BERLIN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st July, 2020) The European Union countries need to act as one when dealing with China and act swiftly on the issue of Hong Kong in light of Beijing's freshly-enacted national security law, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Wednesday, describing the situation as the first test of the bloc's unity in the current global power struggle.
On Tuesday, the standing committee of China's legislature voted unanimously in favor of the national security bill, sparking a firestorm of negative comments from the Hong Kong opposition as well as Western officials, who claim it would undermine the city's autonomy guaranteed during its transition from the United Kingdom to China. By Tuesday evening, Chinese President Xi Jinping signed the bill into law.
"On the issue of China, it is important for us to act as the European Union and not seek individual paths. This is an example that demonstrates the competition of major powers - the US, Russia, China - in which we live. The only way for us to highlight our interests and values is to do it as the Europeans. On its own, each [of us] is too small for that. Perhaps, China would become the first challenge on that front," Maas told Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen broadcaster.
He also expressed concern regarding the Hong Kong situation, adding that "the European Union has to take swift and clear steps" in this regard.
The new legislation bans separatist, subversive and terrorist activities, along with any form of foreign interference in Hong Kong. The move is supported by the Hong Kong leadership but has been met by a wave of protests in the city, as residents fear their rights may be infringed. According to Beijing, the new security law aims to punish illegal activities in the city without harming the existing democratic freedoms of locals.
