UK Foreign Ministry: "We will continue to take a close interest in the protection of all the rights and freedoms of the Hong Kong people"

In November, the Hong Kong authority, under pressure from the China Liaison Office, forcibly disrupted a completely peaceful demonstration of the Falun Gong practitioners, removed their banners and threatened to prosecute them. After learning of this serious development, Dr Denis MacShane, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State of the UK Foreign Office (a position that is equivalent to Deputy Foreign Minister), wrote to a Falun Gong practitioner on 30 November 2001.

Dr MacShane said in his letter:

"The British Government attaches great importance to the Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong, which promises that the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong, including the freedom to demonstrate, will be protected. [...] The Foreign Secretary's most recent report covered, among other subjects, the controversy surrounding the treatment of Falun Gong in Hong Kong earlier this year."

He said:

"...we have on a number of occasions expressed concern to the Chinese Government about the treatment of individual Falun Gong practitioners in China. We did so most recently in the latest round of the UK-China Human Rights dialogue, held in London on 19-21 November; and I have personally raised the matter with the Chinese at the Ministerial level."

He ended his letter by emphasizing that the UK government "will continue to take a close interest in the protection of all the rights and freedoms of the Hong Kong people." Dr MacShane also informed the practitioner: "I have met with Hong Kong human rights campaigners and politicians; they have my support."

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