Hong Kong has strongly condemned the UK’s latest report on the city, which criticized its focus on national security and claimed it was damaging Hong Kong's
international reputation. The report, published on Thursday, was dismissed by Hong Kong officials as containing "absurd and false content."
The UK report highlighted several concerns, including the prosecution of British national and pro-democracy journalist Jimmy Lai, the enactment of Hong Kong's new national security law, and the resignation of two retired UK judges from the city’s Court of Final Appeal. It argued that these developments signal a serious erosion of civil liberties and political freedoms in Hong Kong.
This report is the 55th Six-monthly Report on Hong Kong, covering the period from January to June 2024. While acknowledging that Hong Kong’s economic and financial systems remain distinct, the UK raised concerns that the city’s heavy emphasis on national security threatens its global standing.
The UK also urged Hong Kong to honor the Sino-British Joint Declaration, which guarantees the city a high degree of autonomy. It emphasized the importance of protecting fundamental rights as outlined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Johannesburg Principles.
In response, Hong Kong's government rejected the report, accusing the UK of making "groundless attacks, slanders, and smears" and attempting to meddle in its internal affairs through "despicable political maneuvers." Officials compared Hong Kong's national security law to the UK's own National Security Act of 2023 and stressed that political and civil liberties have limits, particularly when it comes to safeguarding national security.
This marks yet another exchange of sharp criticism between Hong Kong and the UK, following a similar clash over a previous six-monthly report published in April, which Hong Kong also condemned. Despite ongoing international concerns, the city has maintained its commitment to its national security policies. Photo by Maxfield at en.wikipedia.
