EU challenges China on Hong Kong at EU-China summit

Today, President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, accompanied by High Representative Josep Borrell, met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing for the first in-person EU-China summit since 2019.

The summit focused on EU-China relations and other international issues including Russia’s war in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza.

Hong Kong Watch welcomes the EU affirming its deep concern regarding China’s human rights violations in Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet, but more must be said and done on the deterioration of freedoms in Hong Kong. The European Council reported that the EU reiterated its unease towards “the continued erosion of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong, where China should honour its prior commitments.” The EU also expressed its desire for the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue of February 2023 to resume and take place in China in 2024.

In June 2023, the European Parliament adopted a resolution which highlights the alarming deterioration in fundamental freedoms, the rule of law, and judicial independence in Hong Kong since the National Security Law was passed, and that it is “in clear breach of the so-called ‘One Country Two Systems’ principle.” This followed the 2022 and 2020 European Parliament resolutions on Hong Kong which also called on Member States to prepare concrete responses to the National Security Law and implement lifeboat schemes to allow Hong Kongers to flee from Hong Kong to the EU.

Charles Michel, President of the European Council, said:

“The EU-China relationship is one that matters. But we need to make our trade and economic relations more balanced, reciprocal, and mutually beneficial…We also count on China, as a Permanent Member of the UNSC, to protect the UN charter and notably the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. We will continue to engage with China based on transparency, predictability, and reciprocity.”

Benedict Rogers, co-founder and Chief Executive of Hong Kong Watch, said:

“We welcome the fact that the EU raised the plight of Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and Tibet with Xi Jinping and Li Qiang. We note the proposed resumption of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue next year and urge the EU to take a robust position in that dialogue, raising human rights and the cases of political prisoners in Hong Kong in particular.

“Given that millions of Hong Kongers continue to live under the repressive rule of the Chinese Communist Party in Hong Kong, EU leaders must go further. It is essential that the EU joins other like-minded partners such as the UK and Canada to introduce lifeboat routes for Hong Kongers who need a lifeline out of the city.

“We also urge the EU to implement targeted sanctions against Hong Kong and Chinese officials responsible for the crackdown on human rights in Hong Kong, in total violation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, and we call on those remaining EU member states who still hold extradition treaties with the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong SAR to suspend them. We urge the EU to review the diplomatic status of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices in Berlin and Brussels.”

歐盟在歐中峰會向中國提出香港人權議題 香港監察呼籲歐盟為港人推出救生艇、中止引渡條約、審視香港駐歐經貿辦

歐盟理事會主席米歇爾（Charles Michel）和歐盟委員會主席馮德萊恩（Ursula von der Leyen）今日聯同歐盟外交與安全政策高級代表博雷利（Josep Borrell），到訪北京出席2019年以來首次的面對面歐中峰會，與中國國家主席習近平和國務院總理李強會面。

峰會着重討論歐中關係及俄烏戰爭和以巴衝突等其他國際議題。

香港監察歡迎歐盟對中國侵犯香港、新疆和西藏人權的行為表示深切關注，惟歐盟必須就香港自由惡化的情況採取更多措施。歐盟理事會在新聞稿稱，歐盟重申對「香港基本自由持續受到侵蝕」的憂慮，指「中國應履行先前對香港所作的承諾」。另外，歐盟表示歡迎歐中人權對話於2023年2月重啟，期望2024年在中國展開下一場對話。

香港監察共同創辦人兼行政總監羅傑斯（Benedict Rogers）表示：

「我們歡迎歐盟向習近平和李強提出香港、新疆和西藏的困境。就明年再度展開歐中人權對話的提議，我們敦促歐盟在對話中採取強硬立場，並特別提出香港人權狀況及政治犯案件。

數百萬香港人仍然在中共的鎮壓下生活，有見及此，歐盟領袖必須採取進一步行動。歐盟必須效法英國和加拿大等其他志同道合的夥伴，為需要安全離港的香港人推出救生艇計劃。

此外，我們敦促歐盟制裁有份打壓香港人權而完全違反《中英聯合聲明》的中港官員，並呼籲仍與中國和香港簽有引渡條約的歐盟成員國中止這些條約。我們亦敦促歐盟審視香港駐柏林和駐布魯塞爾經濟貿易辦事處的外交地位。」