democracY. human rights. rule of law.
THE COMMITTEE FOR FREEDOM IN HONG KONG (CFHK)
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Hong Kong and the future of freedom.
Hong Kong is on the frontline of China’s assault on freedom in the region and the world.
In 1997, when Hong Kong was returned to mainland communist rule, Hong Kong people were promised the freedom to run their city. Instead, the world is watching as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) destroys a free society. Events in Hong Kong must be understood as vitally important not only to its deserving people, but also to the contest between free and repressive regimes that is the challenge of our time.
In 1997, when Hong Kong was returned to mainland communist rule, Hong Kong people were promised the freedom to run their city. Instead, the world is watching as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) destroys a free society. Events in Hong Kong must be understood as vitally important not only to its deserving people, but also to the contest between free and repressive regimes that is the challenge of our time.
Broken promises.
China promised to respect Hong Kong’s autonomy, rights and freedoms and the rule of law in a 1984 treaty signed with the United Kingdom, and later, to allow the expansion of democracy. After steadily encroaching on Hong Kong’s autonomy over the past two decades, in July 2020 China imposed a harsh national security law on Hong Kong and now exercises virtual direct rule. Under the new law, the Party can label almost anything it wants as “subversion,” “separatism,” “terrorism,” or “foreign collusion.”
Hong Kong’s jails hold dozens of political prisoners. New police and legal units devoted to prosecutions under the act are undermining Hong Kong’s revered judicial system. The CCP has intervened to postpone elections to Hong Kong’s legislature, to reduce the number of democratically-elected seats, and to vet participants in politics and government for “patriotism” – a thinly-disguised requirement of loyalty to the Party. The “patriotism” litmus test also promises to end freedom in other areas, including academia and the media as the CCP continues transferring communist political culture to Hong Kong. Once-respected corporate standards of transparency are under attack as mainland business practices take hold.
Hong Kong’s jails hold dozens of political prisoners. New police and legal units devoted to prosecutions under the act are undermining Hong Kong’s revered judicial system. The CCP has intervened to postpone elections to Hong Kong’s legislature, to reduce the number of democratically-elected seats, and to vet participants in politics and government for “patriotism” – a thinly-disguised requirement of loyalty to the Party. The “patriotism” litmus test also promises to end freedom in other areas, including academia and the media as the CCP continues transferring communist political culture to Hong Kong. Once-respected corporate standards of transparency are under attack as mainland business practices take hold.
A dire situation.
China is targeting the people of Hong Kong for their determination, since the 1980s, to achieve full democracy which protects the rule of law. Hong Kong’s people have regularly voted by strong majorities for pro-democracy parties and politicians in the legislature, but the system designed by China condemns pro-democracy legislators to a minority. In 2014, peaceful student-led protests sought the democratic election of the city’s chief executive, as China promised. In 2019, more than one-fifth of the city’s 7.5 million people marched peacefully to defend the judicial system against a law that would extradite Hong Kong defendants to China for prosecution in mainland courts.
Hong Kong’s free press, judiciary, independent political parties, and free trade unions made the city so successful that the government proclaimed it “Asia’s World City.” Rather than continue to allow the freedoms that made Hong Kong a thriving entrepôt benefitting its people and the world, Chinese communist leaders are remaking it to serve the Party’s objectives.
China’s broken promises to Hong Kong are just one example of the CCP’s disregard for its commitments and international law. After Deng Xiaoping began an economic opening in 1979, Hong Kong’s rule of law and financial services were vital to China’s development. Having built up its economy and military, China is asserting itself globally and advancing anti-democratic norms around the world.
Hong Kong’s free press, judiciary, independent political parties, and free trade unions made the city so successful that the government proclaimed it “Asia’s World City.” Rather than continue to allow the freedoms that made Hong Kong a thriving entrepôt benefitting its people and the world, Chinese communist leaders are remaking it to serve the Party’s objectives.
China’s broken promises to Hong Kong are just one example of the CCP’s disregard for its commitments and international law. After Deng Xiaoping began an economic opening in 1979, Hong Kong’s rule of law and financial services were vital to China’s development. Having built up its economy and military, China is asserting itself globally and advancing anti-democratic norms around the world.
Our goals.
Hong Kong’s fate is linked to the preservation of freedom, democracy, and international law in the region and around the world.
We will:
We will:
- Press for political and economic consequences for China’s failure to keep its promises regarding Hong Kong’s freedoms.
- Support the rule of law, freedom of expression and the release of political prisoners.
- Urge the business community to stand against China’s assault on freedom, which also imperils Hong Kong’s status as an international center.
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