‘Patriots Only’ Hong Kong
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In 1997, Britain handed over Hong Kong’s sovereignty to China ending over 150 years of colonial rule.
The Chinese government pledged Hong Kong a “high degree of autonomy,” and eventually, full democracy.
People in Hong Kong tried to press Beijing to fulfill these promises, but Beijing kept breaking them. As China under Xi Jinping became more repressive, Hong Kong people’s anger and fear grew, culminating in the 2019 protests.
The Chinese government’s response to the popular democracy demands was to impose the draconian National Security Law on Hong Kong in 2020.
In just five years, the Chinese government has dismantled Hong Kong’s vibrant semi-democracy, civil society, and the free press.
It extended its grip over all levers of government in Hong Kong, including by embedding the concept of national security into Hong Kong laws.
The new, secretive national security legal regime and bureaucracy aims to silence Hong Kong society by severely punishing dissent…
And intimidating and monitoring Hongkongers at home and abroad.
At the same time, Beijing has imposed ideological control by forcing “patriotism” – loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party – on children, students, and throughout society.
Increasingly, only Beijing loyalists can occupy leadership positions such as lawmakers, whilecivil servants must pledge allegiance to the government and teachers and others must show knowledge of “national security.”
Hong Kong people, who were once able to speak freely, now fear getting life imprisonmentfor criticizing the government.
Though some brave Hong Kong people continue to resist government tyranny both at home and abroad.
Foreign governments should press for the release of imprisoned Hong Kong activists and impose sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials responsible for abuses.
China’s government has erased Hong Kong’s freedoms since imposing the draconian National Security Law (NSL) on June 30, 2020, Human Rights Watch said today.
Chinese and Hong Kong authorities have harshly punished critics of the government, created a highly repressive national security regime, and enforced ideological controls on the city’s residents. Increasingly, only Chinese Communist Party (CCP) loyalists – that is, “patriots” – can occupy key positions in society.