When it comes to politics we often focus on what we can’t get done, overlooking that a small committed group of people can & often change things for the better. V proud to have been a part of this.
#BNO
The EU rewarded China with an investment partnership agreement. Beijing’s response has been to spend this morning arresting every pro-democracy activist that stood in last year’s democratic primary in Hong Kong. When will we learn?
#democracy
Looking forward to hearing
@benedictrogers
@lukedepulford
@nathanlawkc
at today’s rally in London for 12 Hong Kong youths who have been detained in Shenzhen for 2 months. The international community must work to ensure their safe return to Hong Kong.
#SAVE12HKYOUTHS
A friendly reminder that Hong Kong’s daily covid case numbers is 149. Singapore’s case number on the day it held its election was 451, Poland’s was 299, and France’s was 522. In short Carrie Lam’s excuse for postponing elections for a year is nonsense.
Other countries show that the cancellation of elections on public health grounds is unnecessary.
HK's daily recorded cases is lower than comparable numbers in Poland & Singapore recorded when they held elections.
Read our in-depth analysis here:
This is the grim reality of the draconian National Security Law. A 19 year old teenager facing between 10 years to life in prison for a Facebook post. Tony will not be the last and that is why the world must stand with Hong Kong.
A reminder that Legislative Council elections in Hong Kong would have taken place today if Carrie Lam hadn’t postponed them due to COVID. Hong Kong had 7 new cases yesterday & daily numbers have been below 100 for a month. Postponement was always about power not public health.
The fact that Jimmy Lai could be living abroad in Dubai, Monaco, or the USA, enjoying his wealth & freedom, yet has chosen to risk spending the rest of his life in prison for defending the principle of democracy, is a testament to his greatness & courage.
‘I never talk about the death of Hong Kong, because Hong Kong is not dead – it will live on in the spirits of Hong Kongers, wherever they are.’
@benedictrogers
latest. I couldn’t agree more. The fight goes on, the cause will never die.
#standwithhk
While everyone is openly speculating whether
@David_Cameron
will be appointed as the new 🇬🇧 Foreign Sec it’s worth remembering his stint working for the PRC to raise funds for the Belt & Road Initiative. 🧵
BREAKING: Former PM David Cameron has been seen entering Downing Street amid a government re-shuffle.
Latest 🔗
📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube
A powerful moment in
@UKHouseofLords
this evening, with
@SonnyLeong53
quoting the opening words of Glory to Hong Kong. He noted that they will be recorded in Hansard (UK’s parliamentary record) forever.
The Hong Kong Police Force actively encouraging people to use
@Twitter
to report people under the National Security Law, which could see them imprisoned for 10 years to life. Twitter should remove and block these posts immediately.
More journalists arrested in Hong Kong this morning. A further assault on
#PressFreedom
. Will
@trussliz
stand by the
@FCDOGovUK
commitment to press freedom & uphold the UK’s legal commitment to
#HK
by finally sanctioning
#HK
officials responsible or bury her head in the sand?
#BREAKING
: Hong Kong national security police arrested six current and former managers of pro-democracy internet media
@StandNewsHK
for disseminating seditious publications.
22 UK MPs, including Lab, Lib Dem, SNP foreign affairs spokespeople plus backbench Tories have written to
@HSBCUKBusiness
to call for the bank to unfreeze
@tedhuichifung
bank account & failing that issue a statement on the evidence they have against him.
In a tough week for the China watching community in the UK, a huge victory for a year long cross-party campaign spearheaded by the fearless
@DavidAltonHL
to ban
#Hikvision
#Dahua
cameras from the public sector supply chain.
❌Won’t take 🇨🇳 to court over its breaches of the Joint Declaration.
❌Won’t sanction 🇭🇰 officials guilty of human rights violations.
❌Won’t bring sitting UK judges home.
❌Won’t help frontline activists not covered by
#BNO
Visa Scheme.
🇬🇧 standing by its commitments to
#HK
. 🙄
The erosion of liberty in Hong Kong is an affront to freedom and democracy.
