NEWSLETTER: CFHK President Mark Clifford visited the UK this week, meeting with Scottish politicians, activists and journalists
Welcome to the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong (CFHK) weekly newsletter.
Every week, this newsletter will bring you the latest updates and developments concerning freedom in Hong Kong.
Every week, this newsletter will bring you the latest updates and developments concerning freedom in Hong Kong.
Committee News
Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong (CFHK) President Mark Clifford visited the UK this week, travelling to Edinburgh and London. Mark met with Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), civil society groups, and journalists to discuss our campaign to free political prisoners in Hong Kong as well as the need to protect Hongkongers in Britain from harassment by the Chinese Communist Party and its United Front Work Department. CFHK welcomed the opportunity to speak with numerous MSPs about the situation in China and Hong Kong, how Scotland can do more to address these issues, and where the Scottish government can make more of an effort to welcome British National Overseas (BNO) settlers and protect their freedom of speech.
Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong (CFHK) President Mark Clifford visited the UK this week, travelling to Edinburgh and London. Mark met with Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), civil society groups, and journalists to discuss our campaign to free political prisoners in Hong Kong as well as the need to protect Hongkongers in Britain from harassment by the Chinese Communist Party and its United Front Work Department. CFHK welcomed the opportunity to speak with numerous MSPs about the situation in China and Hong Kong, how Scotland can do more to address these issues, and where the Scottish government can make more of an effort to welcome British National Overseas (BNO) settlers and protect their freedom of speech.
Mark also had discussions with MSPs and government officials on how the Scottish Government can better welcome Hongkongers into Scotland, especially now that the BNO scheme has been widened to include younger Hongkongers. CFHK looks forward to working closely with MSPs on equality, human rights, and anti-racism in the future.
As part of the trip, CFHK also sat down with Hamish Morrison, a political correspondent at The National, to discuss the crackdown on democracy and how Scotland can become a “safe haven” for Hongkongers fleeing the city. Mark stated, “the world is ‘moving into an illiberal period’ following President Xi Jinping’s brutal attacks on liberals in Hong Kong” and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Read the full article here (£/$).
Mark was also featured in The Scotsman following his discussion with Jane Bradley on Scotland’s relationship with Hong Kong and China, his meetings with MSPs to discuss BNOs settling in Scotland and protecting their freedom of speech. Mark said, “Scotland actually has an outsized role to play, the historic ties are very strong… Scottish people-built Hong Kong and I think now Scotland is a very important future welcoming point for Hong Kong people.” He continued, “We want to encourage those ties, but also encourage a real watchfulness in terms of ensuring that the norms of an open society aren’t subverted, as they have been in so many places.” Read the full article here (£/$).
As part of the trip, CFHK also sat down with Hamish Morrison, a political correspondent at The National, to discuss the crackdown on democracy and how Scotland can become a “safe haven” for Hongkongers fleeing the city. Mark stated, “the world is ‘moving into an illiberal period’ following President Xi Jinping’s brutal attacks on liberals in Hong Kong” and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Read the full article here (£/$).
Mark was also featured in The Scotsman following his discussion with Jane Bradley on Scotland’s relationship with Hong Kong and China, his meetings with MSPs to discuss BNOs settling in Scotland and protecting their freedom of speech. Mark said, “Scotland actually has an outsized role to play, the historic ties are very strong… Scottish people-built Hong Kong and I think now Scotland is a very important future welcoming point for Hong Kong people.” He continued, “We want to encourage those ties, but also encourage a real watchfulness in terms of ensuring that the norms of an open society aren’t subverted, as they have been in so many places.” Read the full article here (£/$).
Prisoners of Conscience
Hong Kong Free Press reported that Beijing condemned the proposed changes to the BNO immigration route, which would allow more Hongkongers the ability to move to the UK. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in Hong Kong, the UK government “grossly” interfered in its international affairs and warned that “British repeated manipulation of BNO scheme is damp squib and will backfire.”
Pro-democracy activist Tam Tak-chi was found guilty of eleven charges, including sedition under the National Security Law. Hong Kong Free Press noted that Tam, who was arrested in 2020, was the first person to stand trial for sedition since the city’s handover to Beijing in 1997. The National Security Law has annihilated democracy and freedoms in Hong Kong and has put people behind bars for simply expressing concerns. As quoted by Tam, “liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our time.”
