THE United States today marks the 25th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong to China with concern about dwindling respect for freedom and democratic participation.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a statement, said: “On July 1, we mark the 25th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong to the People’s Republic of China. This date was envisioned as the halfway point of 50 years of promised autonomy under the “One Country, Two Systems” framework. Yet it is now evident that Hong Kong and Beijing authorities no longer view democratic participation, fundamental freedoms, and an independent media as part of this vision.”
In 2019, Blinken said, millions of Hong Kongers publicly protested to oppose controversial extradition legislation.
He added that Beijing’s response was the National Security Law which set the stage for an erosion of autonomy and dismantling of the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents over the last two years.
“Authorities have jailed the opposition, with many imprisoned for more than a year. Hong Kong’s leaders have raided independent media organisations, shuttered museums and removed public works of art, weakened democratic institutions, delayed elections, prevented vigils, disqualified sitting lawmakers, and instituted loyalty oaths. Government officials have spread disinformation that grassroots protests were the work of foreign actors. They have done all of this in an effort to deprive Hong Kongers of what they have been promised,” he said.
America, he said, stands in solidarity with people in Hong Kong and reinforce their calls for their promised freedoms to be reinstated.
