Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on May 28 issued a statement on protesting a decision by the Chinese government to introduce the mainland national security law in Hong Kong as follows:

JCP protests China’s National Security Law over Hong Kong

Kazuo Shii
Chair, Japanese Communist Party
Member of the House of Representatives of Japan
Tokyo

May 28, 2020

(1)

China’s National People’s Congress voted today to pass a decision on establishing a legal framework and enforcement mechanisms pertaining to its national security. This decision is one of its attempts to further infringe on the human rights of Hong Kong residents, which is based on China’s “national security law” barring rebellion, separatism, sedition and subversion against the central government. This law will be implemented without the agreement of the Government of Hong Kong, and turns the “one country, two systems” policy into a mere formality. It is a cruel way of introducing such a decision when people in Hong Kong could not protest because of the COVID-19 situation.

The Japanese Communist Party strongly condemns this decision by the Chinese government and demands that China immediately stop its suppression of the human rights of Hong Kong citizens.

(2)

In regard to the successive protest movements in Hong Kong since last year, the Chinese government underlines that it needs to establish both a new legal system and enforcement mechanism over Hong Kong to safeguard national security as Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi stated “excessive unlawful foreign meddling in Hong Kong affairs has placed China’s national security in serious jeopardy”.

Hong Kong officials condemn its citizens as “rioters” or even as “terrorists” who are calling for massive protest movements against enacting a national security law under the coronavirus pandemic.

Although the Chinese government states that the laws will target only a “narrow set of acts”, apparently, protesting civilians can be legally targeted.

(3)

The Chinese government stresses that Hong Kong affairs are China’s internal affairs and thus will not allow external interference. However, all nations should respect human rights based on international laws and treaties. Violations of human rights is no longer just an internal matter, but can affect international relations and responses.

Through the “one country, two systems” policy, the Chinese government has granted Hong Kong a high-level of autonomy, which means their rights to freedom of speech, assembly and association are assured. Furthermore, it signed and declared to support the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants on Human Rights and the Vienna Declaration.

The JCP strongly demands that the Chinese government comply with its international pledges regarding the “one country, two systems” policy for Hong Kong and resolve to implement and honor the contents of global agreements and conventions on human rights.