More than 370 people arrested as result of demonstrations against China’s new powers
Protesters appear to be laying low in Hong Kong the day after the introduction of sweeping draconian national security laws prompted demonstrations, violence, and mass arrests.
More than 370 people were arrested on Wednesday, including 10 under the new laws imposed directly by Beijing and without the involvement of Hong Kong’s semi autonomous legislature.
Continue reading...Legislation will allow Foreign Office to confront countries over human rights, but who it will target remains to be seen
New UK human rights sanctions legislation set to be published in the next few weeks is being touted as a possible tool with which to confront Chinese officials over Hong Kong, but questions loom about whether the law’s range and impact can meet such high expectations.
The difficulties inherent in drafting watertight sanctions is reflected in the long delay prior to its publication. An act giving the government the right to introduce what is known as Magnitsky-style laws against human rights offenders was passed in May 2018, but since then Foreign Office lawyers have been working on the detailed secondary parliamentary legislation known as a statutory instrument (SI).
Continue reading...Demonstrators have clashed with police during protests over a national security law imposed by China, on the 23rd anniversary of the city’s handover from Britain
Continue reading...Up to 3 million people in Hong Kong could be eligible to live, work or study in the UK under a bespoke immigration system announced by Dominic Raab in response to the imposition of national security legislation on Hong Kong by China. The foreign secretary accused China of a 'clear and serious violation' of the joint declaration signed with the UK, and pledged the government would 'honour' its commitment to citizens of the former British colony
Teenager waving independence flag among those held as thousands take to the streets
More than 370 protesters have been arrested as police fired teargas, pepper spray and water cannon at thousands of people protesting against a national security law imposed by Beijing.
The extent of Beijing’s mandate was made clear as full details of the law were released late on Tuesday, giving authorities sweeping powers to crack down on dissent and allowing China new levels of control over the semi-autonomous territory.
Continue reading...Hong Kong police have arrested more than 300 protesters on the first day of life under the controversial national security laws imposed by Beijing, as China confirmed that some suspects could be extradited to the mainland under the new rules. Police were said to have used water cannon and pepper spray on activists and journalists during the demonstrations.
Earlier, the city’s leader, Carrie Lam, had told a ceremony marking the 23rd anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to China that the security laws were 'the most important development in relations between central – HKSAR [Hong Kong Special Administrative Region] since Britain handed over the territory to Beijing
Continue reading...Beijing’s new rules appear tailored to cover the actions of protesters and their supporters
Beijing has imposed a raft of national security rules on Hong Kong, ushering in a new chapter of Chinese control over the semi-autonomous territory once known as a haven of political freedom and civil liberty.
Chinese and Hong Kong officials have said the law would target only a “narrow set” of behaviours, but the full text of the legislation – released only after it was enacted late on Tuesday – shows it covers a broad range of activities under vaguely defined crimes related to security. The harshest penalties are life in prison.
Continue reading...Beijing move to stamp out anti-government protests poses diplomatic test for UK
European leaders condemned China’s “deplorable decision” to press ahead with its new security laws in Hong Kong, warning that it will speed up the reassessment of China as a trustworthy economic partner.
The European Union council president, Charles Michel, said “we deplore the decision” and the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said the bloc was now discussing with international partners on any possible measures in response.
Continue reading...Critics say the measure, which criminalises secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, erodes Hong Kong’s autonomy
Beijing has passed a sweeping national security law for Hong Kong that critics fear will crush political freedoms and pave the way for China to cement its control over the semi-autonomous territory.
Less than 40 days after Chinese lawmakers first proposed imposing an anti-sedition law on Hong Kong, the standing committee of the National People’s Congress, on Tuesday approved the measure, according officials and multiple media reports.
Continue reading...Silent protest ends in scuffles with police as Beijing prepares to approve controversial legislation
Hong Kong police have arrested at least 53 people after scuffles erupted during a relatively peaceful protest against planned national security legislation to be implemented by the mainland Chinese government.
Armed riot police were present as a crowd of several hundred moved from Jordan to Mong Kok in the Kowloon district on Sunday, staging what was intended as a “silent protest” against the planned law.
Continue reading...With Beijing’s sweeping security law set to pass this week, many protesters accept that ‘one country, two systems’ is over
To Jennifer Tsui, the looming national security law agreed last month by China’s legislature seems like the “real” return of Hong Kong to China.