🇬🇧 continues to make clear our opposition to the National Security Law & stands for right for people to live free from oppression. Read our six-monthly report on Hong Kong 🇭🇰 👇
He noted that China’s recent targeting of him has come after he published a report on modern slavery and ensuring supply chains are free of the products of forced labour. This “shows what they really mean when they invoke national security,” he said. .
Arrests in
#HongKong
this morning under colonial-era sedition laws, &
@HonSocGraysInn
hosting former
#HK
Chief Justice Geoffrey Ma this evening who spoke on “fearless advocates” & claimed that 47 lawmakers/activists will get a fair trial under the National Security Law.
Yesterday Hong Kong’s daily COVID case numbers stood at 78, down from 149 on 30th Jul. Significantly lower than the case numbers when N Macedonia, France, Singapore, Poland, & Serbia all recently held elections. Further proof that postponing LegCo has 0 to do with public health.
Analysis: Why Hong Kong's decision to suspend the Legislative Council elections is unnecessary, & an assault on freedoms.
Other countries w/ higher reported daily COVID case numbers & total COVID cases show that elections can be safely held.
Read more:
Starmer’s statement cements the growing-cross party consensus on China. It is remarkable to think less then 6 months ago no party was suggesting a repparaisal of the UK’s relationship with the CCP. Today it is one of the few things all sides agree on.
A new low for Hong Kong, HKSAR seeks to outlaw criticism of government officials. Because if they can’t avoid being criticised for running the most open, international city in Asia into the ground, they can at least try to silence dissent.
It’s hard to see how Hong Kong can remain a serious international finance hub 💵, when Beijing 🇨🇳 has the power under the National Security Law to freeze the assets of individuals at the stroke of a 🖊 for the ‘crime’ of criticising the regime.
#HK
#NSL
#BREAKING
: Hong Kong Security Bureau has frozen Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai’s personal assets and his share in Next Digital, evoking Article 43 of the Beijing-imposed national security law, reported local media. It is said to involve a minimum of HK$300 million (US$39 million).
Former Lord Chancellor and Shadow AG
@LordCFalconer
calls for David Perry QC to withdraw from prosecuting HK pro-democracy activists: “He cannot continue in that role and remain consistent with the values of the UK.”
According to British intelligence agency MI5, more than 20,000 people in the UK alone have been approached over professional networking sites like LinkedIn by Chinese spies to cultivate a relationship.
It’s been another tough week in Hong Kong with more activists charged, as authorities continue their attempts to silence dissent. I was fortunate enough to raise
@HK_watch
‘s concerns with
@VICE
.
‘🇨🇦, alongside 🇬🇧, 🇺🇸, 🇦🇺, 🇳🇿 , and 🇪🇺 must use this moment to make it clear that Lam and her family will not be able to use foreign bank accounts, property, passports, or hidden wealth to retire abroad.’ Important piece by
@jooeysiiu
PM 'must impose sanctions' on China over Hong Kong says over 100 UK parliamentarians in a letter led by former Governor Lord Patten and coordinated by Hong Kong Watch.
#Magnitsky
🤔 The HK police budget rose by 59% this year, but violent crime is also up almost 50%? Where exactly are the huge rises in funding for the police we’ve seen over the last four years in
#HK
going?
#Transparency
#Corruption
Commentators are rightly noting the muted silence from the EU regarding the arrest of 53 individuals in Hong Kong. If you haven’t already, it’s worth reading this article I wrote a few days ago, discussing whether Chinese investment has compromised the EU when it comes to HK.
"The European Union’s response to the human rights crisis in Hong Kong has been muted at best." HKW Senior Policy Adviser
@SamGoodman22
latest on whether the EU has been compromised by strategic dependency on China.
The time has come for EU Member States to live up to previous promises and urgently introduce an international lifeboat scheme to allow young Hong Kongers to work and study in Europe, as a viable insurance policy against a further crackdown on their rights
Important campaign launch from
@hk_watch
. Following the closure of
#StandNews
its the responsibility of all of us to fight for
#PressFreedom
in
#HK
. We hope lawmakers in 🇬🇧, 🇺🇸, 🇨🇦, 🇩🇪, 🇪🇺, & 🇦🇺 will make this a priority in the weeks and months ahead.
