Central Correspondence Unit
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
King Charlies Street
London
SW1A 2AH
www.gov.uk/fco
11 September 2019
Our reference:
People Hong Kong
By email:
Dear People of Hong Kong,
Thank you for your email of 13 August Foreign Secretary about Hong Kong. The Central Correspondence Unit in the FCO has been asked to reply.
The Hong Kong Chief Executive's announcement that she will formally withdraw the extradition bill is a welcome confidence-building step. We hope they lead to meaningful dialogue between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Governement and the people it serves. Our Consul General in Hong Kong and his team have consistently raised and discussed UK concerns about the proposals with the Hong Kong SAR Government, including together with EU partners. But recent protests show the strength of feeling among the people of Hong Kong.
We regularly raise Hong Kong with Chinese and Hong Kong officials at the highest levels. On 31 July, the Foreign Secretary raised Hong Kong with Chinese State Councillor Wang Yi, stating that both the UK and China have a legal commitment to the freedoms enshrined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration, including the right to peaceful protest. On 9 August, the Foreign Secretary called Hong Kong Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, noting our support for Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy as provided for in the Joint Declaration, and our commitment to the principle of "One Country, Two systems".
The Joint Declaration remains as valid today as it did when it was signed and ratified over thirty years ago. It isa legally binding treaty, registered with the UN and continues to be in force. As a co-signatory, the British Government is committed to monitoring its implementation closely. We have made our position clear to the Chinese Government both in public and in private on the importance we attach to the Joint Declaration and its faithful implementation.
The violence we have seen in Hong Kong is unacceptable. We note the announcement of a special inquiry by Hong Kong's independent Police Complaints Council and look forward to further details on its scope.
We can assure you that the British Government is, and will remain, closely engaged on this issue.
Yours sincerely,
Central Correspondence Unit
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
King Charlies Street
London
SW1A 2AH
www.gov.uk/fco
11 September 2019
Our reference:
People Hong Kong
By email:
Dear People of Hong Kong,
Thank you for your email of 13 August Foreign Secretary about Hong Kong. The Central Correspondence Unit in the FCO has been asked to reply.
The Hong Kong Chief Executive's announcement that she will formally withdraw the extradition bill is a welcome confidence-building step. We hope they lead to meaningful dialogue between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Governement and the people it serves. Our Consul General in Hong Kong and his team have consistently raised and discussed UK concerns about the proposals with the Hong Kong SAR Government, including together with EU partners. But recent protests show the strength of feeling among the people of Hong Kong.
We regularly raise Hong Kong with Chinese and Hong Kong officials at the highest levels. On 31 July, the Foreign Secretary raised Hong Kong with Chinese State Councillor Wang Yi, stating that both the UK and China have a legal commitment to the freedoms enshrined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration, including the right to peaceful protest. On 9 August, the Foreign Secretary called Hong Kong Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, noting our support for Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy as provided for in the Joint Declaration, and our commitment to the principle of "One Country, Two systems".
The Joint Declaration remains as valid today as it did when it was signed and ratified over thirty years ago. It isa legally binding treaty, registered with the UN and continues to be in force. As a co-signatory, the British Government is committed to monitoring its implementation closely. We have made our position clear to the Chinese Government both in public and in private on the importance we attach to the Joint Declaration and its faithful implementation.
The violence we have seen in Hong Kong is unacceptable. We note the announcement of a special inquiry by Hong Kong's independent Police Complaints Council and look forward to further details on its scope.
We can assure you that the British Government is, and will remain, closely engaged on this issue.
Yours sincerely,
Central Correspondence Unit
Foreign and Commonwealth Office