Latest news with #Lai
HKFP
a day ago
- Politics
- HKFP
Hong Kong gov't slams top US diplomat in city over ‘biased remarks' about national security law, Jimmy Lai
The Hong Kong government has slammed the top US diplomat in the city for making 'untrue and biased remarks' about the Beijing-imposed national security law and jailed media mogul Jimmy Lai. The government said in a statement issued late Thursday night that it strongly condemned remarks made by outgoing Consul General of the US to Hong Kong, Gregory May. Authorities accused him of smearing the national security law and its work to safeguard national security. May, who will assume a new role as deputy head at the US embassy in Beijing next week, on Thursday said he was concerned about the treatment of Lai as well as 'other political prisoners.' '[US] President [Donald] Trump himself has mentioned Jimmy Lai several times now, and he is very concerned about the fate of Mr Lai,' May told reporters after delivering a speech at a US Independence Day reception at The Murray hotel in Admiralty. 'There are many other people, unfortunately, in Hong Kong who are in jail for [the] peaceful expression of political views, for putting things on the internet,' he added. In response, Hong Kong authorities said it 'strongly urges US politicians to immediately stop interfering' in the city's affairs. 'The suggestion that persons or organisations with certain backgrounds should be immune from legal sanctions for their illegal acts and activities… is totally contrary to the spirit of the rule of law,' the government wrote. Lai has pleaded not guilty to two counts of conspiring to collude with foreign forces under the national security law as well as a third charge of conspiring to publish 'seditious' materials under a colonial-era legislation. He has been in custody since December 2020. The departing consul general also criticised what he called 'transnational repression,' referring to Hong Kong police issuing arrest warrants and bounties on overseas pro-democracy activists. One of the activists, Joey Siu, has US citizenship. 'It's very disappointing to see, over my three years here, attempts by Hong Kong authorities to enforce the national security law within the borders of the United States against US persons,' May said. 'This is attempts to restrict the free speech of people in the United States and unfortunately, we're seeing Hong Kong authorities go after the family members of these overseas activists, and that's a very disturbing,' he added. The Hong Kong government rejected May's criticism, saying in its statement that people should not comment on Lai's ongoing proceedings. It also defended human rights protection in the national security law, saying that defendants were entitled to a fair trial. It added that extraterritorial effect for the city's security laws 'fully aligns with the principles of international law, international practice and common practice adopted in various countries and regions.' Beijing inserted national security legislation directly into Hong Kong's mini-constitution in June 2020 following a year of pro-democracy protests and unrest. It criminalised subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts – broadly defined to include disruption to transport and other infrastructure. The move gave police sweeping new powers and led to hundreds of arrests amid new legal precedents, while dozens of civil society groups disappeared. The authorities say it restored stability and peace to the city, rejecting criticism from trade partners, the UN and NGOs.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Taiwan says it is determined to defend itself as China vows to boost combat readiness
The People's Liberation Army said it will enhance combat readiness to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. PHOTO: REUTERS Taiwan says it is determined to defend itself as China vows to boost combat readiness - Taiwan is determined to defend itself and protect its free way of life, the island's defence minister said on June 26, after discussing July's annual exercises, as China's military vowed to boost combat readiness to stop 'separatist' activities. China, which views democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory, has ramped up its military threats over the past five years, staging several rounds of war games and sending its forces into the skies and waters near the island on a daily basis. Speaking to a committee set up by President Lai Ching-te to boost resilience in the face of a possible Chinese attack, Defence Minister Wellington Koo outlined Taiwan's annual Han Kuang exercises which start in July. The military drills will begin with rehearsals to counter potential 'high-intensity grey zone incursions' from China evolving into an assault, and Taiwan's armed forces will practice repelling a Chinese landing, Mr Koo said. New High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or Himars, made by Lockheed Martin, will be used at Han Kuang for the first time, along with Taiwan-developed Sky Sword surface-to-air missiles, he added. The drills will 'let the international community know that we are determined to defend ourselves, and to pass on to China that the nation's military has the confidence and ability to defend a free and democratic life', Mr Koo said. Earlier on June 26, the defence ministry reported that China had held another 'joint combat readiness patrol' involving warships and 21 military aircraft around Taiwan, including Su-30 fighters. China labels Mr Lai a 'separatist' and its government has expressed further anger after he gave two speeches this week saying that Taiwan has its own sovereignty and China has no historical or legal basis for claiming it. Chinese defence ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang said Mr Lai's distortion of history and 'evil doctrine' had 'fully exposed his sinister intention of provoking and escalating cross-Taiwan Strait confrontation'. 'The People's Liberation Army will not tolerate the separatist acts of Taiwan independence, will continue to strengthen its military training and combat preparedness, and will resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity,' he told a regular news conference. Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control, and any attack on Taiwan could ignite a broader regional war. Taiwan strongly objects to China's sovereignty claims and says it is up to the island's people to decide their future. The last Chinese war games in April and October were portrayed in part by Beijing as a test of a possible blockade of Taiwan. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
HKFP
2 days ago
- Business
- HKFP
US Consul General Gregory May to leave Hong Kong, begin new position in Beijing next week