News outlets reported that Paul Harris, one of Hong Kong’s most prominent British lawyers and former chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association, left Hong Kong following police questioning on his “anti-China” criticism of the National Security Law. The Times reported that “Harris was instrumental in defending some of the first Hongkongers to be arrested under the new regime and refused to act for the state.” On his appointment as the Bar Association’s chairman, Harris had told the media, “I am worried Hong Kong’s freedom will not continue. I will try to protect freedom in Hong Kong. I don’t know if I will succeed.”
In Other News
In weakening the “US-led liberal order,” China is careful to uphold its pro-Russia neutrality even though a new world order would benefit Beijing, but politics, as always, is the priority. “This means that it could accept some economic disruption and continue to publicly support Russia – a marriage of convenience – for the sake of a political objective,” wrote Vincent Ni in The Guardian.
A piece from The Telegraph claimed to find evidence of emerging cracks in the authoritarian Sino-Russian relationship, with Beijing seeking to maintain relations with the West despite its political ties. The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China’s offshore units have halted the issuing of dollar-denominated letters of credit for Russian physical commodity exports and Bank of China has cut down on funding.
Newsweek reported on the latest in China’s attempt to turn the tables on the human rights debate with the publication of its “Report on Human Rights Violations in the United States.” The report states that the US abused sanctions and force, and violated human rights in other countries, catalyzing a “new humanitarian crises across the globe.” Beijing uses these reports to try to shift attention away from its human rights violations in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong.
The Guardian reported Chinese officials knew of Russia’s planned invasion of Ukraine, and asked the Kremlin to wait until after the Games had concluded.
About the CFHK
Hong Kong Free Press reported that Beijing condemned the proposed changes to the BNO immigration route, which would allow more Hongkongers the ability to move to the UK. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in Hong Kong, the UK government “grossly” interfered in its international affairs and warned that “British repeated manipulation of BNO scheme is damp squib and will backfire.”
Pro-democracy activist Tam Tak-chi was found guilty of eleven charges, including sedition under the National Security Law. Hong Kong Free Press noted that Tam, who was arrested in 2020, was the first person to stand trial for sedition since the city’s handover to Beijing in 1997. The National Security Law has annihilated democracy and freedoms in Hong Kong and has put people behind bars for simply expressing concerns. As quoted by Tam, “liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our time.”
News outlets reported that Paul Harris, one of Hong Kong’s most prominent British lawyers and former chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association, left Hong Kong following police questioning on his “anti-China” criticism of the National Security Law. The Times reported that “Harris was instrumental in defending some of the first Hongkongers to be arrested under the new regime and refused to act for the state.” On his appointment as the Bar Association’s chairman, Harris had told the media, “I am worried Hong Kong’s freedom will not continue. I will try to protect freedom in Hong Kong. I don’t know if I will succeed.”
In Other News
In weakening the “US-led liberal order,” China is careful to uphold its pro-Russia neutrality even though a new world order would benefit Beijing, but politics, as always, is the priority. “This means that it could accept some economic disruption and continue to publicly support Russia – a marriage of convenience – for the sake of a political objective,” wrote Vincent Ni in The Guardian.
A piece from The Telegraph claimed to find evidence of emerging cracks in the authoritarian Sino-Russian relationship, with Beijing seeking to maintain relations with the West despite its political ties. The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China’s offshore units have halted the issuing of dollar-denominated letters of credit for Russian physical commodity exports and Bank of China has cut down on funding.
Newsweek reported on the latest in China’s attempt to turn the tables on the human rights debate with the publication of its “Report on Human Rights Violations in the United States.” The report states that the US abused sanctions and force, and violated human rights in other countries, catalyzing a “new humanitarian crises across the globe.” Beijing uses these reports to try to shift attention away from its human rights violations in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong.
The Guardian reported Chinese officials knew of Russia’s planned invasion of Ukraine, and asked the Kremlin to wait until after the Games had concluded.
About the CFHK
- CFHK presses for political and economic consequences for China's failure to keep its promises to respect Hong Kong's freedoms; supports the rule of law, freedom of expression, and the release of political prisoners.
- It urges the business and political community to stand against China's assault on freedom, which also imperils Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre.
- Hong Kong's fate is linked to the preservation of freedom, democracy, and international law in the region and around the world.