[Updated] Patten-led group of 217 Parliamentarians from 25 countries decry 'flagrant breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration'

[Updated 25/5: 7 more signatories added to a total of 217, 25 countries]

A cross-party international coalition of 217 parliamentarians and policymakers from 25 countries today issued a statement decrying Beijing’s ‘unilateral introduction of national security legislation in Hong Kong,’ and calling for sympathetic governments to unite against this ‘flagrant breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration’.

Led by the former Governor of Hong Kong, Lord Patten, and the former UK Foreign Secretary, Sir Malcolm Rifkind, the coalition comprises of a depth of expertise and experience including former prime ministers, foreign secretaries, defence ministers, prominent legal and human rights experts, diplomats, Senators, and Members of Parliament.  

Lord Patten of Barnes said: "The statement shows growing and widespread international outrage at the decision by the Chinese government to unilaterally impose national security legislation in Hong Kong. The breadth of support, which spans all political parties and four continents, reflects both the severity of the situation and ongoing unified international support for the principle of one-country, two-systems."

Signatories include three former UK foreign secretaries, two former Leaders of the UK Conservative Party and two former speakers of the House of Commons, and the former UK Deputy Prime Minister. It was signed by two former European Prime Ministers, as well as by the Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committees of the United States, UK, Australia and New Zealand, leading Green Party Members from around the world, and all the Liberal Democrats in the UK House of Commons.

In the United States, it was signed by the Chairs of three separate House of Representatives Committees, as well as both co-chairs of the Congressional Executive Commission on China, and the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In Canada, it was signed by senior members of the Shadow Cabinet, leadership challenger Erin O’Toole and Senator Jim Munson. 20 Australians co-signed, and 9 German members were represented. There is considerable representation in Asia including the Chair of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights. Diplomats represented included Britain's former Ambassador to the UN, and former Ambassador to the US, as well as South Korea's former human rights ambassador

Commenting on the publication of the international statement, Senator Marco Rubio, the Acting Chair of the US Senate Intelligence Committee said: “Through this letter, legislators from many democracies are uniting to express their support for Hong Kong’s autonomy and Hong Kongers. Our words must be met with actions and our governments should remain vigilant and ready to respond to Beijing’s violations of the Sino- British Joint Declaration.”

Senator Robert Menendez, the Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations committee, added, “Today we are all Hong Kongers. All those who support and respect international law, norms and behavior, and who support the people of Hong Kong and their legitimate aspirations for their autonomy, their human rights, and their democratic freedoms under ‘one country, two systems,’ have a responsibility to speak out today and make clear that Beijing’s behavior in unacceptable.”

Former UK Foreign Secretary and Hong Kong Watch Patron, Sir Malcolm Rifkind said: “This is the most serious threat to the people of Hong Kong that there has been from the Chinese Government since 1997. The people of Hong Kong need, and deserve, our support”

Hong Kong Watch’s co-founder and Chair, Benedict Rogers said:

“The death of democracy in Hong Kong should be of grave concern to us all. We hope that this international statement from policymakers across the political and geographic divide will send a clear message to Beijing that the world will not meekly consent to the dismantling of the ‘One, Country Two Systems’ Model overnight.”

Joint Statement from 217 Signatories

We, the co-signed, write to express grave concerns about the unilateral introduction of national security legislation by Beijing in Hong Kong. 

This is a comprehensive assault on the city's autonomy, rule of law, and fundamental freedoms. The integrity of one-country, two-systems hangs by a thread. 

It is the genuine grievances of ordinary Hong Kongers that are driving protests. Draconian laws will only escalate the situation further, jeopardising Hong Kong’s future as an open Chinese international city. 

If the international community cannot trust Beijing to keep its word when it comes to Hong Kong, people will be reluctant to take its word on other matters. Sympathetic governments must unite to say that this flagrant breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration cannot be tolerated.

