CANBERRA, Australia (AP) – Foreign ministers from Australia, the United States, Britain and Canada issued a joint statement on Sunday expressing “serious concern” about the arrest of 55 democracy activists and supporters in Hong Kong last week.
Prisons were by far the biggest measures taken under a national security law that China imposed on semi-autonomous territory just over six months ago.
“It is clear that the National Security Act is being used to eliminate opposing political differences and opinions,” said the four foreign ministers.
The Chinese and Hong Kong governments say the law is necessary to restore order in a city that was rocked in 2019 by months of often violent protests against the government demanding more democracy.
“We are shocked by the comments made by some foreign government officials who seemed to suggest that people with certain political beliefs should be immune from legal sanctions,” said the Hong Kong government in response to the chancellors’ statement.
Most prisoners last week had participated in an unofficial primary for a legislative election that was later postponed. The authorities claim that the primaries were part of a conspiracy to take control of the legislature in order to paralyze the government and force the city’s leader to step down.
The 55 were not charged and all but three were released on bail pending further investigation. Convictions can disqualify them from running for office.
The four chancellors said the next legislative election should include candidates representing a variety of political views. Only half of the city’s legislature is elected by popular vote.
“We call on the central authorities in Hong Kong and China to respect the legally guaranteed rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong, without fear of arrest and detention,” they wrote.
The declaration was signed by Marise Payne from Australia, François-Philippe Champagne from Canada, Dominic Raab from the United Kingdom and Mike Pompeo from the United States.
Separately, Pompeo announced on Saturday that the US is lifting long-standing restrictions on how its diplomats and others have contact with their counterparts in Taiwan, an autonomous island that China says it should be under its rule.
Actions in Taiwan and Hong Kong will undoubtedly infuriate China, which sees these actions as foreign interference in its internal affairs.
The Trump administration, which is in its final days, is also sending Kelly Craft, its ambassador to the United Nations in Taiwan later this week. China harshly criticized the next visit, while the Taiwanese government hailed it.