National Security Law a Severe Blow to Democracy in Hong Kong and the Region : EADF
TAIWAN:The East Asia Democracy Forum (EADF)
strongly condemns the passage on May 28 by the National People’s Congress (NPC)
of the People’s Republic of China of a resolution authorizing the imposition of
a national security law on Hong Kong. This move is a severe blow to democracy
in Hong Kong and indeed in the region as a whole.
Moreover, we recognize that the
Beijing regime’s harsh treatment of Hong Kong is closely connected to its
increasingly assertive campaign to weaken and undermine democracy in Asia and
beyond, through propaganda, corruption, and even military intimidation.
Therefore, the fate of Hong Kong is a matter of grave concern to all democrats
in the region.
Although the detailed content of the
law is yet to be released, the NPC’s resolution already confirms that it will
have a serious impact on the basic civil rights of people in Hong Kong,
especially their freedoms of speech and assembly. The people of Hong Kong have
depended upon these rights to protect their way of life on numerous occasions,
including blocking the dangerous extradition bill last year. The resolution
also clearly indicates that the central government intends to interfere
directly in Hong Kong’s judicial system and key policy areas such as the
content of education, and even establish new law enforcement agencies in Hong
Kong.
The fact that the NPC has bypassed
the legislative authority of the HK Legislative Council is a breach of the Basic
Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration. It violates the fundamental tenets
of “one country, two systems”: self-government by the Hong Kong people and 50
years of no change to their way of life. Not to mention that the NPC itself is
obviously a pure rubber-stamp body, with no democratic mandate. Therefore, this
law is completely lacking in legitimacy, and represents a rupture of the
constitutional order in Hong Kong.
As the people of Hong Kong once
again take to the streets in defense of their liberty, all East Asian democrats
must stand together with them in solidarity. They are proving once again that
democratic values are alive and well in our region, and cherished by people
everywhere.
Source: Taiwan Foundation For Democracy
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Source: Taiwan Foundation For Democracy
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