Europe should speak decisively for friends in Hong Kong: Merkel, Johnson
BERLIN/LONDON/HONG KONG: Germany fears that Hong Kong’s autonomy is being “eroded” and Berlin will raise issues such as human rights with China during its presidency of the EU that began this month, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday.
“Based on an open dialogue, we also speak about the rule of law and human rights, as well as the future of Hong Kong where we are concerned that the important principle of ‘one country, two systems’ is being eroded,” Merkel said.
She spoke to the Bundesrat upper house of parliament, outlining priorities for Germany’s half-year EU presidency, during which it aims to make a trade deal with China a priority. “In order to have successful relations with China and to represent our European interests effectively, Europe must speak decisively with one voice,” Merkel said. “Only together the 27 EU member countries have enough weight to achieve ambitious deals with China.”
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday that the UK must stick up for the people of Hong Kong. “We have to stick up for our friends in
Hong Kong, we have to stick up for their freedoms for the rights to association to free speech,” he told LBC radio.
“We gave a commitment in 1984 to look after them ... to make sure that we stood by them, and we will.”
The EU is facing pressure from rights groups and activists not to put its economic interests first, after China unveiled a national security law for Hong Kong this week, which Western countries say threaten freedoms enjoyed by the city since it was returned from British rule to China in 1997.
HK man accused of terrorism in first use of China security law
A man carrying a “Liberate Hong Kong” sign as he drove a motorcycle into police at a protest against the territory’s Chinese rulers became on Friday the first person charged with inciting separatism and terrorism under a new security law.
Police say 23-year-old Tong Ying-kit rammed and injured some officers at an illegal protest on Wednesday. A video online showed a motorbike knocking over several officers on a narrow street before the driver falls over and is arrested.