HK Chief Executive vowed to fully cooperate with Beijing
Photo: Xiaomei Chen
On May 31st, Hong Kong’s Christian leaders and evangelical pastors published a letter in response to the National Security Law that China’s National People’s Congress had just approved on May 28th. This letter titled, “Statement by Hong Kong Christians in Response to National Security Law”, is a declaration and expression of outrage from Hong Kong’s Christian community. In the letter, they vowed to stand against the authoritarian government, to stand for Hongkonger’s freedom and human rights, and to fully embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ. Alongside these declarations, this letter also conveyed their shortcomings as Christian churches, in which they confessed to had been too focused internally, self-censored, and turned a blind eye as the “authority” oppressed and deprived people’s basic rights. Since the publishing of this letter online, as of June 17, 2020, more than 3,500 Hong Kong Christians had signed this letter.
This letter then came three days after China’s National People’s Congress’s shocking announcement , on May 28th, that it had approve a national security law that would undoubtedly destroy Hong Kong’s autonomy from Communist China. In this law, it would make illegal any acts of secession and subversion from the Chinese government, terrorism, collusion with foreign forces that interferes with Hong Kong, and opens an avenue for China to emplace their own institutions to enforce this law. With little opposition from the current Hong Kong government, the passage of this law in Hong Kong is viewed as inevitable.
The details of the law is still being developed, however it is expected to be placed into effect by September, and crackdowns on Hongkongers to swiftly follow. It has become a dangerous time for Hongkongers who stands up for the political, social, and religious freedoms in Hong Kong. With the implementation of this law, Communist China no longer needs to work in the shadows, to kidnap their critics from the city, but could thereupon openly arrest and try anyone they deem to undermine the government. Thus, the passage of this law will hence completely dismantle Hong Kong’s basic law of “one country, two systems”. Please click on this link to view the entire letter: Statement by Hong Kong Christians in Response to National Security Law (English version towards the bottom of the page)