Five eyes gravely concerned over Hong Kong LegCo election

The Five Eyes have condemned the ‘unjust disqualification’ of eligible candidates in Hong Kong’s postponed Legislative Council elections.

Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne speaks during a press conference at the US Department of State in July. Picture: AFP

The Five Eyes have united to condemn the disqualification of eligible candidates and the postponement of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council elections.

In a joint statement released overnight, Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne and her Canadian, New Zealand, UK and US counterparts expressed worry over the “disproportionate postponement of Legislative Council elections”.

“We express deep concern at Beijing’s imposition of the new National Security Law, which is eroding the Hong Kong people’s fundamental rights and liberties.

“We support the legitimate expectations of the people of Hong Kong to elect Legislative Council representatives via genuinely free, fair, and credible elections.”

The statement arrived as Chinese lawmakers convened to decide on the next steps after Hong Kong’s elections, scheduled for September 6, were postponed for a year due to coronavirus.

Urging China to adhere to “basic law”, the ministers called on the Hong Kong government to immediately reinstate the eligibility of disqualified candidates.

“These moves have undermined the democratic process that has been fundamental to Hong Kong’s stability and prosperity.”

Joint statement on #HongKong by the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, and the...

Posted by Australia in Hong Kong & Macau on Sunday, 9 August 2020

“Beijing promised autonomy and freedoms under the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ principle to the Hong Kong people in the Sino-British Joint Declaration, a U.N.-registered treaty, and must honor its commitments.

“We urge the Hong Kong government to hold the elections as soon as possible.”

With AFP