The UK Foreign Office released a biannual report on Hong Kong on Thursday, reviewing various aspects of Hong Kong’s development in the first half of 2024. The report mentioned the Hong Kong government’s continued actions targeting any perceived threats to national security, which have damaged Hong Kong’s international reputation. This includes the implementation of the National Security Law and the ban on “Glory to Hong Kong” in March this year, urging the Chinese Communist Party and the Hong Kong government to abide by the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated in the report’s preface that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Sino-British Joint Declaration in 1984. The report highlights the continued violations of the Joint Declaration by the Chinese government, including using “national security” to harm Hong Kong’s international reputation. The attempts by the Hong Kong government to enforce national security laws extraterritorially have also raised concerns for the British government.
Lammy emphasized the long history between the UK and Hong Kong, describing Hong Kong as a unique city that can play a genuine global role. The UK government will continue to express concerns about any risks that could jeopardize Hong Kong’s future and support the people of Hong Kong in exercising their autonomy and freedoms.
The report extensively discussed the situation of Hong Kong’s judicial system, including the implementation of the National Security Law, commonly known as “Article 23,” in March this year. The report mentioned that at least 13 individuals were arrested following the law’s implementation, including activists based in the UK. This included the arrest of former vice-chairman of the League of Social Democrats, Avery Ng, and six others on the eve of the June Fourth anniversary.
Furthermore, the Court of Appeal approved the government’s interim injunction in May, prohibiting the dissemination of the protest song “Glory to Hong Kong.” The report also mentioned the case of Jimmy Lai and the resignations of two overseas non-permanent judges of the Court of Final Appeal, Jonathan Sumption and Lawrence Collins, in June this year.
The report also highlighted that since the anti-extradition movement in 2019, at least 10,000 individuals have been arrested. As of March 31 this year, 3,000 people have been prosecuted, with 3,200 individuals convicted. Currently, at least 7,000 arrestees are awaiting police investigations. In the case of the pro-democracy primaries, the report noted that only two defendants were acquitted, and the Department of Justice is appealing the acquittal of one of them. Meanwhile, 45 convicted defendants are still awaiting sentencing.
However, the report did not mention the spy case at the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London, where one suspect allegedly committed suicide in May this year.
In the concluding paragraphs, the report pointed out that according to the Sino-British Joint Declaration, the Chinese government pledged to uphold Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy and protect the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong under international conventions. The report highlighted that the implementation of the National Security Law in 2020 and the elimination of opposition figures from the Legislative Council in the following year have severely impacted the civil and political rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents. It warned that if the Hong Kong government continues to prioritize national security above all else, the freedom of the people of Hong Kong will continue to be overshadowed by the interests of the executive branch.
The report urged the government to ensure the residents’ basic rights while implementing national security legislation and emphasized that the UK, as a signatory of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, will continue to support the people of Hong Kong.