Political situation
Written by: Luo Kunyi
2020-10-28 19:19
Last update date: 2020-10-28 19:19
The former convener of "Student Dongyuan" Zhong Hanlin and two former members were arrested by officers of the National Security Department of the police yesterday (27th). The police accused the three persons on suspicion of posting content on online social platforms about inciting others to split the country, violating the "Hong Kong National Security Article 21 of the Act.
It is reported that before Zhong Hanlin was arrested, he planned to apply for political asylum at the US Consulate in Hong Kong. A few hours after his arrest, another four Hong Kong residents requested to enter the US consulate to seek political asylum, but were unable to enter.
Since the anti-amendment turmoil, the United States has successively passed the Democratic Human Rights Act and the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, and sanctioned 11 officials including Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor. Many demonstrators regarded the U.S. government as an "international sibling." Why this time the US Consulate in Hong Kong refused 4 Hong Kong citizens to seek political asylum?
Liu Zhaojia, vice chairman of the National Hong Kong and Macau Research Association, analyzed that the US move was based on political value considerations. Unless it is necessary, there is no need to get angry. It was an unknown social activist that touched China’s nerves and risked being asked by China to close the US Consulate in Hong Kong and Macau. risks of.
After the United States asked China to close the Consulate General in Houston earlier, public opinion in the Mainland was boiling, and finally Beijing countered and closed the US Consulate General in Chengdu.
If the issue of Hong Kong people seeking political asylum today becomes a situation where the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau will be closed, it is no small matter for the United States.
The United States has played a very special role in the relationship between the Mainland and Hong Kong, and the consulate in Hong Kong and Macau is an important base for the United States to operate in the Asia-Pacific region. The United States will never accept the outcome of the closure.
The U.S. does not want the consulate to become a place for "harboring Hong Kong independents"
It is reported that at least one of the four Hong Kong residents who requested to enter the US consulate to seek political asylum faces charges related to the anti-amendment turmoil last year.
However, after the anti-amendment turmoil, people with similar backgrounds are like the sands of the Ganges. If the United States rashly sets a precedent for asylum in Hong Kong, the consequences will be significant. If the asylum applicants are not well-known, they will be unknown on the international political stage, which is nothing to the United States. Political value. At the same time, the United States is also worried that once the "central door opens", in the future, countless people suspected of violating the national security laws of the Hong Kong area or facing litigation will rush to imitate it, and the US consulate may become a "hospice for dissidents."
Liu Zhaojia said that in the past, consulates of various countries often had "entry but no exit". Once political asylum was accepted, asylum seekers generally lived in the consulate. After many negotiations, the incident could be resolved or the asylum seeker could be "driven away."
Therefore, the United States does not want the US consulate to be labeled as a place for "harboring Hong Kong solitary elements," nor is it willing to bear the charge of "rescuing fugitives who endanger national security."
He pointed out that if the United States reaches out to Hong Kong demonstrators, it will make China more firmly believe that the United States is the "man behind the riots" in Hong Kong.
U.S. acceptance of asylum application is equivalent to accusing the Hong Kong government of "human rights violations"
According to the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees), refugees include those who have fled their home countries because of persecution for their political opinions and "and because of this fear they are unable or unwilling to return."
When someone seeks asylum in another country, they have the right to submit an asylum application to confirm their refugee status and obtain legal protection. Asylum seekers must prove that they "have a legitimate reason to fear persecution in their own country."
Regarding the issue of "refugee" status, Liu Zhaojia pointed out that most Western countries will not easily accept Hong Kong people seeking political asylum. At present, there are only a few successful examples, which are special circumstances.
Because accepting an asylum application is equivalent to "accusing" the applicant's local government.
It can be seen from this that if the United States is allowed four people to enter the consulate, it will clearly indicate that the Hong Kong government "violates human rights and freedom.
So far, the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong has not formally responded to the incident, saying only that it has no information to provide at the moment. In addition to "no comment," it also faintly reveals the feeling of "being out."
The U.S. presidential election will be held next week. At this sensitive moment, I believe the U.S. hopes to avoid a diplomatic disturbance.
It is rumored that Zhong Hanlin was arrested while seeking political asylum. Liang Meifen: Police outside the consulate can enforce the law
Reports allege that after Zhong Hanlin was arrested, four people rushed into the US consulate to seek political asylum. The US collar: no information yet
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