The Hong Kong protestors are standing up for democracy. Britain must support them
4 min read
China is riding roughshod over the ‘one country, two systems’ agreement. It is our duty to respond, writes Catherine West MP
In 1997, after the handover of sovereignty, many assumed that Hong Kong would receive very little attention from Britain for the next 50 years. The Sino-British declaration guaranteed that the territory would enjoy a “high degree of autonomy” from Beijing, and that its social and economic systems and lifestyle would remain unchanged long after the last governor left.
For the first few years this seemed true, with Hong Kong rarely breaking into the news cycle here in Britain, Beijing respecting the spirit of the joint declaration, and Hong Kong maintaining its status as an important economic hub in the global economy.
This summer of escalating protests and the heavy-handed response of the police has put an end to those illusions.
Increasingly the British Government is being called on to respond to developments in Hong Kong by voices here in the UK and residents of Hong Kong itself. Some Hong Kong residents have started to gather outside the British consulate, calling for the Government take firmer action against perceived Chinese meddling in the territory, and demanding that they stand up for the rights of British national overseas passport holders, many of whom consider Britain to have abandoned them.
The Union Flag has been adopted by some as a symbol of defiance and resistance, and is routinely seen scattered around the marches which block central Hong Kong.
Although the protests this summer stemmed from concerns about a controversial extradition bill, they have morphed into a greater movement for civil liberties and democracy, with the protestors’ demands now including universal suffrage and independent investigations into the response of the Hong Kong police force.
At the centre of it all is the sense of increasing Chinese incursion on Hong Kong’s political freedoms guaranteed by the internationally recognised Sino-British treaty.
When considering Britain’s response to the ongoing situation in Hong Kong and our responsibilities to its residents I often think back to the late Robin Cook who, during his time as Labour’s foreign secretary, declared that the end of British administration in 1997 would not mean the end of Britain’s commitment to Hong Kong.
Our deep history and cultural relationships – as well as the ongoing business and trade links – will forever tie Hong Kong and Britain together as partners, and as such gives Britain a unique perspective with which to respond to the ongoing events in the territory.
However, as Brexit continues to be all-consuming in Westminster, it is questionable how far Britain will go to stand up for the rights and freedoms which Hong Kong deserves.
Leaving our biggest trading partnership for an uncertain economic future will undoubtedly lead some in Whitehall to prioritise economic stability over diplomatic principles, and the huge trade opportunity offered by China will weigh heavily on the minds of many.
Already the signs of shifting priorities are there; in response to my urgent question on 26 September, the foreign secretary merely stated that he had spoken to Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, in “recent weeks” – hardly signalling the protests in Hong Kong are a high priority for this Government.
The next few months, with Brexit reaching its climax, will decide so much about not only our domestic future but also our place in the world. Despite dark times in our history, Britain does have a track record of standing up for democracy, liberty, the rule of law and human rights.
Whether that continues will be tested in our response to the evolving situation in Hong Kong, and will be judged on our resolve to hold the Hong Kong government and Beijing to account for the rights enshrined in the joint declaration.
Catherine West is Labour MP for Hornsey & Wood Green and patron of Hong Kong Watch
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