No visas in China
Beijing announced on Monday that it will restrict the issuance of visas for US citizens “who have behaved badly regarding Hong Kong issues”.
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China announced on Monday visa restrictions against “misbehaving” Americans over controversial national security law in Hong Kong’s autonomous territory, and are in the process of being passed.
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Ignoring calls from Western countries and the Hong Kong pro-democracy opposition, Beijing intends to impose this text, which, according to its detractors, threatens the autonomy and freedoms of the former British colony.
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Returned to China in 1997, Hong Kong was rocked last year by massive protests against the influence of the central government.
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Scalded by these events, Beijing has developed in a few weeks a text which bypasses the local legislative council, making fear with the Honkongese opposition an unprecedented decline of freedoms in the city of 7.5 million inhabitants.
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The law, currently under discussion in the Chinese national parliament, could be adopted in the coming hours. It intends to suppress separatism, terrorism, subversion and collusion with foreign forces.
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Anticipating the passage of this text to which it is opposed, Washington had announced on Friday visa restrictions targeting certain Chinese officials accused of calling into question the Hong Kong autonomy.
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Advancing legislation
“The United States will never succeed in hampering China’s efforts to advance Hong Kong’s national security laws,” said Zhao Lijian, a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, on Monday.
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“In response to the (measures announced by) the United States, China has decided to impose visa restrictions on US nationals who have behaved badly regarding Hong Kong issues,” he said. he announced at a regular press point.
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China announced last month the bill, which was immediately judged by the Hong Kong opposition as a way to silence the pro-democracy movement.
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For Beijing, it is a question of putting an end to the violence which enamelled the demonstrations of 2019 and of repressing the pro-independence current in the territory.
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Since the handover, Hong Kong has enjoyed considerable autonomy from the rest of the country ruled by the Communist Party, under the principle of “One country, two systems”.
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Its inhabitants benefit in particular from freedom of expression, freedom of the press and independent justice. Rights unknown in mainland China.
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(AFP)
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