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EU-CHINA-DIPLOMACY-TRADE NEWSERIES
EU warns China over Hong Kong security law
BRUSSELS, June 22, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – The EU on Monday warned China
it would face “very negative consequences” if it presses ahead with a
new security law for Hong Kong, stepping up pressure on Beijing over
the controversial legislation.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European
Council chief Charles Michel told China’s top leaders of their “grave
concern” over the new law, which critics say will curb the financial
hub’s autonomy and freedoms.
The stern message, delivered during a video summit with Chinese
President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, adds to a chorus of
international concern over Hong Kong, though so far Beijing has shown
no sign of backing down on a law it says is necessary to maintain
order.
“We expressed our grave concerns about the proposed national
security law for Hong Kong,” Michel told reporters after the talks.
“We called on China to follow the promises made to the people of
Hong Kong and the international community regarding Hong Kong’s high
degree of autonomy and guaranteed freedoms.”
Foreign ministers from the G7 group of industrialised nations last
week urged Beijing to reconsider the proposed law, which has raised
concerns it will end Hong Kong’s relative freedoms and open the door
to the kind of repression seen in mainland China.
Echoing the language of the G7 statement, von der Leyen said they
had made it clear to the Chinese that the EU believes the imposition
of the national security law breaches Beijing’s international
commitments.
“The national security law risks seriously undermining the ‘one
country, two systems’ principle and Hong Kong’s high degree of
autonomy, which we wish to see stay in place.”
Von der Leyen said that she had warned the Chinese leaders that
Hong Kong owes its economic success to its relative autonomy from
Beijing.
“So we also conveyed that China risks very negative consequences if
it goes forward with imposing this law,” she said.
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Under the “One Country, Two Systems” agreement made before Britain
handed the territory back to China in 1997, Beijing agreed to let Hong
Kong maintain certain liberties and autonomy until 2047 — including
legislative and judicial independence and freedom of speech.
But after a year of huge and often violent rallies that have
morphed into a popular call for democracy and police accountability,
Beijing says the new law is needed to end unrest and restore
stability.
– Cyber complaints –
China and the EU both profess to want to strengthen ties, but the
relationship is tangled in a thicket of disagreements on topics
ranging from trade and investment rules to human rights and national
security.
And Monday’s talks came against a backdrop of rising tensions and
increasing mistrust between Brussels and Beijing.
The EU has been angered by what it says is a significant Chinese
campaign of disinformation around the coronavirus epidemic, which
originated in China.
“We have seen cyber attacks on hospitals and dedicated computing
centres. Likewise we’ve seen a rise on online disinformation, and we
pointed out clearly that this cannot be tolerated,” von der Leyen
said.
The EU has in recent months sought to tread a delicate path with
China, characterising it as a “systemic rival” and competitor but also
as a partner on some issues.
But Monday’s statements were sharper and more critical in tone.
Up to now the EU’s efforts to stand up to Xi’s increasingly
assertive China have been stymied by a lack of unity among its 27
member states, many of which have been courted assiduously by the
Asian giant.
Going into the summit, Chinese officials grumbled about proposed
new EU legislation aimed at ensuring foreign firms backed by heavy
state subsidies do not distort competition in Europe.
There is particular concern about Chinese companies swooping in to
buy European companies weakened by the coronavirus-triggered
recession.
Specifically targeting China’s global reach, the EU on Monday last
week imposed an unprecedented tariff on Chinese subsidies to
exporters, but not those in China itself.
After the summit, von der Leyen said there needed to be “more
ambition” from the Chinese side to conclude a stalled investment
agreement.
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