Hong Kong: China

(asked on 24th November 2020) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Six-monthly Report on Hong Kong 1 January to 30 June 2020, published on 23 November, and the three breaches of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration by the government of China, what steps they are taking to work with international partners to implement coordinated sanctions against those responsible for such breaches.


Answered by
 Portrait
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This question was answered on 8th December 2020

We continue to bring together our international partners to stand up for the people of Hong Kong, to call out the violation of their freedoms, and to hold China to their international obligations. As the Foreign Secretary made clear in his foreword to the Six-monthly Report on Hong Kong, the international community has been vocal in setting out its concerns about Hong Kong. On 6 October at the UN General Assembly Third Committee, the UK worked with 38 countries to issue a statement urging the relevant authorities to guarantee the rights protected under the Sino-British Joint Declaration. On 18 November, the Foreign Secretary released a statement with his Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and US counterparts, urging the Chinese central authorities to re-consider their actions against Hong Kong's elected legislature.

On 6 July, the Government established the Global Human Rights ('Magnitsky') sanctions regime. It would not be appropriate to speculate who may be designated as to do so could risk the impact of future designations. To list someone under this regime involves building an evidence base to identify accurately and responsibly those involved, and that can be a long and complex process.

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