Published 11:33 IST, June 21st 2020
Hong Kong: Labour Unions, students fail to garner support for protests
Pro-democracy labour unions and a student group in Hong Kong have failed to garner enough support to hold strikes against looming national security legislation.
Pro-democracy labour unions and a student group in Hong Kong have failed to garner enough support to hold strikes against looming national security legislation imposed by Beijing. Anti-government protests in the city were started last year, however with constant arrests and failed approval from police, these protests have lost momentum. Authorities in Hong Kong have constantly forbidden mass gatherings and public rallies in a bid to stem the spread of coronavirus pandemic.
According to reports, a strike was planned later this month. However, the vote to conduct the strike saw participation by only 8,943, falling short of 60,000 thresholds to go ahead. Later, organisers of the vote revealed that 95 per cent of those participated were in favour.
Separately, secondary school students Action Platform reportedly admitted that it would not initiate a class boycott after they fell short of some of their targets of the in-person vote. According to reports, voting took place on June 20 and results were announced thereafter. The labour unions represented all business such as tourism, technology, aviation, construction technology etc. Most of the unions were formed after demonstrations started last year in a bid to unionise the laissez-faire, the city’s ultra capital financial hub.
Chine releases details of the legislation
Meanwhile, marking the most significant change in former British colony’s freedom since it came under Chinese rule in 1997, Beijing has reportedly said that the draft included a new national security office for the city with an agenda to put together the intelligence and handle criminal activities against the national security. The Chinese media also reported that the new controversial legislation is aimed to tackle the separatist activity, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with the forces of the foreign countries.
According to reports, administrative bodies in the city ranging from finance to immigration will be directly answerable to the central government in China. The details have been further criticised by the opponents who believe that this bill strongly threatens the promised autonomy of Hong Kong under which it came under China’s rule of ‘One Country, Two Systems’. Moreover, another Chinese media outlet had reported that Beijing was planning to hold the entire draft of the bill as more editing was expected in the upcoming weeks.
Image credits: AP
Updated 11:33 IST, June 21st 2020