A cross-party group of 110 UK lawmakers call for an audit of Hong Kong & Chinese officials assets

This week, a cross-party group of 110 parliamentarians (86 MPs & 24 Peers) have written to the Foreign Secretary to call for the UK Government to undertake an audit of the UK assets of Hong Kong and Chinese officials linked to human rights violations.

The letter cites recent research by Hong Kong Watch, which has found that those five Hong Kong officials and six lawmakers that are complicit in the ongoing human rights crackdown currently own property in the UK.

The full letter can be read here.

It also follows the recent national security arrests of 90-year-old Cardinal Zen and a number of other prominent pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong and John Lee’s upcoming installation as Chief Executive of Hong Kong this weekend.

Led by Siobhain McDonagh MP, Iain Duncan Smith MP, and Tom Tugendhat MP, the letter urges the Foreign Secretary to use the upcoming secondary anniversary of the introduction of the National Security Law as an opportunity to consider the asset audit, which it notes could serve as the basis for a future Hong Kong specific sanctions list.

Other prominent signatories include: Shadow Minister for Asia and Hong Kong Watch Patron, Catherine West MP, Hong Kong Watch patrons, Alistair Carmichael MP, Sarah Champion MP, and Lord Alton of Liverpool, leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey MP, SNP Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Alyn Smith MP, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Layla Moran MP, and former Cabinet Ministers, Lord Falconer of Thoroton, David Jones MP, and Damian Green MP.

Commenting on the letter, Siobhain McDonagh MP, said:

“It is absolutely imperative that anybody accused of human rights violations, including in Hong Kong, is unable to hold assets or property here in the UK. We must ask ourselves what it means to be complicit and whether our human rights rhetoric stands up to reality. A full audit of these assets is urgently needed.”

Commenting on the letter, Tom Tugendhat MP, said:

“A deeper understanding of the assets that CCP officials hold in the UK is an important step. This work should start now.”

Commenting on the letter, Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, said: 

“As we approach the second anniversary of Beijing enforcing its draconian National Security Law on Hong Kong, the Foreign Secretary should learn from the united western response to Russia's brutal war in Ukraine and undertake an audit of the assets of Hong Kong and Chinese officials in the UK. 

This would serve as a pathway to the UK finally introducing a Hong Kong specific Magnitsky-style sanctions list against those officials responsible for the ongoing human rights violations in the city.”

110名英國跨黨派國會議員

聯署呼籲政府審查中港官員英國資產



110名英國跨黨派國會議員聯署致函英國外交大臣卓慧思，呼籲英國政府審查與侵犯人權有關的中港官員在英國的資產。

聯署信引用了香港監察最近的研究報告，該報告發現 5名香港官員和 6名立法會議員在英國擁有資產，而他們均是打壓人權的同謀。

這封聯署信是在國安處拘捕 90歲的陳日君樞機主教和香港知名社運人士之後，以及李家超即將就任行政長官之際發出的。

在國會議員 Siobhain McDonagh MP、Iain Duncan Smith MP 和 Tom Tugendhat MP的帶領下，這封聯署信敦促外交大臣利用《港區國安法》實施兩周年的時機來考慮進行資產審查，信中指出這可以作為未來制定香港制裁名單的基礎。

其他著名的聯署者包括：亞洲事務影子部長和香港監察贊助人 Catherine West MP，香港監察贊助人 Alistair Carmichael MP、Sarah Champion MP 及利物浦的奧爾頓勲爵，自由民主黨黨魁 Rt Hon. Sir Ed Davey MP，蘇格蘭民族黨外交事務發言人 Alyn Smith MP，自由民主黨外交事務發言人 Layla Moran MP，以及前內閣部長 Falconer 勲爵、David Jones MP和Damian Green MP。

國會議員 Siobhain McDonagh MP 評論聯署信時指：

「必須確保任何被指控侵犯人權的人都不能在英國持有資產或財產，這包括在香港的官員。英國必須捫心自問我們對於人權議題上的言行是否一致，以及清楚界定香港官員作為打壓人權同謀的角色，對他們在英國的資產進行全面審查是非常迫切的。」

國會議員 Tom Tugendhat MP 評論聯署信時指：

「英國政府更深入地瞭解中共官員在英國所持的資產是重要的一步。這項工作應該馬上開始。」

國會議員 Ian Duncan Smith MP 評論聯署信時指：

「臨近北京在香港實施嚴厲的《港區國安法》兩周年之際，外交大臣應該從西方對俄羅斯在烏克蘭的殘暴戰爭的統一反應中學習，審查中港官員在英國的資產。

這將成為英國引入一個針對香港的馬格尼茨基式制裁名單的途徑，以制裁那些對持續侵犯人權行為負有責任的官員。」

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