Following the EU declaration (see.........>

HONG KONG: Following the EU declaration (see 1616BST bullet), a joint UK,

Canada, Australia statement takes a harder line against Beijing's implementation

of new security law.

- Reads: "We are deeply concerned at proposals for introducing legislation

related to national security in Hong Kong."

- "The legally binding Joint Declaration, signed by China and the UK, sets out

that Hong Kong will have a high degree of autonomy. It also provides that rights

and freedoms [...] will be ensured by law in Hong Kong, and that the provisions

of the two UN covenants on human rights [...] shall remain in force."

- "Making such a law on Hong Kong's behalf without the direct participation of

its people, legislature or judiciary would clearly undermine the principle of

'One Country, Two Systems', under which Hong Kong is guaranteed a high degree of

autonomy."

- With relations between China and the West already strained as nations blame

one another for the COVID-19 outbreak, the implementation of the new security

law in Hong Kong is already inflaming the situation further.