US Congressman Chris Smith says that Xi Jinping’s assault on Hong Kong democracy activists is the latest example of the Chinese Communist Party’s cruelty and weakness.

Jul 1, 2020 | News

US Congressman Chris Smith says that Xi Jinping’s assault on Hong Kong democracy activists is the latest example of the Chinese Communist Party’s cruelty and weakness.

Chris Smith

At a congressional hearing today, Rep Chris Smith (R-NJ), author of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act – and one of the most faithful and consistent advocates for human rights in the US Congress –  said “the great people of Hong Kong had a sweeping, draconian, anti-democracy policy imposed upon them yesterday—the so-called National Security Law.”

Smith said, “President Xi Jinping has today massively broken his government’s solemn promise embedded in the Basic Law and in an internationally recognized  treaty—the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration—to respect the human rights of the people of Hong Kong and to assure a high degree of autonomy.”

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had made those commitments as part of the deal to convey Hong Kong from the United Kingdom back to China.  The treaty was supposed to be enforce for 50 years—until 2047.

According to Smith, the new law includes severe criminal penalties aimed at Hong Kong democracy activists including “collusion” with lawyers, human rights organizations, journalists, academicians and lawmakers outside of China.

Xi Jinping’s assault on Hong Kong democracy activists is the latest example of the Chinese Communist Party’s cruelty and weakness. The genocide against  Muslim Uighurs, the pervasive use of torture throughout China, forced abortion and gendercide, and worsening religious persecution underscores the pathetic state of human rights abuse by Xi and his government, ” Smith said

It is now likely that the CCP will jail and torture Hong Kong human rights activists for simply meeting with or for being in contact with members of the U.S. Congress,” Smith said.  “This perverse violation of free speech and association must be fought with sanction and other tools,” he added.

The law also authorizes China’s national security agencies to enhance their presence in Hong Kong.  Smith said that is the “harbinger of more violence against democracy activists.”

Secretary of State Michael Pompeo certified on May 27 Hong Kong was no longer entitled special treatment under U.S. law because of its’s diminished autonomy.

 

Lord David Alton

For 18 years David Alton was a Member of the House of Commons and today he is an Independent Crossbench Life Peer in the UK House of Lords.

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