This is complete insanity! At a time when China is crushing dissent in Hong Kong. EU member states are ratifying extradition treaties with the PRC. 🤦♂️
"China has expanded its pursuit of overseas fugitives... China recently ratified an extradition pact with Cyprus and the top legislative body in Beijing is set to approve a similar one with Belgium next week."
@VincentVQ
‘Tomorrow is a day to remember those who died at the hands of the tanks, a day to be thankful for the liberties we have, and a day to stand in solidarity with those being repressed as we speak.’ Fantastic by
@Johnny_HKWatch
on why 🇬🇧 must stand up for HK
Great to see
@hk_watch
latest research into Canada’s largest pension funds being invested in Chinese companies complicit in human rights violations mentioned in
@TorontoStar
editorial calling for providers to consider human rights/China as an ESG issue.
The UK Gov rolls out the red carpet for HK’s city minister & sends a trade Minister to visit HK, the HK national security police respond by issuing arrest warrants and bounties for 8 HK activists living in the UK & elsewhere. So much for a resetting of relations?
“Too many among the political & business elites have naively considered the CCP & 🇨🇳 SOEs as benign, welcoming unprecedented levels of 🇨🇳 investment into strategic sectors of our economy.” HKW Patron
@DavidAltonHL
speaking in a debate on the security challenges posed by 🇨🇳.
🇬🇧 has over a million
#Hikvision
cameras in hospitals, schools, government departments, local councils, & supermarkets. We need a plan to remove them & join 🇺🇸 in sanctioning
#Hikvision
& making their participation in the UK history.
HK Gov about to sack close to 130 civil servants for refusing to pledge allegiance to Beijing as part of the National Security Law.
#NotAllHeroesWearCapes
Canada updates it’s travel advice for
#HongKong
. Warning Canadians that they could be subject to exit bans and blocked from leaving the city under the new Immigration law.
Canadians in
#HongKong
: the Immigration (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 came into force on August 1. Under this amendment, individuals, including foreigners, might be unable to leave the territory.
Full details here:
Seems like a sure way to get tens of thousands of
#HongKongers
protesting on the streets of London against a man who has spent the last three years cracking down on human rights & making them political refugees. .
Really, really disturbing.
Local media reporting that imprisoned HK activists are being subjected to "de-radicalisation" programs to inculcate "correct values".
中共政府晌新彊用嘅手段開始晌香港實行。
If the Chinese state is banning Premier League football matches being shown on its state tv as a puntitive response to the UK Government standing up for Hong Kong. Should Chinese billionaires, who are incidentally supporters & members of the CCP own Premier League football clubs?
China just announced that from tomorrow, CCTV will cease showing Premier League matches (seemingly in response to growing tensions between Beijing and London/Washington)
Nothing says the UK Gov cares about breaches to an international treaty, mass arrests of political prisoners, & the dismantling of democracy, like sending Investment minister Lord Dominic Johnson to
#HK
to beg for trade & investment deals with
#HKSAR
. 🤦♂️
We won’t be cowed into silence.
@hk_watch
will double down & work even harder to ensure every Hong Konger has a lifeline out of the city, HK officials responsible for the destruction of the city are held to account, & every political prisoner is released.
“The national security law seeks to censor the best in us and the best of us, we cannot allow it to stop us speaking out for political prisoners in
#HongKong
.” Pleasure to speak at today’s rally for
#47Democrats
#politicalprisoners
in
#HK
.
Just received a Property Restraint Order against me, my wife and my mother under the evil Hong Kong National Security Law. Now we cannot deal with any of our assets in Hong Kong (even we don't have much left), for no reason. This is political persecution taken to the extreme.
Your daily reminder that
#JohnLee
was educated in 🇦🇺, held 🇬🇧 citizenship until 2012, his family may still hold 🇬🇧 citizenship, & likely has 💰 accounts, 🏡, & other assets in the
#West
. It’s worth remembering when he talks about “external threats” or “foreign forces”.
