A former pro-democracy MP from Hong Kong says people there have become “upset” and “disappointed” because some fear the city has lost important freedoms.
The large-scale pro-democracy protests that shook Hong Kong in 2019 have largely calmed down, in part because of the outbreak. Covid-19 and the adoption of a controversial national security law last year.
Emily Lau, a former Democratic Party member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council, said some Hong Kongers now fear that “we have probably lost our freedom of expression, our freedom of assembly, our freedom of demonstration, perhaps not forever, but of many, many years. “
“And how upset and disillusioned the people of Hong Kong are,” Lau told CNBC’s Martin Soong on Tuesday.
Beijing bypassed the Hong Kong legislature to implement a national security law last year. Last month, China approved radical changes to Hong Kong’s electoral system, which critics said would hinder pro-democracy politicians.
These actions followed months of pro-democracy protests in 2019, which sometimes became violent. Chinese and Hong Kong authorities have said the changes will protect national security and stifle the anti-China movement in the semi-autonomous region.
“Rights and freedoms”
Hong Kong is a former British colony that was restored to Chinese rule in 1997. The Sino-British joint declaration signed before Hong Kong’s return said the city would have “a high degree of autonomy”, including independent legislative and judicial power.
“The rights and freedoms, including those of the person, of expression, of the press, of assembly, of association, of travel, of movement, of correspondence, of strike, of choice of occupation, of academic research and of religious faith shall be ensured by in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region “, the statement said.
But critics of China – which includes pro-democracy activists and governments such as the United States and Britain – have accused China of undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy.
Dozens of pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong have been arrested and charged under national security law. But Lau said, “I refuse to be intimidated into silence.”
“We want China to live up to the promises of the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law,” she said, adding that she and other activists are not seeking to overthrow the Hong Kong government or the Beijing central government.
The basic law is the Hong Kong mini-constitution, which enshrines the “one country, two systems” principle used to govern the city.
Beijing, for its part, said that national security law and Hong Kong’s electoral changes are in line with the “one country, two systems” framework.