BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - The European Commission and the High Representative have adopted the annual report to the European Parliament and the Council on political and economic developments in Hong Kong in 2023.
EU High Representative Josep Borrell said the 2023 annual report illustrates in great detail the continuous erosion of the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong and the dismantling of the 'one country two systems' principle.
The political opposition in Hong Kong has been effectively excluded from elections, the report says. The National Security Law continues to be used to stifle dissent, including abroad. These developments undermine trust in the rule of law in Hong Kong and affect Hong Kong's standing as an international business hub, he said in a statement.
The electoral overhaul of the District Councils, adopted on 6 July, drastically reduced the number of directly elected members to less than one-fifth. Under the amended law, candidates need to pass through an extensive vetting process. Ultimately, no pro-democracy candidate qualified. Opposition parties were unable to organize fundraising events. The District Council election took place on 10 December and saw a historically low turnout rate.
For the first time, the National Security Law was applied extra-territorially. Hong Kong authorities issued a wanted list targeting Hong Kong activists residing overseas and placed bounties on 13 self-exiled activists over alleged collusion with foreign countries or external elements.
The annual report highlights the substantial commercial links between the European Union and Hong Kong. With 1,550 companies, the EU remained the largest foreign business community in the autonomous Chinese region. The EU was Hong Kong's third largest trading partner, after mainland China and Taiwan.
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