Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the (a) Hong Kong Chief Executive and (b) representatives of the Chinese Government on the Open Letter to Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam signed by 44 Parliamentarians and public figures from 18 countries.

​The Foreign Secretary has discussed our concerns directly with both the Hong Kong Chief Executive, Carrie Lam and to the Chinese Foreign Minister, State Councillor Wang Yi. The Foreign Secretary has used these opportunities to reiterate the UK position that meaningful and effective political dialogue is the only way to resolve the situation. Since the District Council elections in November, senior officials have remained in regular contact with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and the authorities in Beijing. The leadership in China and Hong Kong is in no doubt about the strength of UK concern over the current situation in Hong Kong, and our commitment to seeing the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Joint Declaration upheld.