Canada 'Concerned' By China's Move To Outlaw Hong Kong Secession - Trudeau

Canada 'Concerned' by China's Move to Outlaw Hong Kong Secession - Trudeau

Canada is concerned by the recent developments in Hong Kong after Beijing moved to ban secession and foreign interference in the special administrative region, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday

TORONTO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd May, 2020) Canada is concerned by the recent developments in Hong Kong after Beijing moved to ban secession and foreign interference in the special administrative region, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday.

"We are concerned with the situation in Hong Kong," Trudeau told reporters.

Earlier, during its annual congregation, the National People's Congress (NPC) proposed legislation to ban "separatist, subversive and terrorist activities" along with any form of foreign interference in Hong Kong.

The prime minister also reaffirmed Canada's support for the "one country, two systems" policy that has existed since Hong Kong and Macau come under Beijing's control in the late 1990s.

According to Trudeau, more than 300,000 Canadian citizens reside in Hong Kong. Canada, he added, is closely monitoring the situation.

Earlier on Friday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged China to withdraw the proposed legislation.

The NPC is expected to vote on the bill at the end of the annual session, which began earlier on Friday and is expected to wrap up on May 28.

The city has been gripped by violent protests since June. Numerous demonstrators initially took to the streets to protest a proposed extradition bill, but riots continued and became violent even after the unpopular measure was withdrawn in October. Beijing has said that the situation in Hong Kong was the result of foreign interference in China's domestic affairs and expressed full support for the local authorities to avert violence and restore order.