Pompeo, Aussies air concern over potential poll delay

The Legislative Council election is being closely watched by the West, a local academic says, adding that postponing the vote may trigger a fresh wave of foreign sanctions.

Sources have said the government is planning to delay the September 6 election for a year because of the pandemic, which could mean incumbent lawmakers will have their terms extended for a year.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the foreign minister of Australia, Marise Payne, reiterated in a joint statement yesterday during her visit to Washington their support for Hongkongers being able to elect Legco representatives through "a genuinely free and fair election, which is credible and peaceful, on September 6."

Wilson Wong Wai-ho, associate professor at Chinese University's department of government and public administration, said postponing the Legco election could mean more pressure on the SAR in the form of international sanctions.

"If those in power or the pro-government camp suddenly decide not to hold the election, then it [would look bad for] Hong Kong's global image," Wong said.

Wong said it would be hard for the government to argue for a year-long delay as countries like South Korea have held elections without worsening the pandemic.

The United States and Australia have announced mechanisms to admit Hong Kong residents to the two countries and are taking steps to suspend extradition treaties with the SAR.

The Council of the European Union said in a statement yesterday that its 27 state members "will closely follow the political situation in Hong Kong in the lead-up to" the Legco election.

The election should "take place in an environment which remains conducive to the exercise of democratic rights and freedoms as enshrined in the Basic Law," it said.

It also detailed measures the EU will take on the SAR, such as reviewing asylum, migration, visa and residence policies for Hongkongers, and limiting exports of products to the city that could be used for "internal repression" and cyber surveillance.

In response, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said in Beijing that the United States and Australia "are hyping the so-called China threat" and slandering the mainland.

Wang urged the EU to respect China's stance and actions to safeguard national security in Hong Kong and for it to focus on maintaining the healthy development of China-Europe relations.

Meanwhile, British foreign minister Dominic Raab spoke to counterpart Wang Yi, saying "the United Kingdom would be watching [the Legco election] closely" and stressing the importance of China rebuilding trust with the international community.

Wang replied that Hong Kong matters are an internal affair for China and Britain's interference violated international norms, according to China's foreign ministry.

"Hong Kong is a part of China that is a matter of principle," Wang said, adding that the security law aims to remedy the long-standing loopholes in the SAR's local laws.

Political activist Nathan Law Kwun-chung, now based in Britain, said there could be more sanctions if Beijing "refuses to realize that it's and error" and postpones the Legco election.

mandy.zheng@singtaonewscorp.com