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The US says the crackdown by Hong Kong authorities includes a brand new nationwide safety regulation focusing on treason, espionage and different crimes.
The US has mentioned it should impose new visa restrictions on a number of Hong Kong officers blamed for cracking down on “rights and freedoms”, days after a tricky nationwide safety regulation was imposed within the Chinese language-ruled territory.
The regulation – referred to as Article 23 – offers the federal government new powers to crack down on all types of dissent on the grounds of alleged treason, espionage, treason and outdoors interference in Hong Kong's inner affairs.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned on Friday that the regulation could possibly be used to suppress dissent inside Hong Kong and additional China's marketing campaign to intimidate activists overseas.
“In response, the State Division is saying that it’s taking steps to impose new visa restrictions on a lot of Hong Kong officers chargeable for the intensified crackdown on rights and freedoms,” Blinken mentioned.
His assertion didn’t establish the officers who could be focused.
It got here after Washington held an annual overview of Hong Kong's autonomy, a standing promised to China when Britain handed over the town in 1997.
“This 12 months, I’ve once more licensed that Hong Kong isn’t assured the identical therapy below US legal guidelines because the legal guidelines had been utilized in Hong Kong earlier than July 1, 1997,” Blinken mentioned.
The Hong Kong authorities mentioned the sanctions and visa restrictions had been “a despicable political manipulation to intimidate officers defending nationwide safety”.
China's embassy in Washington mentioned it firmly opposes US threats to “impose unreasonable unilateral sanctions” on Hong Kong.
“The US aspect ignores the details, makes irresponsible feedback about Hong Kong affairs and makes baseless accusations towards the Chinese language and Hong Kong governments,” the embassy posted on its web site.
Washington has prior to now imposed visa bans and different sanctions on Hong Kong officers blamed for undermining freedoms and has introduced an finish to the particular financial therapy the territory has lengthy acquired below US regulation.
On Friday, UN-funded Radio Free Asia (RFA) mentioned its Hong Kong bureau was closing as a consequence of safety issues below Article 23.
RFA chairman Bei Fang mentioned in an announcement that the outlet would now not have full-time employees in Hong Kong however would retain its official registration.
“The actions of the Hong Kong authorities, together with referring to the RFA as a 'overseas energy', increase severe questions on our capacity to function in safety with the enactment of Article 23,” Bay mentioned.
#hongkong: Lower than every week after “Article 23” got here into power, @RadioFreeAsia Introduced that it could be closing its bureau. RSF condemns the rising strain on the media by the 🇭🇰 authorities by imposing this draconian regulation.https://t.co/qtniiSZrNy pic.twitter.com/fnoUrDZi87
– RSF (@RSF_inter) 29 March 2024
Cedric Alviani, director of the Asia Pacific bureau of Reporters With out Borders, referred to as the broadcaster's withdrawal “a consequence of the chilling impact imposed on media shops” by the brand new safety regulation.
“We urge democracies to place strain on Chinese language authorities to completely restore press freedom within the area,” Alviani mentioned.
Hong Kong ranked a hundred and fortieth out of 180 international locations and territories in Reporters With out Borders' newest world press freedom index.