Hong Kong crisis: UK PM Johnson urged to form global alliance over China security law

In a bid to coordinate the response to the China-Hong Kong crisis, seven former UK foreign secretaries reportedly urged Prime Minister Boris Johnson to form a global alliance. While China is facing mounting criticism over a planned security law for Hong Kong, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab reportedly said that the United Kingdom would not turn a blind eye. In a reported letter to the PM, the cross-party group of former cabinet ministers said that the British government must be seen to lead the international response, as many countries take their cue from Britain over its former colony.

Hong Kong was handed back to China from British control back in 1997, however, under a unique agreement. According to the deal, the former British colony enjoys some freedoms not seen in. Mainland China. While the rules are set out in a mini-constitution called the Basic Law, there are still fears that the new proposed security law could compromise some of the freedoms guaranteed by the initial Basic law. 

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As per reports, Jeremy Hunt, David Miliband, Jack Straw, William Hague, Malcolm Rifkind, David Owen and Margaret Beckett all expressed their concern at what they call China’s ‘flagrant breach’ of Sino-British agreements by imposing tough national security laws on the city. The former minister urged Johnson to set up an ‘international contact group’ of allies in a bid to coordinate any joint action. 

While speaking to an international media outlet, a Downing Street spokesman also insisted that the government was already playing a leading role with international partners in urging China to think again. Raab also reportedly said that the new security law ‘very clearly violates’ the autonomy that is guaranteed under Chinese law as well as that in the 1997 agreement. Furthermore, he reportedly also confirmed that Britain will allow those who hold British National (Overseas) passport to come to the UK and apply to study and work for an extendable 12-month period. 

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Taiwan to devise settlement plan

While the UK is ‘proving a path of citizenship’, Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen also said that she will devise a settlement plan for Hong Kongers who have been pushing for freedom and democracy. While taking to Facebook, Tsai Ing said that the country’s executive branch would devise a humanitarian aid action plan for Hongkongers as the city’s autonomy was being undermined. 

Moreover, Tsai also said that If the situation in Hong Kong worsens, and its autonomy and human rights are further suppressed, Taiwan will resolutely voice our concerns. She added that the country will continue to support Hongkongers’ determination to strive for democracy and freedom which are paramount to its peace and stability. 

(Image: AP)

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