Great to hear
@SKinnock
@UKLabour
raising the need for the Government to review the current Magnitsky sanctions regulation to ensure that Hong Kong and Chinese officials responsible for the National Security Law can be sanctioned by the UK Government.
Shadow Minister for Asia and the Pacific
@SKinnock
calls for a "fundamental reset" in UK-China relations and supports
#IPAC
calls for the broadening in scope of Magnitsky legislation to sanction government officials responsible for abuses in Hong Kong, Tibet and Xinjiang.
Amazing and rather emotional to see
#HongKongers
resettling in the UK and immediately starting work in the
#NHS
caring for others. Dr Kevin Li, we are lucky to have you.
#Welcome
#BNO
As ever
@lisanandy
is 💯on the money with this. We desperately need a full audit of the UK-China relationship, which reveals the extent of Chinese investment in the UK and links between ministers and CCP officials in the last decade.
Great to see the former President of the European Parliament
@Antonio_Tajani
calling for the EU to stand with Hong Kong and demand the release of
@joshuawongcf
& 2,000 + activists that have been jailed since June 2019 for protesting for democracy.
#StandWithHongKong
#Democracy
‘Rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait are not the result of a potential visit from a soon to be retired senior US politician, but rather fuelled by 🇨🇳 economic slowdown & Xi Jinping’s calculation that reunifying 🇹🇼 by force will deliver a crown for life.’
Embarrassing to see
#EU
officials & MS posing for photos & lunching with
#HK
#CE
John Lee, a man
#sanctioned
for human rights violations. They should be spending their time monitoring political prisoner trials, rather than lunching with Mr Lee & offering
#HKSAR
a propaganda coup.
“Pleased to join fellow EU Member State Consuls-General for a lunch hosted by CE John Lee and his team for an exchange of views on political and economic issues.” -
@tgnocchi
🚨 Some personal news. Tomorrow will be my last day
@hk_watch
after nearly four years. I will be stepping down to take a newly created role as Senior Director of Policy
@CSRI_UK
. 🧵
If reports in Germany are true that Angela Merkel in her call with Xi Jinping failed to raise the plight of the Uyghurs or the crisis in Hong Kong, then this is a particularly depressing setback for European leadership in championing human rights.
In
#Hongkong
werden demokratisch gewählte Abgeordnete abgesetzt und verhaftet. In
#Xinjiang
werden mehr als eine Million Menschen ohne Haftbefehl interniert und gefoltert.
#Tibet
erlebt eine neue Welle der Gewalt.
All das geschieht auf Bestreben von Xi Jinping. Dazu kein Wort
'Under the agreement, China is being asked to pledge to subscribe to the International Labour Organisation's rules on forced labour', I'm sure the CCP which has enslaved over a million Uyghurs & Tibetans will get right on that. 🙄
“Many people in Hong Kong fear their way of life is under threat. If China proceeds to justify their fears, then Britain could not in good conscience shrug our shoulders and walk away.”
@BorisJohnson
3 June 2020. UK Gov today can help HK
#BNO
children by adopting
#GreenAmendment
Just a reminder that several EU countries including France 🇫🇷 , Belgium 🇧🇪 and Portugal 🇵🇹 have extraditions treaties with China 🇨🇳. Until they are suspended, continental Europe will remain a dangerous place for Hong Kong activists.
British government contacted me & other activists who were advocating for Magnitsky sanctions against Hong Kong officials to avoid traveling to countries with Hong Kong extradition treaties to avoid getting ensnared in China’s new national security law
It is bittersweet on a day like today, but I am so proud to work for
@hk_watch
& to be part of the parliamentary & civil society alliance that got
#BNO
expansion for those born after 1997 across the line today. The Gov has accepted the
#GreenAmendment
.
My latest piece. ‘The sad truth is that many of the financial institutions that were not predicting coordinated Western sanctions on Russia or a military invasion Ukraine are heavily exposed to Chinese markets.’
Policy is never made in a vacuum & the most senior 🇬🇧 diplomat in
#HK
doesn’t given an exclusive interview without sign off from
@JamesCleverly
. In my view poorly timed coming less than 48hrs after
#HKSAR
announce plans to abolish local elections in HK .
