Beijing accuses the United States of interference after its criticism of Hong Kong’s offering of rewards to arrest exiled pro-democracy activists. China warns that it will not tolerate any intrusion into its internal affairs. Sino-American tensions are escalating against a backdrop of erosion of freedoms in Hong Kong…
A new episode has revived the already high tensions between China and the United States over Hong Kong. Beijing on Friday vigorously denounced American criticism of the Hong Kong police’s offer of rewards for information leading to the arrest of six exiled pro-democracy activists.
“We do not accept any interference” warns Beijing
“We urge the United States to fully respect China’s sovereignty and Hong Kong’s legal system,” said Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during a press briefing. “This is a necessary step to preserve national sovereignty,” she insisted, affirming that “the extraterritorial application of the Hong Kong national security law is fully in accordance with international law and practices common”.
This scathing response follows comments by American diplomatic spokesperson Matthew Miller, who on Thursday castigated an “ongoing campaign of transnational repression by the Hong Kong government”. Washington considers that this hunt for dissidents “threatens the sovereignty of the United States, the human rights and fundamental freedoms of people around the world”.
125,000 euros to denounce exiles
At the heart of this new skirmish: the announcement on Tuesday by the Hong Kong police of the issuance of international arrest warrants with rewards reaching one million Hong Kong dollars (nearly 125,000 euros) for any information that could lead to the arrest of pro-democracy activists in exile.
This third wave of “bounties” targets in particular five people accused of “incitement to secession” and “collusion” with a foreign country, as well as a 69-year-old YouTuber accused of “subversion”. Charges made possible by the draconian national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020 to muzzle any dissent in the former British colony.
Western countries called to react
Faced with these measures described as “cowardly acts of intimidation” by the NGO Human Rights Watch, the United States condemned “the efforts of the Hong Kong government to intimidate and silence people who have chosen to form States -Unite their country.” But Washington is not the only one in the dock.
HRW also called on the United Kingdom and Canada, where many Hong Kong opponents have found refuge, urging them to take a firm reaction. The two previous rounds of reward offers targeting exiled dissidents had already aroused the ire of Western countries, accused in return by Beijing of interference.
The noose tightens on pro-democracy people
Since the entry into force of the national security law, the noose has continued to tighten on the pro-democracy camp in Hong Kong. Most of its figures were imprisoned or forced into exile, like the six new “fugitives” in the police’s sights.
These “so-called democratic activists” have “long engaged in activities aimed at destabilizing Hong Kong, interfering in its development and disrupting its social stability”
Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
At the end of November, Hong Kong courts again sentenced 45 activists of the pro-democracy movement to sentences of up to ten years in prison. Mass arrests and trials which illustrate Beijing’s desire to eradicate any dissident voice in the territory.
Hong Kong, new front of Sino-American rivalries
Beyond the fate of Hong Kong opponents, it is China’s growing control over its semi-autonomous territory which is crystallizing tensions with Western countries. Washington has increased sanctions against Chinese and Hong Kong officials in recent years to denounce the erosion of freedoms in the former British colony, provoking the ire of Beijing.
The clash over this new “transnational repression campaign” once again demonstrates the deepening fault lines between China and the United States on the Hong Kong question. The two superpowers seem more than ever stuck to their antagonistic positions, at the risk of further inflaming their deep rivalries.
