The China-Hong Kong political crisis is one that demands international intervention before it blows into a full suppression of the will of Hong Kongers. China, ever since taking over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom, has done little to stay in line with the treaty on the administration of that small island. According to the international agreement signed by the UK and China in 1984, the island in spite its return back to China after the lease expires in 1997, would maintain its western features of democratic representative government, open capitalist market ideology rather than the communism features of the mainland China and its other territories.
To assert its domination over the small island, China introduced a new national security law that has become controversial. The national security law would see Hong Kong residents who have committed certain offences sent to China mainland for trial.
The law introduces new crimes with severe penalties, up to life in prison, and allows mainland security personnel to legally operate in Hong Kong with impunity. The national security law gives Chinese authorities extensive power to shape lives in the island far beyond the legal system.
The law is an aberration of the agreement between the UK and China before it was handed over in 1997. In line with the agreement, China is expected to respect and enshrine civil liberties including the right to protest, freedom of speech and the independence of the Hong Kong’s judiciary.
The law also provided that there is no time limit on how long suspects can be held. There are however indications that this controversial law is targeted at pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.
The United States Congress, reacting to the law, approved a new sanction on China. The proposed US legislation which has been forwarded to President Donald Trump for signature, seeks to penalise banks that engage in businesses with China.
The UK in its reaction said it would offer about three million Hong Kong residents the chance to settle there and ultimately apply for full British citizenship. Australia said it is also considering offering safe haven to Hong Kong residents.
It is unfortunate that 24 African countries were part of the 53 countries that supported China’s repressive action on Hong Kong and no single country on the continent joined other countries at the United Nations that opposed China’s new national security law.
We condemned such repressive law and urged the Nigerian government to align with other nations of the world that have condemned the action of the Chinese government. Nigeria, being a leading force in Africa should take a definitive stand on the repressive law imposed on Hong Kong, join forces with the countries opposed to the law and pressure China to respect the agreement of “one country, two government” expected to run for 50 years starting from 1997.
