UK lambasts China for undermining Hong Kong's autonomy with lawmakers' disqualification

United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Thursday, vember 12, lambasted China for disqualifying elected legislators in Hong Kong and once again undermining financial capital's high degree of automy. Raab alleged that China's imposition of new rules to disqualify elected legislators in Hong Kong constitutes a clear violation of legally binding Si-British Joint Declaration. Raab furr asserted that UK will stand up for people of Hong Kong, and call out violations of ir rights and freedoms.

"China has once again broken its promises and undermined Hong Kong's high degree of automy. UK will stand up for people of Hong Kong, and call out violations of ir rights and freedoms. With our international partners, we will hold China to obligations it freely assumed under international law," Raab said in a statement.

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UK Foreign Secretary's reaction came after four Hong Kong opposition lawmakers were disqualified with immediate effect on Wednesday after National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) passed a controversial resolution on lines of national security law, according to South China Morning Post reports. Furrmore, statement by Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) declared that  decision is part of a pattern apparently designed to harass and stifle all voices critical of China's policies.

"We judge that this decision breaches legally-binding Si-British Joint Declaration. It breaches both China's commitment that Hong Kong will enjoy a 'high degree of automy' and right to freedom of speech guaranteed under Paragraph 3 and Annex I of Declaration,"  statement fur ded.

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Hong Kong legislators disqualified on Wednesday were Civic Party's Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu, Kwok Ka-ki and Dennis Kwok, alongside Kenneth Leung of Professionals Guild. All lawmakers were previously barred from running in w-postponed Legislative Council elections that were originally scheduled for September. four were originally disqualified in July from contesting elections which were subsequently postponed for a year by government due to  coronavirus pandemic. 

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China Terms Hong Kong Legislative Council Internal Matter

After lawmakers' disqualification, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin on vember 11 intensified pressure on pro-democracy movement and said that matter was an internal affair of China and country should intervene. 

While speaking at a conference, Wang said, "I would like to stress that Hong Kong is a Special ministrative Region of China, and qualification of HKSAR LegCo (Legislative Council) members is purely an internal affair of China. or country has right to make irresponsible remarks or intervene in matter."

Foreign Ministry spokesperson furr claimed that decision to disqualify opposition lawmakers was a necessary step to uphold and improve "one country, two systems" principle, implement that Basic Law and Hong Kong national security law and maintain rule of law and constitute an order. Wang ded that those who break law "must be held accountable" which is basic principle of any law-based society. 

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(With ANI inputs; Im-AP)