#Germany #HongKong #China #FreedomForHongKong #consequences
The controversial security law in Hong Kong, which grants the Chinese authorities significantly more rights in the special administrative zone, has been in force since the beginning of July.
The controversial security law in Hong Kong, which grants the Chinese authorities significantly more rights in the special administrative zone, has been in force since the beginning of July.
There was hail of international criticism, but the echo has had relatively little impact. The German government also rejects demands to suspend the extradition agreement with Hong Kong.
A joint response at EU level is being worked on, but this should clearly lag behind the US measures. Washington recently announced visa restrictions for current and former Chinese Communist Party officials. The German government, on the other hand, is hidding in the background.
There is therefore no mention of economic punitive measures or a possible sanctioning of Chinese politicians who are responsible for the security law in the options proposed by Germany and France.
According to diplomats, the only plan is to provide even more support to civil society - for example, through coordinated scholarships for study visits. There is also the idea of offering an EU mission to monitor the next elections in Hong Kong.
After the security law was passed at the end of June despite protests, the Greens party had asked the German government to suspend the extradition agreement with Hong Kong, thereby rekindling the debate on how to deal with China's Hong Kong policy.
Australia and Canada have suspended their agreements. The German Federal Government currently sees no reason for this. "The German legal system ensures that nobody is extradited who faces political persecution and torture" -
regardless of whether there is an extradition agreement or not, according to a spokesman for the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin. Government spokesman Steffen Seibert makes it clear: "The Federal Government does not, in principle, identify politically persecuted people."
The relationship with the authorities in Hong Kong is based on the fact that the judiciary there is independent, according to the Federal Foreign Office. It will now be followed "with great attention" whether this independence still exists.
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