編按：英國時間11月6日下午2時，在倫敦的港人亦在倫敦英國外交及聯邦事務部外，舉行反對人大釋法集會，並促英國政府審視中國政府履行《中英聯合聲明》的情況。
UK government should re-examine the implementation of Sino-British Joint Declaration on HK
Demand the NPCSC to stop interpreting Basic Law
Sunday, 06 November 2016
A protest took place outside the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on Sunday, 06 November 2016 at 2pm, with Hongkongers and concerned friends of other backgrounds coming from all around the UK. The protesters expressed concern that amidst the economic aftermath of Brexit, the UK government choose to favour economic ties with China over the Rule of Law, a core value of British society, which it bestowed to Hong Kong when under British Colonial rule. The Chinese Government is disregarding and dismissing UK’s role and rights in overseeing the “One Country, Two Systems” post-colonial Hong Kong, while it is dealing the greatest blow to Hong Kong’s judicial independence and most blatant violation to the “One Country, Two Systems”.
Demand the NPCSC to stop interpreting Basic Law
Two HK young localist lawmakers were not allowed to deliver their oath to take up their places in the legislative council as the HKSAR government brought a judicial review on the powers of the Legislative Council President and demanded the court to strip them of their seats. However, The National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NSPSC) of the Chinese government announced that they would interpret Article 104 of the Basic Law on Monday, skipping over the case procedure by the Hong Kong court, as the NSPSC’s interpretation would be final and binding. The NSPSC’s determination to ban elected pro-independence voices through direct intervention by preemptive interpretation would not only violate the judicial procedure stated in the Basic Law (that NSPSC should only proceed to interpret if asked by Hong Kong Department of Justice), but also deprive local courts’ adjudication right. It is destroying confidence in the judiciary and is detrimental to the Judicial Independence that is rightfully guaranteed to Hong Kong by the British under the “One Country, Two Systems” framework.
UK government should re-examine the implementation of Sino-British Joint Declaration on HK
Moreover, The NPCSC’s interpretation is not solely a domestic matter of Hong Kong, it also jeopardizes the conditions laid down in the Sino-British Joint Declaration, an international treaty. It clearly states that “The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will be vested with executive, legislative and independent judicial power, including that of final adjudication.” The UK government has the absolute duty to re-examine the implementation of Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong.
Amidst the economic aftermath of Brexit, we are afraid that the UK government is turning a blind eye to the Chinese infringement of the Declaration. It is deeply worrying should the UK government choose to favour economic ties at the cost of the rule of law, democracy, and human rights. In this light, statements about the importance of Hong Kong to the UK in the “Six Monthly Report on Hong Kong,” that “Hong Kong remains of great importance to the UK,” are hypocritical lies that amount to nothing.
Hence, we came together, in solidarity with thousands who took to the streets in Hong Kong in protest to such unjust intervention, to express our solemn condemnation towards China and solemnly demand that the UK government to uphold their promise, re-examine Chinese compliance to the Sino-British Joint Declaration, and stop such kowtowing to the Chinese Communist Party at the expense of fundamental justice. We are calling for the international community to come together and stand in solidarity against the Chinese Communist Party’s political suppression and interference in Hong Kong.