'Immediately reinstate': Five Eyes press China to reverse ban on Hong Kong legislators

China has been pressed by the Five Eyes intelligence sharing group to revoke the ban on pro-democracy legislators in Hong Kong. In a joint statement, the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and the United States said that Chinese Communist Party’s move of disqualifying the lawmakers in the former British colony is a clampdown on critics and urged Beijing to overturn the ban. While China has continued to increase its control over Hong Kong, the pro-Beijing lawmakers in the city expelled four opposition members from its legislatures just last week after China gave the authority. 

“We urge the Chinese central authorities to re-consider their actions against Hong Kong’s elected legislature and immediately reinstate the Legislative Council members,” foreign ministers from Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and the United States said in a joint statement.

China’s latest move on Hong Kong also triggered widespread protests along with mass resignations by Hong Kong’s pro-democracy opposition lawmakers. It also raised further concerns over former British colony’s autonomy being in danger under the ‘One Country, Two Systems’. In the same light, the five countries said, “China’s action is a clear breach of its international obligations under the legally binding, UN-registered Sino-British Joint Declaration.”

Read - US House Passes Resolution Condemning China's 'human Rights Abuses' In Hong Kong

Read - 3 Former Pro-democracy Lawmakers Arrested In Hong Kong

China said ‘no country should interfere’

After disqualifying four lawmakers from Hong Kong's Legislative Council, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin on November 11 intensified pressure on the pro-democracy movement and said that the matter was an internal affair of China and no country should intervene. The pro-democracy legislators were disqualified with immediate effect after the National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) passed a resolution allowing local authorities power to unseat politicians without having to go through the city's courts.

While speaking at a conference, Wang said, "I would like to stress that Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of China, and the qualification of HKSAR LegCo (Legislative Council) members is purely an internal affair of China. No other country has the right to make irresponsible remarks or intervene in the matter”. 

Read - Hong Kong Orders Building Inspections After Deadly Fire

Read - At Least 7 Killed In Fire At Hong Kong Apartment Building

Image: AP