sterilisations of Uighur and other ethnic minority women in a move which is aimed at controlling the population in these regions.