Hong Kong hits back at G7 foreign ministers’ statement targeting NSL and Article 23
Local | 20 Apr 2024 5:43 pm
The government on Saturday condemned the “unfound and biased statement” by G7 foreign ministers, saying they deliberately misled the public and smeared the Hong Kong National Security Law as well as the homegrown legislation Article 23.
The statement was released on Friday following the G7 Italy 2024 meeting attended by the foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the US, and the High Representative of the European Union.
A spokesman for the SAR government said on Saturday it is the constitutional duty of Hong Kong to safeguard national security. In accordance with international law and international practice based on the Charter of the United Nations, safeguarding national security is an inherent right of all sovereign states.
“Many common law jurisdictions, including western countries such as the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, as well as Singapore, have enacted multiple pieces of legislation to safeguard national security,” the spokesman said.
“Turning a blind eye to the fact and making exaggerated remarks, the G7 foreign ministers and the High Representative of the EU have demonstrated typical political hegemony and hypocrisy with double standards.”
The offenses stipulated by the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance target acts endangering national security with precision and define the elements and penalties of the offenses with clarity, the spokesman added.
He also pointed out that the core essence of the Sino-British Joint Declaration is about China’s resumption of the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong and it did not authorize the UK to interfere in Hong Kong’s affairs after the handover in 1997.
In the official G7 statement, the foreign ministers expressed their concerns about the deterioration of pluralism and civil and political rights in Hong Kong since the 2020 National Security Law.
They also reemphasized these concerns following the recent passage of Article 23, claiming it will further erode autonomy, human rights, and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong.
“The new law will make it harder to live, work and do business in Hong Kong and undermine the ability of Hong Kong people to maintain free and open exchanges with the wider world,” the ministers said.
They also urged China and Hong Kong authorities to act in accordance with their international commitments and applicable legal obligations.
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