‘The real question is how long will it take for the fictionalized version of Hong Kong in the minds of the U.K. legal establishment to hit the cold hard realities of Beijing’s rule.’
@denniswhkwok
& I discuss UK legal community’s blind spot over HK
#Article23
security law adopted today is:
- A further breach of 🇨🇳 obligations to 🇬🇧 under the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
- Anti-foreign business.
- Anti-foreign government.
- Anti-free press.
- Anti-open & transparent 💰 markets.
- A new tool for transnational repression.
Statement: A dark day for Hong Kong with the closure of its major pro-democracy newspaper.
Beijing's closure of Apple Daily is an all-out assault on press freedom in Hong Kong
We stand with Apple Daily.
The whole rationale for the BNO visa scheme is humanitarian and a response to the deterioration of human rights in HK, so how have we ended up in an absurd situation where the UK Government is refusing to help young Hong Kongers who are most at risk of arrest under the NSL?
Really important article by
@benellery
. Why are we allowing 🇨🇳 to build a new embassy in the former Royal Mint building opposite tower bridge, on a major transport junction already congested ,& next to a telecommunications exchange?
In a room full of some of the most prominent 🇬🇧 judges & lawyers I was the only one who raised the state of the rule of law in
#Hk
& the NSL cases. Sums up the depressing state of affairs.
Couldn’t agree more. Today’s verdict makes claims that Hong Kong’s judiciary is independent or that it continues to have the rule of law look laughable. It seeks to outlaw a pro-democracy slogan and open the way to prosecute anyone guilty of uttering or displaying it.
The first National Security trial verdict "sets a grim precedent that will open the path to further arrests, prosecutions, and political trials", says
@benedictrogers
.
Our statement on today's judgment.
In my latest piece of analysis for
@hk_watch
, I’ve tried to answer the topical question of whether Chinese investment is compromising the EU? Worth reading the thread for key points.
"The European Union’s response to the human rights crisis in Hong Kong has been muted at best." HKW Senior Policy Adviser
@SamGoodman22
latest on whether the EU has been compromised by strategic dependency on China.
Yesterday three of the largest public Canadian pension funds managing over a trillion 💵 gave evidence to the Canada-PRC relations committee on their investments in 🇨🇳, exposure to forced labour in
#Xinjiang
, ESG, &
#humanrights
. 🧵 CCPIB, CDPQ, & PSP.
‘The destruction of Hong Kong’s autonomy may be written off as a fait accompli by some, but the blocking of pension assets out of the city should render more outcry’. My latest for
@Diplomat_APAC
.
This simply isn’t true. The EU has caved on human rights & forcing China to ratify core ILO forced labour conventions. Giving up any leverage it had over China in return for what?
This Agreement will uphold our interests & promotes our core values. It provides us a lever to eradicate forced labour. We are engaging with China to:
🔹Protect our climate under
#ParisAgreement
🔹Promote rule-based multilateralism
Statement ⤵️
V concerning news for the viability of
#HK
as a global financial centre. Removing basic requirements to flag business risk investing in Chinese equities & bonds is a step backwards, & a clear sign that
#PRC
will expand its due diligence crackdown to
#HK
.
Great to see 🇩🇪 🇨🇿 🇮🇹 🇦🇹 🇸🇪 🇫🇷 & 🇪🇺 diplomats observing the trial of
#47
, but where are the other 21
#EU
MS? Rather poor showing given that all EU MS in July 2020 agreed in a Council Resolution to observe high profile
#NSL
trials in
#HK
.
8/ Representatives from the UK, US, Sweden, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Italy, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, European Union, and France were also among those queuing up outside the court building.
In the Q&A (before I was ceremoniously told to shut up) I asked Geoffrey whether he agreed that the 47 deserved a jury trial, the right to bail, & that the press should be able to cover the trial. he declined to comment.
By the end of year over 100,000 Hong Kongers will have taken up the UK Government’s offer to move to the UK to work and live. Why? Because the crackdown on human rights in Hong Kong continues.
