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TOKYO: G7 Foreign Ministers today accused China of oppressing dissenting voices and opinions in Hong Kong, and called on the Chinese authorities to respect fundamental rights and freedoms in the former British colony.

“We are united in expressing our grave concerns at the Chinese authorities’ decision fundamentally to erode democratic elements of the electoral system in Hong Kong. Such a decision strongly indicates that the authorities in mainland China are determined to eliminate dissenting voices and opinions in Hong Kong,” the G7 ministers and the High Representative of the European Union said in a joint statement

China’s top legislature, the National People’s Congress (NPC), on Thursday adopted a decision “on improving” the electoral and political systems. The Law on Safeguarding National Security in the island was adopted in June 2020.

The package of changes approved by the National People’s Congress, combined with mass arrests of pro-democracy activists and politicians, undermines Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy under the “One Country, Two Systems” principle.

It will stifle political pluralism, contrary to the aim of moving towards universal suffrage as set out in the Basic Law. Furthermore, the changes will reduce freedom of speech which is a right guaranteed in the Sino-British Joint Declaration, said the foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

The statement sent a strong message to China “not to silcnece the people of Hong Kong but entrust them to cast their votes in the best interests of Hong Kong as discussion of differing views is the way to secure the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong.
 
“We call on China to act in accordance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration and its other legal obligations and respect fundamental rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, as provided for in the Basic Law. We also call on China and the Hong Kong authorities to restore confidence in Hong Kong’s political institutions and end the unwarranted oppression of those who promote democratic values and the defence of rights and freedoms.”