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The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation (CFHK Foundation) joined over 20 organisations in a joint letter urging technology companies including Google, Apple, Twitter, Meta and Spotify to appear in court in Hong Kong to oppose the Hong Kong government’s injunction to ban the pro-democracy anthem Glory to Hong Kong everywhere in the world.
Although Glory to Hong Kong has reappeared on Spotify, it is outrageous that Western streaming platforms bowed to the Chinese Communist Party by deleting the song after Hong Kong authorities deemed it to be a national security threat. In the CFHK Foundation’s blog, Hong Kong artivist Catherine Li wrote, “My YouTube cover of Glory to Hong Kong, which is an alternative version with English lyrics rather than Cantonese, has over one million views and is also listed in the injunction application. I have never considered taking it down…How could I possibly remove a piece of powerful artwork that informs the world about the reality in Hong Kong?”
Mark Sabah, UK and EU Director for the CFHK Foundation, visited the Irish Parliament to discuss the Chinese Communist Party’s interference in Ireland. Senator Malcolm Byrne, pictured below, called for a debate in the Irish Parliament on Irish-China relations. Mark Sabah also joined John Mooney, host of The Dark State podcast, to call out Chinese influence operations in Ireland.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Xi Jinping in Beijing. Prior to his visit, the CFHK Foundation joined 41 other organisations in calling for Secretary Blinken to prioritise raising China’s human rights abuses during his visit. We welcome the US Department of State’s news that Secretary Blinken raised the Chinese Communist Party’s human rights violations, including those in Hong Kong, with Xi.
Last week, the European Parliament passed an Urgent Resolution calling for “the Hong Kong Government to immediately and unconditionally release and drop all charges against Jimmy Lai and all other pro-democracy representatives and activists who have exercised their freedom of expression and basic human rights.” Radio Free Asia Cantonese reported that Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC, lead international lawyer for Jimmy Lai, and Mark Sabah welcomed the Resolution and urged the Hong Kong government to respond by immediately releasing British citizen Jimmy Lai.
A Hong Kong court denied a bid from Jimmy Lai to prevent the national security police from searching his phones, which contain protected journalistic content. This is yet another blow to press freedom in Hong Kong and Mr Lai himself, a British citizen who has been behind bars for 905 days.
Hong Kong
A Hong Kong student who attended university in Japan was arrested in March for sharing social media posts, which allegedly had the “intention of bringing hatred against the Hong Kong and Chinese governments,” despite most of them being shared from abroad. Yuen Ching-ting’s case was heard this week. Although released on bail, she was ordered to delete the posts and barred from possessing devices with social media applications.
The Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute will toss out routine survey questions related to the Tiananmen Square Massacre and other sensitive topics following "suggestions" made by the Hong Kong authorities.
Hong Kong is offering a “raft of giveaways” from 1 July to mark the anniversary of Hong Kong returning to Chinese rule. John Lee warned Hong Kongers against “hijacking” the occasion.
UK-China Relations
A Hong Konger who escaped to Britain after being targeted by Chinese officials in Hong Kong seems to have received misleading advice from the UK Home Office, jeopardising her status in Britain while not being able to return home to Hong Kong.
EU-China Relations
The new Chinese Premier, Li Qiang, met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Despite Olaf Scholz increasingly viewing Beijing as a rival, he agreed to cooperate with China on economic and environmental matters and failed to mention the Chinese Communist Party’s human rights violations in Hong Kong and China during a press conference.
US-China Relations
A pro-Beijing political party from Hong Kong became the first political group to visit the US since the implementation of the National Security Law in June 2020.