Form a dedicated committee to keep an eye on Hong Kong, politicians and civic groups urge British lawmakers

British lawmakers should task a dedicated parliamentary committee with scrutinising any encroachment on Hong Kong’s freedoms and autonomy, the city’s former No 2 official Anson Chan Fang On-sang and a number of groups have said. The recommendation was made by the former top official, the Civic Party, the Hong Kong Journalists Association and a coalition of 45 civic rights groups in response to a committee inquiry under the House of Commons. Since Hong Kong’s handover from British rule to China in July 1997, the British foreign secretary has submitted a written report about Hong Kong to parliament, assessing the latest situation in the autonomous city. The MPs however do not have a specific committee to regularly debate Hong Kong, although they can raise oral or written questions with officials. Politicians from both sides of divide nurturing international contacts In the United States, aside from a Department of State report, a committee under Congress also scrutinises Hong Kong’s human rights situation in an annual report about China. The Chinese and Hong Kong governments have both opposed the British and US reviews, and warned that foreign governments should not interfere with internal affairs. Citing a number of political controversies including the disqualification of lawmakers and the ban on the Hong Kong National Party (HKNP), the groups from Hong Kong said the British government had a role under the Sino-British Joint Declaration to monitor the implementation of the treaty and raise its voice regarding any contravention. In the declaration, which led to Hong Kong’s handover, Beijing promised Hong Kong would enjoy a separate system to the rest of China, and that the city’s capitalist system and way of life would remain unchanged until 2047. Chinese ambassador to UK summoned over barred British activist In her written submission, Chan argued that the ban on the HKNP and subsequent expulsion of veteran British journalist Victor Mallet, who hosted the party’s leader during a lunch talk, showed the Hong Kong government “no longer cares what the rest of the world thinks”. “The above examples indicate all too clearly that it is not proving possible for the British government to protect entirely the rights and freedoms [the Joint Declaration] is intended to safeguard,” Chan wrote last month. “We strongly recommend assigning responsibility for monitoring of Hong Kong affairs to a committee separate from the current All Party Parliamentary China Group that can give these important issues the full attention they merit.” She was referring to the bipartisan delegation of British MPs that is typically responsible for liaising with their Chinese and Hong Kong counterparts. The Civic Party said political sagas in recent years highlighted the urgent need to incentivise Beijing to stick to its promise. British foreign secretary urged to discuss Hong Kong human rights with Beijing “If China’s unwillingness to abide by the Joint Declaration remains unchecked, it could put Hong Kong’s human rights in jeopardy,” the organisation said. The party, the Hong Kong Journalists Association and the Progressive Lawyers Group have all called for a dedicated committee in the British parliament to monitor the implementation of the Joint Declaration, and to produce reports regularly. In addition, the Hong Kong UPR Coalition and London-based advocacy group Hong Kong Watch also proposed inserting a clause stating that respect for human rights and the legally binding nature of the Joint Declaration would be “essential elements” of any Britain-Hong Kong free trade agreement. The coalition said the proposal had been made due to the “deteriorating human rights environment” in Hong Kong and would help hold the city’s government accountable against its international rights commitments and support for the rule of law. One political scientist however was sceptical about the chances of MPs giving their blessing to the proposal, especially when Britain was caught in the middle of Brexit. Ex-British foreign minister, US senator urge action on Hong Kong visa refusal Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute, did not feel parliament would establish a new committee specifically on the implementation of the Joint Declaration, “as this is not something that is catching the imagination of MPs at the moment”. “Under the Joint Declaration, Britain has a continuing obligation to the people of Hong Kong and Anson has every right to make the suggestions she has. But how to fulfil this obligation is ultimately a matter for the British government and parliament. How much effect Anson’s request will have – time will tell.”