Alphabetical list of signatories

Rt. Hon Lord Patten of Barnes, former Governor of Hong Kong

Rt. Hon Sir Malcolm Rifkind, former Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary:

USA

Members of the Senate

Senator Benjamin L Cardin, Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee

Senator Ted Cruz, Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Senator Josh Hawley

Senator Edward J Markey, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy

Senator Robert Menendez, Ranking Member, Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Senator Marco Rubio, Acting Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee

Members of the House of Representatives

Congressman Robert B Aderholt

Congressman Ami Bera, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Non-proliferation, House Foreign Affairs Committee

Congressman Joaquin Castro, Vice Chairman of the US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs

Congressman Eliot L Engel, Chairman of US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs

Congressman Mike Gallagher

Congressman Vicky Hartzler

Congressman Michael T McCaul, ranking member of US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs

Congressman James McGovern, co-chair of the Congressional Executive Commission on China

Congressman Adam B Schiff, Chairman of the US House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

Congressman Adam Smith, Chairman of US House of Representatives Committee on Armed Services

Congressman Christopher Smith, former Chair of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee

Congressman Tom Suozzi

Congressman Ted Yoho, ranking member of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Non-proliferation, US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs

Former Ambassadors

Grover Joseph Rees, former USA Ambassador to East Timor

UK

Members of Parliament

Debbie Abrahams MP, former Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

Gareth Bacon MP

Andrew Bowie MP

Andrew Bridgen MP

Anthony Browne MP

Fiona Bruce MP, Chair of the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission

Chris Bryant MP, Member of the UK Foreign Affairs Committee

Alistair Carmichael MP, Liberal Democrats Foreign Affairs Spokesman

Wendy Chamberlain MP

Sarah Champion MP, Chair of the International Development Committee

Daisy Cooper MP

Rt. Hon Ed Davey MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats and former Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change

Geraint Davies MP

Dehenna Davison MP

Peter Dowd MP, former Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Tim Farron MP, former Leader of the Liberal Democrats

Simon Fell MP

Rt. Hon Liam Fox MP, former Defence Secretary and International Trade Secretary

Rt. Hon Damian Green MP, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Jonathan Gullis MP

Andrew Gwynne MP, former Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

Antony Higginbotham MP

Wera Hobhouse MP

Kevin Hollinrake MP

Christine Jardine MP

Imran Khan MP

Daniel Kawczynski MP

Craig Mackinlay MP

Paul Maynard MP

Stewart M McDonald MP, Member of the UK Foreign Affairs Committee

Gagan Mohindra MP

Layla Moran MP

Kieran Mullen MP

Sarah Olney MP

Tom Randall MP

Rob Roberts MP

Bob Seely MP, Member of the UK Foreign Affairs Committee

Andrew Selous MP

Rt. Hon Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Leader of the Conservative Party

Alyn Smith MP, SNP spokesman for International Affairs

Jamie Stone MP

Tom Tugendhat MP, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee

Jamie Wallis MP

James Wild MP

Munira Wilson MP

Members of the House of Lords

Lord Alton of Liverpool

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle, former Leader of the Green Party

Rt. Hon Baroness Boothroyd of Sandwell, former Speaker of the House of Commons

Lord Hannay of Chiswick, former UK Ambassador to the United Nations

Baroness Harris of Richmond

Lord Hogan-Howe of Sheffield, former Metropolitan Police Commissioner

Rt. Hon Lord Howard of Lympne, former Home Secretary and Leader of the Conservative Party

Baroness Kennedy QC of the Shaws

Rt. Hon Lord King of Bridgewater, former Defence Secretary and Northern Ireland Secretary

Lord Ricketts, former Permanent Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and former Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee

Former Members of Parliament

Rt. Hon John Bercow, former Speaker of the House of Commons and former MP

Rt. Hon David Miliband, former Foreign Secretary and MP

Rt. Hon Rory Stewart, former Secretary of State for International Development and former MP

Rt. Hon Jack Straw, former Foreign Secretary, Home Secretary, and Justice Secretary and former MP

