National security adviser Robert O’Brien said on Sunday that the United States is “examining other options” after more than 50 activists were arrested in Hong Kong.
O’Brien classified the nearly 55 arrests last week, the largest mass prison since China instituted a new national security law in Hong Kong, as “politicized” and “the most recent of many successive nails that Beijing has placed in the Hong Kong’s coffin of democracy. ”
“The United States was the first major country with the courage and conviction to openly recognize the true nature of the CCP’s regime,” said O’Brien in a statement. “It is critical that nations around the world demand responsibility from Beijing.”
“The world cannot continue to pay high prices for its naivete and complicity with Beijing’s irresponsible and harmful practices – whether it is ending the rule of law in Hong Kong or not cooperating with health officials in the pandemic,” he continued. he. “The United States is looking at other options for responding.”
The national security adviser said President Trump
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American, Australian, Canadian and British authorities condemned the prisons on a joint declaration dated Saturday.
“It is clear that the National Security Act is being used to eliminate opposing political differences and opinions,” said diplomats. “We ask the central authorities of Hong Kong and China to respect the rights and freedoms legally guaranteed to the people of Hong Kong, without fear of arrest and detention.”
The joint declaration was signed by the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
Mike PompeoPompeo, Cruz and other Trump allies condemn President Sanders’ Twitter ban on defending Trump’s impeachment: the insurrection will not be tolerated Pompeo meets with Biden’s nominee for the state as part of the transition MORE, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, British Secretary of State Dominic Raab and Canadian Foreign Minister François-Philippe Champagne.
Most of the prisoners were detained because of their participation in an unofficial primary for a delayed legislative election, which officials said broke the law. All but three were released on bail, according to The Associated Press.
China supported the national security law last year, which was designed to criminalize foreign interference, subversion and secession. Western governments and Hong Kong activists have criticized the law, saying it undermines the “one nation, two systems” rule that China agreed to when it took control of Hong Kong in 1997.
Hong Kong officials criticized the joint letter from foreign officials, saying, “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.”
The national security law was passed more than a year after Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests rocked the city because of a withdrawn bill that would allow the extradition of suspects to China.