China no longer compliant with Hong Kong Joint Declaration, says UK
14 March, 2021
China is now no longer compliant with Hong Kong's Joint Declaration after Beijing announced sweeping alterations to the region's electoral program, the United Kingdom said on Saturday (Mar 13).
In a statement, the British foreign ministry explained: "The UK nowadays considers Beijing to be in a state of ongoing non-compliance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration."
The treaty was signed before Britain handed again Hong Kong to China in 1997, and was made to allay fears about its future under Beijing's rule.
It guarantees the financial hub particular status including a high level of autonomy to control its affairs and the proper to freedom of speech.
But Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that Beijing's decision "to impose radical alterations to restrict participation in Hong Kong's electoral program" was a "further sharp breach" of the agreement.
"That is part of a good pattern made to harass and stifle all voices critical of China's policies and may be the third breach of the Joint Declaration in under nine months," he said.
"I must now record that the UK considers Beijing to maintain circumstances of ongoing non-compliance with the Joint Declaration," he added, further ramping up tensions between the two nations.
Britain is a strong critic of China's crackdown on activists in Hong Kong, and angered Beijing by announcing a new visa scheme offering an incredible number of its residents a good pathway to British citizenship.
The system went reside in January as the city's former colonial grasp opened its doorways to those attempting to escape China's crackdown on dissent.
Beijing on Thursday approved new guidelines that provide it powers to veto prospects running found in Hong Kong since it moved decisively to dismantle the city's democratic pillars.
Raab said the maneuver was a "demonstration of the developing gulf between Beijing's guarantees and its actions".
"The UK will continue to operate for the people of Hong Kong," he said.
"China must act in accordance with its legal obligations and respect fundamental rights and freedoms in Hong Kong."
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