Former Ambassadors

Sir David Manning, former UK Ambassador to the United States of America

Members of the Scottish Parliament

Ross Greer MSP, Scottish Green External Affairs Spokesperson

EU

Former EU Special Envoys

Jan Figel, former Deputy Prime Minister of Slovakia and EU Special Envoy for Promotion Freedom of Religion or Belief outside of the EU

Members of the European Parliament

Petras Austrevicuis MEP (Renew Europe, Lithuania)

Jose Ramon Bauza Diaz MEP (Renew Europe, Spain)

Francois-Xavier Bellamy MEP (European People’s Party, France)

Vladimír Bilčík MEP (European People’s Party, Slovakia)

Reinhard Buetikofer MEP (Greens, Germany)

Katalin Cseh MEP (Renew Europe, Hungary)

Pascal Durand MEP (Renew Europe, France)

Engin Eroglu MEP (Renew Europe, Germany)

Anna Fotyga MEP, (European Conservatives & Reformists) Poland former Foreign Secretary of Poland

Michael Gahler MEP (European People’s Party, Germany)

Evelyne Gebhardt MEP (Socialists & Democrats, Germany)

Markéta Gregorová MEP (Greens, Czech Republic)

Bernard Guetta MEP (Renew Europe, France)

Heidi Hautala MEP, Vice President of the European Parliament (Greens/European Free Alliance, Finland)

Rasa Jukneviciene MEP, (European People’s Party, Lithuania) former Minister of Defence of Lithuania and former President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly

Eugen Jurzyca MEP (European Conservatives & Reformists, Slovakia)

Karin Karlsbro MEP (Renew Europe, Sweden)

Moritz Körner MEP (Renew Europe, Germany)

Andrius Kibilius MEP (European People’s Party, Lithuania), former Prime Minister of Lithuania

David Lega MEP (European People's Party, Sweden)

Miriam Lexmann MEP (European People’s Party, Slovakia)

Javier Nart MEP (Renew Europe, Spain)

Lucia Ďuriš Nicholsonová MEP (European Conservatives & Reformists, Slovakia)

Niklas Nienaß MEP (Greens, Germany), Coordinator in the Committee on Regional Development, Member of the Committee on Culture and Education

Urmas Paet MEP (Renew Europe, Estonia), former Foreign Secretary of Estonia

Guliano Pisapia MEP (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Italy)

Peter Pollák MEP (European People’s Party, Slovakia)

Michaela Šojdrová MEP (European People’s Party, Czech Republic)

Ivan Štefanec MEP (European People’s Party, Slovakia)

Romana Tomc MEP (European People’s Party, Slovenia)

Hilde Vautmans MEP (Renew Europe, Belgium)

Guy Verhofstadt MEP (Renew Europe, Belgium), former Prime Minister of Belgium

Germany

Margarete Bause MP, Green Party Spokeswoman for Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid

Peter Heidt MP

Eckhard Gnodtke MP

Gyde Jensen MP, the Chair of the Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid Committee

Martin Patzelt MP, member of the Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid Committee

Sweden

Joar Forssell MP

Hampus Hagman MP

David Josefsson MP

Kerstin Lundgren MP

Frederik Malm MP

Niels Paarup-Petersen MP

Lorentz Tovatt MP

Denmark

Viggo Fischer MP

Ireland

Senator Ronan Mullen

Lithuania

Mantas Adomenas MP

Arvydas Anusauskas MP

Audronius Azubalis MP, former Minister of Foreign Affairs

Laurynas Kasciunas MP

Gabrielius Landsbergis MP

Radvilė Morkunaite-Mikuleniene MP

Emanuelis Zingeris MP, Chair of the Subcommittee on Transatlantic Relations and Democratic Development

Žygimantas Pavilionis MP, former Ambassador of Lithuania to the United States of America

Slovakia

Members of Parliament

Alojz Baránik MP

Ján Benčík MP

Peter Cmorej MP

Ondrej Dostál MP

Gábor Grendel MP, Deputy Speaker

Jarmila Halgašová MP

Radovan Kazda MP

Miroslav Kollár MP

Vladimíra Marcinková MP

Peter Osuský MP

Peter Pollák MP

Juraj Šeliga MP, Deputy Speaker

Andrej Stančík MP

Romana Tabák MP

Marián Viskupič MP

Anna Zemanová MP

Miroslav Žiak MP

Jana Žitňanská MP

Former Member of Parliament

František Šebej, former MP and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee

Czech Republic

Jan Lipavsky MP

Canada

Members of Parliament

Leona Alleslev, Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party and Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs

Michael Barrett MP, Shadow Minister for Ethics

James Bezan, MP, Shadow Minister for National Defence

Kenny Chiu MP

Ed Fast MP, Former Minister of International Trade

Garnett Genuis MP, Shadow Minister for Multiculturalism & Canada-China Relations

Hon. Peter Kent MP, former Minister of Environment

Erin O’Toole MP, Former Minister for Veterans Affairs

John Williamson MP

Members of the Senate

Senator Leo Housakos, former Speaker of the Senate

Senator Jim Munson

Senator Thanh Hai Ngo

Former Ministers

Irwin Colter, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General

David Kilgour, former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific and former MP

Peter Mackay, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Canada

Former Premiers

Bob Rae, former Premier of Ontario and Federal MP

Malaysia

Andrew Khoo, Advocate and Solicitor, High Court of Malaya in Malaysia, former Co-Chair of the Human Rights Committee, Bar Council Malaysia

The Hon. Senator P. Waytha Moorthy

Charles Santiago MP, Chair of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights

Myanmar

U Kyaw Min San, Member of the Bago Regional Parliament and former legal adviser to the International Commission of Jurists Office

South Korea

Jung-Hoon Lee, former Ambassador for Human Rights

Yanghee Lee, former UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar; former Chairperson of UN Committee on the Rights of the Child; Professor at Sungkyunkwan University South Korea

India

Dr John Dayal, former President of the All India Catholic Union and Member of the National Integration Council

Indonesia

Rafendi Djamin, former Representative of Indonesia to the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights

Yuyun Wahyuningrum, Representative of Indonesia to the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights

Japan

Hiroshi Yamada, Member, House of Councilors of Japan

Australia

Members of Parliament

Kevin Andrews MP, Former Australian Defence Minister, Chairman of the Human Rights sub-committee of the Australian Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Trade

George Christensen MP, Chair, Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Trade and Investment Growth

Andrew Hastie MP, Chairman of the Parliamentary Joint Committee for Intelligence and Security, Australia

Ian Goodenough MP

Peter Khalil MP, Member of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Trade

Dr Daniel Mulino MP, Member for Fraser

Dave Sharma MP

Phillip Thompson MP, Member of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade

Tim Wilson MP

Members of the Senate

Senator Eric Abetz, former Leader of the Government in the Senate

Senator Alex Antic

Senator Slade Brockman

Senator Matthew Canavan, former Minister for Resources

Senator Claire Chandler

Senator David Fawcett, Chair of the Joint Standing Committee Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Trade, former Assistant Minister for Defence

Senator Kimberley Kitching, Shadow Assistant Minister for Government Accountability and member of the Joint Standing Committee Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Trade

Senator Matthew O’Sullivan

Senator James Paterson

Senator Tony Sheldon

Senator Amanda Stoker

Members of Legislative Assemblies

Vicki Dunne, Deputy Speaker, Legislative Assembly for Australian Capital Territory

Bernie Finn MLC, member of the Victorian Legislative Council (upper house)

Janelle Saffin

Former Members of Parliament

Hon Michael Danby, former member for Melbourne Ports, former Chair of the Joint Standing Committee Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade

New Zealand

Simeon Brown MP

Marama Davidson MP, co-leader of the Green Party

Simon O’Connor MP, Chair of the Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Trade Committee