27 countries made a joint statement to urge China to reconsider the imposition of the national security law for Hong Kong at UN Human Rights Council 44 on June 30, 2020.
We urge the Chinese and Hong Kong Governments to reconsider the imposition of this legislation and to engage Hong Kong’s people, institutions and judiciary to prevent further erosion of the rights and freedoms that the people of Hong Kong have enjoyed for many years.
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/un-human-rights-council-44-cross-regional-statement-on-hong-kong-and-xinjiang
27 countries are as follows (sort by region, in an alphabetical order):
- Asia Pacific: Australia, Japan, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, New Zealand, and Palau
- Europe: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Germany, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom
- Americas: Belize, and Canada
First of all, only Japan supports the statement in East Asia. South Korea didn’t join this, which was no surprise. Only Japan and Taiwan stands by Hong Kong people in the neighborhood. Taiwan is the only ally for Japan in East Asia who values int’l law, liberalism, and democracy.
Secondarily, Italy was not one of us either. Although all the other G7 members, UK, Japan, France, Germany and Canada; supports Hong Kong.
Thirdly, EU was not solid against China. You don’t see 12 names – Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia(aka Czech Republic), Greece, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain – out of its 27 members in the statement.
Fourth and last, you can see only 4 names in the statement from TPP11 (The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)) members. There is something Japan can do with other 7 members – Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam.
Just in case, as you may know, the United States of America had already left the council in 2018.
On June 30, 2020, I would say 29 nations said “NO” to China regarding Hong Kong. These 27 countries including Japan plus US and Taiwan makes 29. The resistance to China must go on.
By Shishi, Jushichi（四々縦七）
