The European Union on Tuesday urged China to respect the autonomy of Hong Kong as it seeks to implement new, controversial national security laws in the city.
China has proposed a set of security laws that would launch the establishment of Chinese intelligence bases in the global financial hub and separate its legal status, a move that U.S. officials have called a “death knell” for Hong Kong’s independence.
“We attach great importance to the preservation of Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy in line with the Basic Law and international commitments,” European Council President Charles Michel said during a video conference.
Several European countries have backed Hong Kong’s resistance to Beijing’s move, as Britain said it expects China to respect the city’s autonomy.
Britain, the longtime colonial master in Hong Kong, turned the territory over to China in 1997 under a treaty that bound Beijing’s communist rulers to respect Hong Kong’s autonomy as a special administrative region and to leave its liberal economy and government for 50 years under the formulation “one country, two systems.”
Mr. Michel said that Europe has supported the one country, two systems policy.
• Lauren Toms can be reached at lmeier@washingtontimes.com.
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