Hong Kong government hits back at ‘unfounded and biased’ G7, EU statement raising concerns about city’s 2 national security laws

Foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the United States and the high representative of the European Union had addressed Hong Kong in a statement on Friday after a Group of 7 (G7) ministerial meeting on the Italian resort island of Capri.

“We express our concerns about the deterioration of pluralism and civil and political rights in Hong Kong since the 2020 National Security Law,” the statement said.

“We re-emphasize these concerns following the recent passage of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance under Article 23 of the Basic Law, which will further erode autonomy, human rights, and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong.”

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The ministers said the new domestic security law would “make it harder” to work and do business in the city, while undermining Hongkongers’ ability to maintain free and open exchanges with the wider world.

“We reiterate our call on China to uphold its commitments under the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law, which enshrine rights and freedoms and a high degree of autonomy for Hong Kong,” the statement added, referring to the city’s mini-constitution.

The Hong Kong government responded the next day describing the G7 statement as “unfounded and biased”, and alleging that G7 and EU were “deliberately misleading the public and smearing” the pair of security laws enacted in the past four years.

“The G7 foreign ministers and the High Representative of the EU neglected the relevant provision and lashed out wantonly, fully exposing its malicious intentions,” the statement said.

It also defended the new ordinance for targeting acts endangering national security with precision that it will not affect normal business operations and worldwide exchanges of local institutions, organisations and individuals.

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“Safeguarding national security is an inherent right of all sovereign states. Many common law jurisdictions, including western countries … have enacted multiple pieces of legislation to safeguard national security,” the spokesperson added.

“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 statement added to a growing list of “rebuttals” issued by the city authorities to counter criticism by western governments and politicians.

It also coincided with the China visit by British Minister for Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan, who has included Hong Kong on her itinerary.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in the United Kingdom has said Trevelyan would raise concerns on the national security laws as well as issues about the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong.