Developments in Hong Kong and Macau
INTRODUCTION (PDF)
This report examines how a once vibrant civil society in Hong Kong changed dramatically in the two years after the imposition of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (“National Security Law”), which became effective in 2020. It provides the equivalent of an oral history. The interviews excerpted in this report provide insight into how the crackdown has transformed Hong Kong, including measures the authorities have taken to silence dissent; challenges faced by people detained for speaking out against political persecution; the condition of civil society after the forced closure of the most influential independent media outlets and the largest civic organizations; and the implications of this repression for Hong Kong people who have left and for those who have stayed.
SUMMARY (PDF)
The Hong Kong government’s hardline approach to dissent and pro-democracy views, and the growing number of political prisoners, raises serious concerns about the erosion of the rule of law in the city. A stable legal system, the free flow of news and information, and guaranteed rights protections have undergirded Hong Kong’s economic and cultural vitality and were critical to both business confidence and U.S.-Hong Kong relations.
The once vibrant civil society and pro-democratic institutions of Hong Kong are being systematically dismantled by a Hong Kong government submissive to the dictates of the People’s Republic of China. The Hong Kong government used massive protests against a proposed extradition bill in the summer of 2019 as excuses to silence pro-democracy voices, and later implemented the draconian National Security Law to jail protestors and politicians and shutter independent civil society and media organizations, such as the Apple Daily. The national security police deploy colonial-era public order laws to criminalize dissent, including clapping hands in court and publishing a children’s book.
(Washington)—Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representative James P. McGovern (D-MA), the Chair and Cochair, respectively, of the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission on China, issued the following statement on the December 19 so-called “elections” in Hong Kong:
December 16, 2021
(Washington)—Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representative James P. McGovern (D-MA), the Chair and Cochair, respectively, of the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission on China, released a letter today to NBCUniversal regarding its coverage of the Beijing Winter Olympics being held in the middle of a genocide.
The Chinese government not only continues to repress its people but also seeks the repatriation of those searching for protection elsewhere. It has sought the forcible return of Uyghurs and Kazakhs from Kazakhstan and Thailand, and reportedly threatened to withhold COVID-19 vaccines until the Turkish government turned over Uyghurs. In Hong Kong, those seeking refuge abroad face arrests and exit bans.
Transcript (PDF)
The Congressional-Executive Commission on China will hold a roundtable entitled “One Year of the National Security Law’s Repression of Fundamental Freedoms in Hong Kong” on Tuesday, June 29, 2021 from 1:00pm–2:30pm EDT.
April 16, 2021
(Washington, DC)--Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representative James P. McGovern (D-MA), the Chair and Cochair, respectively, of the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), issued the following statement about the conviction and sentencing of multiple democracy advocates in Hong Kong for unauthorized assembly, including—Leung Kwok-hung (18 months), Jimmy Lai (12 months), Lee Cheuk-yan (12 months), Au Nok-hin (10 months), Cyd Ho (8 months), Albert Ho (12 months, suspended), Margaret Ng (12 months, suspended), Martin Lee (11 months, suspended), Yeung Sum (8 months, suspended), and Leung Yiu-chung (8 months, suspended).
March 17, 2021
(Washington, D.C.)—Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representative James P. McGovern (D-MA), the Chair and Cochair, respectively, of the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), issued the following statement about the Administration’s announcement of sanctions for 24 Chinese and Hong Kong officials responsible for undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy and human rights and contributing to the failure of the Chinese government to meet its obligations under the Sino-British Joint Declaration or Hong Kong’s Basic Law.