On January 10th 2003, member of the Danish Parliament and spokesman for the Danish People's Party Mr. Peter Skaarup raised a question to the Foreign Minister of Denmark, which required a written answer by the minister. The English translation of the Foreign Minister follows:

"In view of the restrictions on the freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of association, which the Chinese government plans to impose on the former British crown colony, what initiatives does the minister propose to take in order to ensure that the citizens of Hong Kong, which was handed over to the Chinese rulers in 1997, can continue to preserve their civil rights?"

"The questioner refers to, among other things, the editorial in Jyllandsposten (largest newspaper in Denmark) on December 16^th 2002, wherein is stated that practicing lawyers, labour unions in Hong Kong and the international business community in the so called administrative region, are fearful of infringements of their basic rights of freedom in regard to a law that apparently protects China's national security. The questioner's understanding of this is that this law proposal fundamentally undermines the so-called "one country two systems" principle, which was a prerequisite for the handing over of Hong Kong to Chinese control in 1997. In the questioner's view it is exceedingly worrying that, among other things, the so-called "unauthorized and harmful disclosure" of governmental information, as well as military secrets and certain foreign political subjects, is liable to punishment. There is also reason to fear the banning of labour unions in the region. The infringements of the freedom of speech in Hong Kong is all the more worrying since the former crown colony serves as a hub for the major part of East Asia's media world. To the questioner's mind the planned legislation goes against the basic freedoms and rights, which any country should uphold, and which China agreed to respect when taking over the former British crown colony. The questioner finds it important that the Danish (government) makes it clear to the Chinese government that we do not find it acceptable when such explicit agreements on the freedom of expression are circumvented in this manner.

The original Danish text:

10. januar 2003

Spørgsmål til skriftlig besvarelse (§ 20)
Af: Peter Skaarup (DF)
Til: Udenrigsministeren

Spørgsmål :

"Hvilke initiativer påtænker ministeren at tage for at sikre, at indbyggerne i Hong Kong, der blev overgivet til de kinesiske magthavere i 1997, fortsat kan bevare deres frihedsrettigheder set i lyset af de indskrænkninger, som den kinesiske regering nu planlægger af ytrings-, forsamlings-, og foreningsfriheden i den forhenværende britiske kronkoloni?"

Begrundelse :

"Spørgeren henviser blandt andet til Jyllands-Postens leder den 16/12-2002, hvoraf det fremgår, at Hong Kongs praktiserende advokater, fagforeninger i Hong Kong og det internationale erhvervsliv i den såkaldt administrative region frygter overgreb mod deres basale frihedsrettigheder i forbindelse med indførelse af en lov, der angiveligt skal beskytte Kinas nationale sikkerhed. Efter spørgerens opfattelse er der med dette lovforslag tale om et fundamentalt brud med det såkaldte "ét land -- to systemer-princip", der var en forudsætning for overgivelsen af Hong Kong til kinesiske overherredømme i 1997. Spørgeren anser det som endog særdeles bekymrende, at bl.a. såkaldt "uautoriseret og skadelig afsløring" af regeringsinformationer, herunder militære hemmeligheder og visse udenrigspolitiske emner, vil kunne straffes. Ligesom det kan frygtes, at fagforeninger vil blive forbudt i regionen. Overgrebene mod ytringsfriheden i Hong Kong er des mere bekymrende, fordi den tidligere kronkoloni er centrum for store dele af Østasiens medieverden. Den påtænkte lovgivning strider efter spørgerens opfattelse mod basale frihedsrettigheder, som ethvert land bør overholde, og som Kina i forbindelse med overtagelsen af den tidligere britiske kronkoloni har lovet at respektere. Spørgeren finder det vigtigt, at det klart signaleres over for den kinesiske regering, at vi fra dansk side ikke finder det acceptabelt, at man på den måde omgår klare aftaler om ytringsfrihed i Hong Kong.

Til Udenrigsministeren

Posting date: 1/27/2003
Original article date: 1/27/2003
Category: Worldwide Support