Hong Kong crackdown puts China on defensive
Authoritarian move to curb autonomy brings threats of sanctions,
China’s sweeping new national security law extending the Communist government’s control over Hong Kong takes aim not only at pro-democracy protesters, but also non-residents, foreign governments, non-governmental organizations and international media.
It subjects all persons in Hong Kong, including non-residents acting “from outside the region,” to strict bans on political activities that Beijing deems to endanger national security as the central government flexes its muscle over the former British territory.
An English translation of the new law, published Thursday by the South China Morning Post and cited by Beijing’s central office for Hong Kong affairs, outlined a 39-page list of drastic new executive, police, prosecutorial and judicial powers — all overseen by Beijing’s handpicked appointments to the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
It bans Hong Kongers from activities linked to “secession, subversion, terrorist activities and collusion with a foreign country or with external elements.”
It grants police authorities the ability to conduct surveillance and “counter-interference” investigations, and gives central authorities power to take measures to strengthen control of “organs of foreign countries and international organizations in the region, as well as non-governmental organizations and news agencies of foreign countries and from outside the mainland, Hong Kong, and Macao.”
Overall, it is a dramatic warning to all diplomats, academics, non-governmental researchers, foreign correspondents or freelancers on the ground in Hong Kong to play by new rules. A top U.S. diplomat in Hong Kong vowed Thursday that American officials would continue to engage with opposition politicians.
Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne was unavailable for comment, but a statement sent by his office expressed his “deep concern that China has adopted a national security law on Hong Kong that already and clearly undermines” the agreement that saw Britain hand over the territory to China in 1997.
For weeks in advance of the law’s publication, Champagne has said he is consulting with international allies to co-ordinate a forceful response.
A senior government official suggested the Trudeau government would detail more actions in the coming days, but acknowledged that while the main concern is to act with its allies, the Trudeau government is also mindful of the impact its actions have on the situation of two Canadian men, Michael Kovrig and Micheal Spavor, held in Chinese jails.
“I’d by lying to you if I said we don’t think about that in almost everything we do,” said the official who spoke on a background-only basis.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has expressed concern not just for Hong Kong citizens, but for some 300,000 Canadian passport holders who live in the global financial capital, which has long enjoyed more political and civil liberties than mainland China.
The United States, Japan, Australia and the United Kingdom denounced the law, saying China has breached the autonomy guaranteed to Hong Kong by the “one country, two systems” handover deal.
In the past week, the U.S. said it will deny visas to Chinese officials involved with administering the new law, deny exports of defence and dual-use technology exports to Hong Kong and
China, and eliminate special exemptions for Hong Kong. Britain and Australia say they are examining ways to ease entry of Hong Kongers and to create a path to citizenship for Hong Kong emigrés.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian dismissed criticism by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, saying he and others are mad they will not be able to influence activists in Hong Kong. “The reason why Mr. Pompeo and his like make such a fuss about the law is that they won’t be able to jeopardize China’s sovereignty and security in as reckless and unchecked ways as before,” Zhao said Thursday in translated remarks posted to the foreign ministry website.
“The law is like a burglarproof door for Hong Kong.”
Canada has stopped short of saying whether it will facilitate the refugee claims from Hong Kong democracy activists. Groups supporting them have complained there are too many hurdles for asylum seekers. The Liberal government could increase the allowable stay for visitors holding passports from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Right now they are treated as visa-exempt, and permitted to enter Canada for short stays up to six months at a time, as long as they have an electronic travel authorization, which is valid up to five years.
Canada is currently processing at least 46 refugee claims filed by people with Hong Kong citizenship, the government said Thursday. Those claims were filed between Jan. 1, 2019, and March 31, 2020, at points of entry into Canada, airports or at Canada Border Services or Immigration Canada offices across the country.
On Thursday, Immigration and Citizenship Minister Marco Mendocino’s office said Canada will “continue to open our doors to newcomers, including those fleeing persecution, terror and war.”