London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2025

Hong Kong slams EU’s ‘unfounded’ claims Beijing breaching treaty commitments

Hong Kong slams EU’s ‘unfounded’ claims Beijing breaching treaty commitments

European Union is using Hong Kong issues as pretext to attack the Asian giant, government says in defence of political system overhaul.

Hong Kong has rejected the European Union’s “unfounded” allegations that Beijing has breached the Sino-British Joint Declaration by overhauling the financial hub’s electoral system and installing a national security law.

The government also accused Brussels of using Hong Kong issues as a pretext to attack Beijing and defended the security law as helping to restore stability after the 2019 social unrest.

The strongly worded rebuke released late on Thursday came just hours after the EU said the city’s electoral overhaul ran “counter to the commitments to greater democratic representation enshrined in the Hong Kong Basic Law”, as well as “another breach of the one country, two systems principle”.

EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell has said the changes to Hong Kong over the past year were a source of concern for the bloc.


EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said Beijing’s changes to Hong Kong over the past year “contradict China’s international commitments under the [declaration] … and have a negative impact on the EU’s legitimate expectations and interests”.

The declaration that Britain and Beijing signed in 1984 laid the groundwork for the city’s handover from the colonial power to China in 1997. It stated that the basic policies regarding Hong Kong would remain unchanged for 50 years, including the promise the city would retain a high degree of autonomy.

Borrell said the EU would increase support for Hong Kong’s civil society and media, promote freedom of expression and facilitate the mobility of its residents, as well as ensure monitoring of the trials of opposition figures.

A delegation of high-level officials from the bloc would consider visiting the city given the deep concerns over the changes, he added.

In response, the Hong Kong government said it firmly opposed the “misleading claims by the EU concerning the improvement to the electoral system as well as their ulterior motives”.

“We stress that the improvement to the electoral system … is both timely and necessary, as anti-China forces had created chaos in the Legislative Council, paralysed the operation of the [Hong Kong] government, and even colluded with external forces to undermine Hong Kong’s safety and interests,” a spokesman said.

“No country or government could turn a blind eye to such dangers. The government is committed to ensuring elections being conducted in a fair, just and open manner.”

The EU was attacking China “by creating issues in [Hong Kong] using the pretext of human rights, democracy and autonomy”, he claimed.

The government also challenged the bloc’s accusation that the one country, two systems formula that governed the city’s relationship with Beijing was being undermined.

Chinese President Xi Jinping had stressed the central government would “unswervingly implement the policy … and ensure that it is fully applied in Hong Kong without being bent or distorted”, he said.

The introduction of the security law in June of last year had allowed stability to be restored to society and for national security to be safeguarded, while the arrests of opposition figures were unrelated to their political stance, background or occupation, he maintained.

“It would be contrary to the rule of law to suggest that people of certain political backgrounds could be above the law,” he said. “The international community should fully acknowledge this fact and stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs, which are internal affairs of China.”

The Chinese mission to the EU had earlier expressed similar dissatisfaction with the bloc’s views on Hong Kong affairs.

The electoral reforms, which aim to ensure “patriots” govern Hong Kong, were endorsed by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee in March.

Legco last month voted to adopt the changes that will see the proportion of directly elected seats in the legislature reduced and a new body created to vet candidates and bar those deemed not patriotic enough from seeking seats.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×