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Written by: Lin Yingxian
2021-03-18 12:24
Last update date: 2021-03-18 12:24
Relations between China and Australia continue to be tense. In response to the situation in Hong Kong, Australia has introduced preferential immigration measures for Hong Kong people. This has put the relationship between the two countries on the verge of freezing. Last year there was even pressure from Beijing and the delay in confirming its consular visa. The consul general was delayed for 8 months. Elizabeth Ward finally took office in October last year. She accepted an exclusive interview with "Hong Kong 01" this month. This was the first time she accepted a local media interview after taking over. She refused to disclose the reason for the delay in taking over, saying only that "Last year was very strange. In the past year, the world has been turned upside down."
Only 5 months after taking office, it was revealed that prisoners with foreign citizenship were required to choose their nationality. Instead of the practice that has been used for many years, Hua Yide pointed out that Australia was very concerned about the incident, criticized the Hong Kong government for not notifying the consulate in advance, and even mocked the Hong Kong government for "always She is proud of her excellent transparency.” She revealed that she still has contact with her citizens in custody, but considers this a potential crisis. She emphasized that the consular agreement between Australia and China covers Hong Kong and anyone who enters with an Australian passport can be consular. Services, if they are prohibited from contacting the consul, it is a violation of the agreement.
(Interview Series 2 of the Consul General in Hong Kong)
Hua Yide refused to explain the reasons for his delay in taking office, and only lamented that "last year was a very strange year." (Photo by Li Zetong)
Hua Yide: The world was turned upside down last year
The former Australian Consul General in Hong Kong, Peng Langning, left his post in February last year and returned to his hometown in Australia. Hua Yide has immediately come to Hong Kong to meet with businessmen and overseas Chinese in Hong Kong. He is ready to take over the consulate in Hong Kong. However, the position of Consul General has been vacant and no one has yet to take over. He could not take up his post until October last year.
When asked about the reasons for the delay in taking office, Hua Yide has always refused to explain the exact reason, lamenting, "Last year was a very strange year. Isn’t it ridiculous? You thought it was a straightforward matter, but it was not at all. The world has been turned upside down. Turn." She admitted that last year was a problem for the government and diplomatic work, and many factors were involved.
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After the anti-amendment turmoil, the situation in Hong Kong changed drastically. When asked about the thorny problem of taking over the consulate-general in Hong Kong, the hot potato, she described the fields of trade and investment as full of interesting challenges.
The political agenda of Hong Kong is also changing with each passing day. He said frankly that "I am still studying and meeting with different people in Hong Kong." I laughed and said that I was just like a jigsaw puzzle.
Hua Yide criticized the Hong Kong government for putting "transparency that it has always been proud of" out of consideration.
(Photo by Li Zetong)
Criticize the Hong Kong government for unilaterally changing the nationality recognition practice
However, in just 5 months after she took office, it was revealed that prisoners with foreign citizenship were required to choose their nationality.
Hua Yide said that the consulate general has been able to visit Hong Kong people holding Australian nationality in the past, but the Hong Kong government recently unilaterally "change in practice" and criticized the authorities for not warning, as if the Hong Kong government "has always been proud." Transparency” is aside.
She immediately asked the Hong Kong government to clarify the relevant practices and expressed concern about this. Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor later confirmed when meeting with the media that the authorities had indeed "changed the practice."
Australia and China signed a consular agreement in 2000. Anyone who enters China with an Australian passport can enjoy consular protection even if he is a dual citizen.
(Screenshot of Department of Justice website)
Hua Yide said that Australia has not yet been involved in this vortex, and that the consulate can also contact and provide assistance to citizens in custody, but that this is obviously a "potential problem" and emphasized that the consular agreement signed between Australia and China in 2000 covers Hong Kong. Hold an Australian passport to enter the border of China, even if you are dual nationals, you can still enjoy consular protection.
Difficult to judge whether the Hong Kong government violated the consular agreement
When asked whether the Hong Kong government’s actions were in breach of the contract, Hua Yide frankly said that "the agreement is not a simple and direct document" and whether the relevant rules are valid. "It depends on the passport of the citizens entering Hong Kong, so it is difficult to say whether the Hong Kong government has violated the contract." She emphasized The crux of the incident is that the government’s "long-standing" approach has been changed, and this change "comes very quickly." The Hong Kong government also knows it, but the consulate has no knowledge. "It is doubtful that the Hong Kong government has always been proud of it. Administrative fairness and transparency.”
(Raises questions of administrative fairness and transparency which are the things that of course the Hong Kong government always praises Hong Kong.)
Hua Yide pointed out that the Hong Kong government’s approach has an impact on the real lives of some people. Therefore, the authorities have revised the travel warning to remind Hong Kong residents of Australian nationality to apply for a change of nationality at the immigration department.
(Website screenshot)
Hua Yide bluntly stated that the Hong Kong government’s approach has an impact on the real lives of some people. Therefore, the authorities revised the travel warning on the 10th of last month, maintaining Hong Kong and the Mainland as "do not go" areas, and reminding Hong Kong residents with Australian nationality to visit The Immigration Department applies for a change of nationality.
▼The registration status of 53 people who participated in the primary election of the democratic party last year▼
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The day of the visit was the day following the prosecution of 47 people who participated in the primary election of the pro-democracy party to subvert the regime. The Australian citizen Wu Zheng-hyung was also prosecuted for initiating the "Three Vote and Three Non-Vote" co-signature.
Hua Yide said that Australia is concerned about the incident and urges the authorities to respect the freedoms and human rights granted under the Basic Law and International Law. He emphasized that if any Hong Kong people with Australian nationality ask for help, they will provide assistance and refuse to explain the situation of individual nationals.
Wu Zhengheng, who has an Australian nationality, was charged with subverting the state power for initiating a "three vote and three non-voting" joint signature. He has been returned to this day.
(Profile picture)
Negative comments such as "foreign power" continued. After taking office for less than half a year, problems followed one after another. When asked about their plans and goals, Hua Yide joked that she hoped to try all the restaurants in Hong Kong. After replying seriously, she said that the diplomat’s Work is to promote communication and become a bridge between society and the government, emphasizing that it is the most important thing to convey the message, and confidently expressing that oneself must be trained and prepared to fight.
Hua Yide (second from right) had negotiated with Hong Kong on the free trade agreement between the two places and the Pan-Pacific Agreement as Australia's chief negotiator.
(Photo of Australian Department of Trade, Tourism and Investment)
Hope that Hong Kong will clear the clouds and see the blue sky soon
However, it was earlier said that government officials and establishment officials must obtain approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before meeting foreign consuls. As a member of the "Five Eyes Alliance", she emphasized that Australian officials can still communicate freely with Hong Kong people of different spectrums. , Including Hong Kong government officials, do not need to obtain permission beforehand, describing this as part of normal diplomatic work.
As the chief negotiator of Australia, he negotiated with Hong Kong on the free trade agreement between the two places and the Pan-Pacific Agreement. Hua Yide said that he had hurried to work in Hong Kong in the past and was surrounded by skyscrapers after another. He did not have the time to appreciate the sights of Hong Kong. Great view.
In the past six months, after visiting the countryside and setting foot on Cheung Chau, Lamma Island and other islands, she marveled at the beautiful scenery on the other side of Hong Kong. She left a deep impression on her. Another goal during her tenure was to visit more More outlying islands, "the more the better", to discover more of the beautiful side of Hong Kong, but she lamented that the weather is getting worse, the day of the visit is covered by white fog, and the road ahead is long. She hopes that Hong Kong will clear the clouds and see the sky as soon as possible.
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