#Lifeboat
#BNO
Nearly 90,000 Hong Kong residents have applied to come to live and work in the UK under a visa programme which sets them on a pathway to citizenship after five years
This is outrageous. Western Governments need to demand tech companies come clean, if they are secretly collaborating with China by handing over user data in Hong Kong they are actively supporting the arrest of pro-democracy activists under the National Security Law.
For my latest analysis I took at look at the UK’s bilateral investment treaty with China and the increasing amount of Chinese state investment going to devolved and regional level largely unchecked by UK local authorities. SPOILER: our investment treaty is not fit for purpose.
"Chinese-backed companies like Huawei can take the UK to court if they feel that it has introduced laws that directly harm its profits."
British Parliamentarians should review the UK's bilateral investment treaty with China, writes
@SamGoodman22
It’s taken a lot of work to get 🇬🇧 Government to this place. Let’s hope in the weeks ahead they finally introduce proposals to expand the
#BNO
scheme for those born after 1997.
As others have stated, this performative nonsense from Carrie Lam would be more believable if she and other Hong Kong officials hadn’t sent their children to be educated at UK, US, Canada, Australian, and European universities. 🙄
Important intervention from
@DavidLammy
Labour’s Shadow Foreign Sec calling for a complete audit of the UK-China relationship. Couldn’t agree more, current government UK-China policy is collapsing under the weight of its contradictions.
Despite mass arrests of pro-democracy candidates and activists this month, it appears
@eu_eeas
has dropped Hong Kong from the agenda of today’s meeting with the EU 27 FM.
#standingupfordemocracy
#eupriorities
Today HR/VP
@JosepBorrellF
chairs the Foreign Affairs Council. On the agenda:
📌 Last events in Russia
📌 Relations with Turkey
📌 Climate Diplomacy
📌 EU strategy on COVID19 vaccines
📌 Situation in Horn of Africa
📌 Relations with Japan
📌 Cooperation with UK
#FAC
Honoured to be quoted by
@RadioFreeAsia
on why MPs need to do the right thing and get behind the
#GreenAmendment
@DamianGreen
which will ensure Hong Kongers born after 1997 have access to the UK
#BNO
visa scheme.
If Beijing is now issuing arrest warrants for Danish MPs (for the crime of inviting a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist to Denmark), how can the EU with a straight face sign an investment treaty with China?
#humanrights
In crazy non-US news, pro-China Hong Kong officials have issued Intl arrest warrants for Danish MPs
@uffeelbaek
and
@Ammitzboell_K
for their role in helping a HK activist into Denmark
Huge shout out to my colleague in 🇺🇸
@jooeysiiu
on her 🎂. She has done so much in few years to ensure that
#Congress
remains focused on the human rights crisis in
#HK
. I couldn’t think of a better representative of our work in
#DC
. I hope you have a great day! 🎈 🎈 🎈
🎂 Happy Birthday , Joey
@jooeysiiu
, Hong Kong Watch Policy Advisor in 🇺🇸 Washington D.C.
🌟Joey has testified recently in the U.S. Congress and spoke at the
#genevasummit2022
.
Fascinating to see
#Hikvision
a 🇨🇳 surveillance technology firm blacklisted in US for its links to internment camps in
#Xinjiang
privately lobbying MPs to water down the
#ProcurementBill
.
Great to hear that Canadian MPs are planning to investigate the need for an international lifeboat scheme for Hong Kongers leaving the city as a result of the National Security Law.
Over 200,000
#HongKongers
have left
#HK
through 🇬🇧
#BNO
Visa & 🇨🇦
#OpenWorkPermit
.
Today’s expansion of Stream B Pathway offering
#HKers
more time & less obstacles to settle in 🇨🇦 is a recommitment that we will continue work to ensure every
#HKer
has a lifeboat out of the city
Today, in a very welcome move, Canada has announced the expansion of the Stream B Pathway for
#HongKongers
, allowing those who have moved to 🇨🇦 under the Open Work Permit more time to qualify for the necessary points to gain permanent status
‘By one figure, China and Hong Kong together accounted for nearly 90 percent of global chip exports to Russia in the period between March and December 2022.’