When Hong Kong reverted from British to Chinese sovereignty on 1 July 1997, Tsui, then a student, was apprehensive, but her worries were allayed when things appeared almost unchanged after the handover. Hongkongers were assured their lifestyle would remain unchanged until at least 2047 under the “one country two systems” policy guaranteed in the Sino-British joint declaration.
Continue reading...Secretary of state Mike Pompeo says visa restrictions apply to ‘current and former’ communist party officials, but does not name them
The US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has said Washington will impose visa restrictions on Chinese officials responsible for restricting freedoms in Hong Kong, but he did not name any of those targeted.
The move on Friday comes ahead of a three-day meeting of China’s parliament from Sunday, which is expected to enact new national security legislation for Hong Kong that has alarmed foreign governments and democracy activists.
Continue reading...Activists estimate at least 200 protesters are in Taiwan, where authorities have discreetly allowed them to stay by extending tourist visas
After fleeing to Taiwan from the frontlines of the Hong Kong protests, Ben suffered a recurrent nightmare for months: he dreamed his fellow protesters were being tortured by police, but he couldn’t help.
Ten months on from seeking refuge in Taiwan, his feeling of helplessness has eased and his fighting spirit has returned. He is among dozens of former Hongkongers who are finding ways to resist Beijing from Taiwan.
Continue reading...Partial draft of legislation shows Beijing intends to set up national security agency in city
Beijing has released details of a controversial anti-sedition law under which China will set up a national security agency in Hong Kong and maintain jurisdiction in “certain circumstances”.
A partial draft of the legislation widely seen as a blow to the city’s autonomy was released on Saturday, paving the way for the central government to ram the law through despite opposition within Hong Kong and international condemnation.
Continue reading...Former US national security adviser reveals series of tensions and pressure points
Donald Trump dashed British hopes that he would take a tougher line on Hong Kong, including by refusing to condemn the Tiananmen Square massacre, according to John Bolton’s book about his time as the US president’s national security adviser.
In one of many episodes in the book that reveal the fragile nature of the UK’s relations with the Trump administration, Bolton writes that the president said Tiananmen Square was decades ago and he did not want to jeopardise a potential trade deal with Beijing.
Continue reading...Justice department says ‘recent actions’ by China towards its territory indicate landing station could expose US communications to spying
The US government wants a high-capacity undersea data cable system proposed by Google and Facebook to bypass Hong Kong, citing potential national security concerns following China’s moves to exert greater control in the territory.
The Pacific Light Cable Network, pending approval by the federal communications commission (FCC), should connect the US, Taiwan and the Philippines but not go through Hong Kong as planned, a US Justice Department committee has recommended.
Continue reading...Hong Kong delegate to top Chinese legislative body says people who breach new law could be sent to mainland if Beijing ‘thinks it necessary’
China’s proposal to take charge of “serious” breaches of the new national security law in Hong Kong will sabotage the city’s autonomy, its rule of law and freedoms and threaten its unique status as an Asian financial hub, analysts say.
China’s parliament passed a plan in late May to impose a national security law on Hong Kong to target “acts and activities” that it sees as threatening national security, including secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference.
Continue reading...NGO demands more details on Boris Johnson’s ‘vague and imprecise’ commitment
Hong Kong democracy campaigners are pressing the Foreign Office to spell out how Boris Johnson’s “vague and imprecise commitment” will give a path to British citizenship to millions of residents.
It came as Johnson wrote to seven former UK foreign secretaries saying he is trying to build a global groundswell of opposition to Chinese plans to impose a new security law in Hong Kong.
Continue reading...The US president may be the pro-democracy movement’s biggest backer, but some protesters feel they are being used
Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement has struggled to reconcile the support it has received from Donald Trump with his administration’s brutal crackdown on protests over the police killing of George Floyd.
In the past few weeks, unprecedented Black Lives Matter protests, renewed by the killing of George Floyd by a white police officer, have spread to every US state and to countries across the world, regardless of pandemic restrictions.
Continue reading...Riot police send snatch squads to detain demonstrators throughout night after declaring gatherings illegal
Thousands of Hongkongers have sung a popular protest anthem and chanted slogans across the city as they marked the first anniversary of major clashes between police and pro-democracy demonstrators.
Riot police declared Friday’s gatherings unlawful assemblies and a breach of anti-coronavirus bans on public meetings of large groups, sending snatch squads to make multiple arrests throughout the evening.
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