US Secretary of State Antony Blinken denounced China for undermining the independence of Hong Kong’s courts, as the State Department released a new report condemning Beijing’s crackdown on dissent in the Asian financial center.
(Bloomberg) — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken denounced China for undermining the independence of Hong Kong’s courts, as the State Department released a new report condemning Beijing’s crackdown on dissent in the Asian financial center.
The US has previously focused criticism of China for suppressing free speech, targeting journalists and civil society groups and denying Hong Kong residents the right to freely select their leader. Blinken’s comments on Friday underscored growing criticism that a legal system that helped make the city a hub for multinational firms has been harmed by efforts to quash the democracy movement that led to massive, sometimes-violent protests in 2019.
“The People’s Republic of China continues to erode Hong Kong’s judicial independence and the rule of law,” Blinken said in a statement. “This past year, PRC and Hong Kong authorities have further criminalized dissent, undermining the human rights and fundamental freedoms of people in Hong Kong and dismantling the city’s promised autonomy.”
His comments accompanied a State Department annual report that detailed how it said Hong Kong authorities continued to wield a National Security Law imposed by Beijing in 2020 to erode the rule of law. Officials have continued to “arrest and prosecute people for peaceful political expression critical of the local and central governments, including for posting and forwarding social media posts,” according to the report.
The Chinese embassy in Washington didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Blinken’s critical comments, and the detailed report, come as Hong Kong’s China-picked leader John Lee attempts to revive the city’s reputation as an Asian finance hub following the dismantling of Covid—related travel restrictions that kept the city isolated during the worst of the pandemic. Part of Hong Kong’s longstanding appeal to international business is the historic reputation of the city’s courts, which are distinct from courts in China that are effectively controlled by the Communist Party.
The criticism will only add to ongoing US-China tensions over everything from US efforts to curtail the flow of advanced semiconductors to China to the “transit” this week through the US of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen, whose expected meeting in California with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has prompted threats from Chinese officials.
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