U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Hong Kong's democracy had been eroded under Chinese rule, adding that the United States and Hong Kong were on the same page.
Blinken said in a statement that the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland is only halfway through the one country, two systems promised by China. The authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong have undermined the people's democratic participation, basic freedoms and independent media.
Blinken said that July 1 was originally the midpoint of Hong Kong's 50-year promise to maintain autonomy under "One Country, Two Systems", but now it seems that the Hong Kong government and Beijing authorities no longer regard democratic participation, fundamental freedoms and independent media as part of the promise.
He said that in 2019, millions of Hong Kong people took to the streets to protest against extradition, but Beijing responded by introducing the "Hong Kong National Security Law", paving the way for the erosion of Hong Kong's autonomy and the destruction of people's freedom and rights in the past two years.
For example, he cited the authorities imprisoning opposition figures, many of whom were held for more than a year; Hong Kong's leaders also raided independent media organizations, closed museums, removed public art works, and weakened democratic institutions, delayed elections, and prevented commemorative events. , the disqualification of incumbent members, etc.; government officials also spread false information that the demonstrations launched by the grassroots were carried out by foreign forces.
Blinken emphasized: "All of the above actions are aimed at depriving Hong Kong people of what they were promised." He reiterated that the United States will stand with Hong Kong people and call on the authorities to restore their promised freedoms.
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