Japan considers the newly enacted Chinese law on national security in Hong Kong to be undermining the credibility of the "one country, two systems" principle, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said in a statement on Tuesday
TOKYO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th June, 2020) Japan considers the newly enacted Chinese law on national security in Hong Kong to be undermining the credibility of the "one country, two systems" principle, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said in a statement on Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, the highest legislative authority of China, the standing committee of the National Peoples' Congress, passed the draft law on national security in Hong Kong which criminalizes subversion, separatism, terrorism and collusion with third countries. Chinese President Xi Jinping enacted the law shortly later.
"The international community has been building ties with Hong Kong based on confidence in the principle of 'one country, two systems,' as per the 1984 UK-Chinese declaration, and this has led to Hong Kong's prosperity. The law's adoption undermines this confidence," Motegi said.
As conveyed by the foreign minister, Japan has called upon China to continue respecting and protecting the rights and activities of Japanese citizens and companies in Hong Kong as well as to respect the rights and freedoms of Hong Kongers.
Under the 1984 Joint Declaration of the United Kingdom and China, Hong Kong went under Chinese rule in 1997 as a special administrative unit whose citizens would enjoy exclusive political, economic and personal freedoms until 2047 under the "one country, two systems" concept.
The controversial legislation, which has triggered new waves of protests in Hong Kong and a backlash abroad over the 40 days it had been under review by Chinese authorities, has paved the way for Beijing to establish an agency in Hong Kong to supervise the implementation of new security provisions.
