OdishaPlus Bureau
The Chinese embassy in Canada said on Monday that the joint statement of the foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the USA on Hong Kong is yet another instance of interference in China’s domestic affairs.
On Sunday, US State Secretary Mike Pompeo and his counterparts from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK made a statement. It condemned the new security law in Hong Kong as infringing on the special administrative region’s rights and freedoms. They have collectively also urged the Hong Kong authorities to conduct the recently-postponed legislative elections as soon as possible and let disqualified pro-democracy candidates run in the campaign.
Postponing the elections was out of public health precautions amid the pandemic, while the security law closed security gaps in Hong Kong that could otherwise jeopardize the region’s long-term peace and security.
The embassy also warned the meddling countries to immediately stop interfering in China’s domestic affairs and use Hong Kong as a tool,” emphasizing that Hong Kong is a subject of China’s jurisdiction.
The Hong Kong elections were initially scheduled for September 6. In late-July, the government postponed the vote, citing COVID-19 related risks. Additionally, several candidates were banned from running on the grounds that their political activities were inconsistent with the new security law.
The Chinese government enacted the law on June 30, following a little more than a month-long review at the National People’s Congress. The law adjusts security policies in Hong Kong to Beijing’s perception of crime and punishment with regard to separatism, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign countries.