US Consul General Gregory May has announced that he will leave Hong Kong and assume a role in Beijing next week, after an almost three-year tenure as the top American diplomat in the financial hub. Speaking on Thursday at an Independence Day event at The Murray, a hotel in Admiralty, May said he will be moving on to the US embassy in Beijing next week. He will take on the title of deputy chief of mission in the Chinese capital, making him second-in-command at the embassy. May will work as an assistant to David Perdue, the US ambassador to China, who began his role in April. '[My wife] Margaret and I, we lived in Beijing for a while. It'll be a bit of a return to familiar ground,' he said. May, an experienced diplomat who has spent much of his career in the US government abroad, arrived in the city in September 2022. During his time in Hong Kong, he saw two of the city's most high-profile national security trials get underway: that of media mogul Jimmy Lai and that of the 47 democrats. He also witnessed the enactment of Article 23, the city's homegrown and second national security law, in March 2024 after it passed in the opposition-free Legislative Council. Last May, the diplomat said Hong Kong authorities needed to 'stop the slide towards ever-greater repression.' He said nothing had done 'greater damage' to the US's relationship with Hong Kong than the city's police issuing bounties on a US citizen and residents, referring to arrest warrants placed on activists overseas. May's departure comes as tensions between Washington and Beijing remain high, after US President Donald Trump slapped tariffs on Chinese exports and ordered his government to 'aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party.' 'Big fan' of Hong Kong Speaking to reporters after his speech at the Independence Day event, May said he was leaving Hong Kong as a 'big fan' of the city, but what was 'not so great' was what he called the 'erosion of freedom' at the hands of mainland Chinese and Hong Kong authorities. May said he was especially concerned about the treatment of Lai, the former owner of pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, who has been charged under the national security law. Closing arguments for the trial are expected in late July. Lai faces up to life imprisonment if convicted. May said he was concerned not just about Lai, but 'other political prisoners' too. 'There are many other people, unfortunately, in Hong Kong who are in jail for [the] peaceful expression of political views, for putting things on the internet.' In response to a media report that the Education Bureau had warned students and teachers not to take part in American Independence Day activities, May said he had not heard anything directly from the city's government about it. But he said he was 'disappointed… education officials would have that kind of order.' 'I challenge any one of you to find anything about this event… at The Murray hotel this afternoon that would in any way violate the national security of any country,' May said, adding that cross-cultural exchanges with students were beneficial.
Shafaq News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
China: Military ready to fight separatism in Taiwan
Shafaq News – Beijing/ Taipei On Thursday, China's Ministry of Defense stressed that its military is fully prepared for combat in response to recent statements by Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te asserting Taiwan's independence. 'The army will never tolerate any separatist activities aimed at Taiwan's independence,' said ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang at a press briefing. Zhang criticized Lai's government, accusing it of 'pushing Taiwan into a dangerous situation of war' and harming the livelihoods of the Taiwanese people. The remarks come after Lai delivered a series of speeches this week reaffirming what he called Taiwan's sovereign status and claiming that China has no legal or historical right to assert sovereignty over the island. Taiwan split from mainland China in 1949 after the Chinese Civil War and has since developed into a self-governed, democratic island officially known as the Republic of China (ROC). Beijing enforces its 'One-China Principle,' asserting that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China and reserving the right to use force if Taiwan formally declares independence. The United States adheres to a 'One-China Policy,' formally recognizing the People's Republic of China while maintaining unofficial ties with Taiwan and preserving a stance of strategic ambiguity toward defending it.
2 days ago
- Politics
US diplomat in Hong Kong criticizes China and the city for curtailing freedoms
HONG KONG -- Hong Kong's top American diplomat said on Thursday that the policies of the Chinese and Hong Kong governments have curtailed freedoms, pointing to the cases of jailed prominent activist Jimmy Lai and what he called 'transnational regression." At a reception for the U.S. Independence Day, U.S. Consul General Gregory May, who will join the U.S. Embassy in Beijing next month after a three-year term in Hong Kong, told reporters he is a 'big fan' of Hong Kong, and that its people and spirit made the city a good place. 'Hong Kong is a great city. What is not great is the policies of the mainland Chinese government, the Hong Kong government, that have eroded freedom,' he said. Following the 2019 anti-government movement that filled Hong Kong's streets with protesters, Beijing imposed a national security law that it deemed necessary for the city's stability. Under the law, Lai and many other leading activists were prosecuted. May said U.S. President Donald Trump was very concerned about the fate of Lai, who is fighting national security charges that carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Before he was elected Trump said he would '100%' get Lai out of jail. May said Washington is also concerned about others, jailed for the peaceful expression of political views. 'The other friction point in my term here has been transnational repression, and it's very disappointing to see over my three years here, attempts by Hong Kong authorities to enforce the national security law within the borders of the United States against U.S. persons,' he said. He was referring to accusations by Hong Kong authorities against some overseas-based activists claiming they violated the security law and offering rewards of 1 million Hong Kong dollars ($128,000) for information leading to each of their arrests. On Tuesday, the U.S. Consulate condemned the Hong Kong government for what it called repression of 4th of July celebrations after city education authorities reportedly cautioned teachers and students not to attend events marking the day and organized by American diplomats. May said he was disappointed over the move and that it was 'pretty perplexing.' On Tuesday, the city's education bureau responded to media queries, saying schools have the responsibility to be good gatekeepers and to enhance the sensitivity of teachers and students to national security at that time.
