National security law: Hong Kong took authoritarian turn in 2021 under Beijing-imposed legislation, EU says in annual report
- China’s foreign ministry office in the city and local authorities hit back at criticism, calling comments ‘unfounded’
- ‘Democracy, rights and freedoms are not a pardon for illegal and criminal activities, let alone an excuse to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries,’ office says
Hong Kong has taken “an authoritarian turn” with its fundamental freedoms further deteriorating in 2021 under the national security law, the European Union has said in an annual report, while state and city officials dismissed the criticism as “unfounded”.
In its yearly report on Hong Kong released on Friday, the EU said the “erosion” in 2021 of the city’s high degree of autonomy and its rights and freedoms protected under the Sino-British Joint Declaration until 2047 had “rapidly accelerated”.
Many political contacts and representatives of civil groups that the EU office used to meet had been reluctant to do so towards the end of 2021, it said, citing wariness over “collusion with foreign forces” under the Beijing-imposed security law.
“The 24th annual report comes at a time when fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong have deteriorated further,” EU top diplomat Josep Borrell wrote. “We witness continued shrinking space for civil society and the erosion of what was previously a vibrant and pluralistic media landscape.”
The report, reviewing Hong Kong’s political, social and economic development in 2021, was issued by the EU’s Commission and the High Representative in accordance with the commitment given to the European Parliament in 1997.
The part on political development had largely focused on the effects of the national security law on Hong Kong, which was implemented on June 30, 2020.
The legislation criminalises acts of succession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
