HONG KONG: Washington’s top diplomat in Hk said China should not be “terrified of dissenting opinions” as he used a farewell talk on Monday (Jul 11) to rebuke Beijing’s crackdown upon freedoms in the business center.
Hanscom Smith’s three-year term as consul general was caught within mounting challenges as Beijing and Washington took opposing edges on the city’s huge, sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in 2019.
China enforced a sweeping national security law over the city following the protests and Washington implemented sanctions against best Hong Kong officials. US officials confirmed privately that since then town officials refused to meet with Smith.
The consul general complained that regimen diplomatic activities had been characterised as “interference” and diplomats are actually threatened under the security law.
“Strong nations are not terrified of dissenting opinions. An exchange associated with views is not collusion. Attending an event is just not interference. A handshake is not ‘a black hand’, ” Cruz said in his goodbye speech at the American Chamber of Business in Hong Kong.
He reaffirmed that Washington did not assistance Hong Kong independence plus “we simply inquire Beijing to… give the city the autonomy Beijing promised”.
Since its handover to China in 1997, Hong Kong continues to be governed under a “one country, two systems” principle agreed by Britain and Tiongkok and codified within the city’s mini-constitution.
Under it, The far east promised to allow Hk to keep its capitalist system, independent judiciary, a high degree of autonomy and certain protections rarely enjoyed for the mainland, for fifty years.
But the security law plus ensuing political crackdown have profoundly changed Hong Kong’s politics landscape.
“No other major worldwide business centre has witnessed such a substantial erosion in the politics environment in such a short time of time, ” Cruz said.
Beijing said the law had been necessary for safeguarding nationwide security and falsely accused “hostile external forces” – in particular the United States – and “anti-China elements in Hong Kong” of colluding to instigate secessionist protests in the city.
Chinese Leader Xi Jinping, during a rare visit to Hong Kong to celebrate the 25th anniversary from the handover on Jul 1, said the city had been “reborn in the fire” and the regulation had “turned mayhem into stability”.