A Hong Kong-based Web site yesterday posted an advertisement in the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the sister paper of the Taipei Times) condemning Chinese oppression, while thanking Taiwan for its staunch support and calling for global support for a democratic Hong Kong.
The group that funded the ad is standwithhk.org, which described itself as ordinary Hong Kong residents who simply care for Hong Kong.
The letter quoted former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), who in 1996 said that in the spirit of international law, should the UK decide to return Hong Kong, it should return it to the legal successor and possessor of the original document of the Treaty of Nanking.
Photo: CNA
The treaty, signed in 1842 between the Qing Dynasty and the UK government, saw the cession of the island of Hong Kong to the UK.
Taiwan has never asked anything of Hong Kong, despite owning the document and its silence speak volumes to Taiwanese’s respect for Hong Kong’s autonomy, the letter said.
In contrast, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has resorted to any measure to “take over Hong Kong,” including threatening the UK with the territory’s destruction, resulting in the signing of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, ceding Hong Kong to the PRC, with which Hong Kong has had no historic ties at all, the advert said.
Further acts to subvert the Joint Declaration since 1997 include unfair elections for the Hong Kong Legislative Council; abuse of the spirit of the Hong Kong Basic Law to undermine the rule of law; relocation of Chinese to Hong Kong to overwhelm the territory’s public resources; and public threats to stop food, water and energy supply to Hong Kong, it said.
The Royal Hong Kong Police Force, which “we were once proud of ... have been brainwashed into an army that would shoot indiscriminately,” the letter said, adding that Beijing was systematically purging Hong Kong of its culture, language, history and freedom.
Hong Kongers once believed that Beijing would honor the Joint Declaration, but time has proven that the PRC has no respect for it nor the Treaty of Nanking, the letter said.
It quoted Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Lu Kang (陸慷) as saying on June 30, 2017: “The Joint Declaration is a historical document that no longer has any practical significance.”
The global community, including Taiwanese, “should not believe any promise given, or treaties signed, with the Chinese government,” the ad said.
China “will keep making promises and lie to more people to create greater hegemony – Beware,” it said, adding that Hong Kong is now paying the price.
The advert called on Taiwanese to protect their country and to continue safeguarding democracy and freedom for their progeny.
“Should the Hong Kong people decide to fight and fail, we hope Taiwan and the rest of the civilized world will stand up for us and help remake a democratic Hong Kong,” the advert said.
The Web site also posted advertisements on seven publications in the UK to draw London’s attention to Chinese contravention of the Joint Declaration.
The group appealed to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, saying that democracy, the rule of law and basic rights to freedom and speech in Hong Kong were under attack and the UK has “legal, historical and moral responsibility” to see that the Joint Declaration is implemented.
The letter demanded that the UK Parliament condemn the oppressors of human rights in Hong Kong and that Parliament insert a clause to uphold human rights, liberties of the people and protecting democracy with any deals signed with China post-Brexit.
“The UK must support Hong Kong,” the letter said.
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