UK asks China to protect right to protest in HK

UK asks China to protect right to protest in HK

FPJ BureauUpdated: Saturday, June 01, 2019, 08:06 AM IST
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London : Britain has voiced concern about the escalating protests in Hong Kong and called for ‘constructive’ talks, saying it hoped they would lead to a ‘meaningful advance for democracy’ in the former British colony.

“We hope that the upcoming consultation period will produce arrangements which allow a meaningful advance for democracy in Hong Kong,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.

“The British government is concerned about the situation,” it said. Referring to the right to demonstrate, the Foreign Office said, “It is important for Hong Kong to preserve these rights and for Hong Kong people to exercise them within the law”.

“These freedoms are best guaranteed by the transition to universal suffrage.” The Foreign Office referred to the Sino-British Joint Declaration, which enshrines the ‘one country, two systems’ principle and preserves Hong Kong’s previous capitalist system and way of life for a period up to 2047.

Thousands of defiant protesters stood their ground today after facing tear gas and riot police in overnight clashes.

In the worst unrest since the former British colony was handed back to China in 1997, demonstrators fought hours of running battles with police. The demonstrators have demanded full universal suffrage after Beijing last month said it would allow elections for the semi-autonomous city’s next leader in 2017 but would vet the candidates – a decision branded a ‘fake democracy.

In Taipei, hundreds of people held a sympathy demonstration in support of the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong Sunday. Taiwan’s leaders have also publicly renewed support for the Hong Kong activists. China’s president recently provoked irritation in Taiwan by suggesting that the self-ruled island be governed the same way Beijing now runs Hong Kong. China considers Taiwan a renegade province that should be brought back under

its rule.

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don’t meddle: beijing

China on Monday warned the international community not to interfere in its internal affairs.  Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hua Chunying said: “Hong Kong is China’s Hong Kong. Hong Kong is purely our internal affair. “We are resolutely opposed to any foreign country using any method to interfere in China’s internal affairs.” Meanwhile, thousands of democracy protesters have defied tear gas and police baton charges to remain on the streets of Hong Kong. With tens of thousands in the streets of Hong Kong on Monday, blocking major intersections and prompting authorities to “withdraw” riot police, China has officially voiced its opposition to the situation in the semiautonomous region. The protests have drawn mostly young residents but peaceful movement of civil resistance to Beijing’s plans to screen candidates for the post of the city’s leader, or chief executive.

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One country, two systems

IIn 1997, Beijing extended the “one country, two systems” model to Hong Kong, placing the territory under Chinese rule but giving it economic and political autonomy for 50 years. Now Hong Kong democracy activists want universal voting rights for the region’s chief executive in 2017 and its legislature in 2020.  But China said earlier this month it is unwilling to allow open elections. It wants a 1,200-person nominating panel, which has many pro-Beijing loyalists, to pre-select any candidates for chief executive. The Taiwan government’s Mainland Affairs Council said Friday it cannot support the “one country, two systems” style of rule proposed by Beijing. It said that more than 70% of Taiwan’s public opposes that model of government.

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