Archive for ‘parliamentary meetings’

26/05/2020

China’s Hong Kong garrison ‘ready to safeguard national security’ in the city

  • PLA commander says new law will help to crack down on separatist and foreign forces in ‘two sessions’ interview
  • Military has ‘determination, confidence and ability’ to safeguard national security interests and Hong Kong prosperity
China’s People’s Liberation Army has said its Hong Kong garrison will “resolutely” safeguard national security and sovereignty. Photo: Sam Tsang
China’s People’s Liberation Army has said its Hong Kong garrison will “resolutely” safeguard national security and sovereignty. Photo: Sam Tsang
The People’s Liberation Army has said the Chinese military will “resolutely” safeguard China’s national security and sovereignty, in its first statement since Beijing announced plans to impose a sweeping national security law in Hong Kong.
Chen Daoxiang, commander of the PLA’s Hong Kong garrison, said it would “act with firm resolve to implement the central government’s decision and plans” as well as continuing to implement the “one country, two systems” policy in the city.
How China is drafting a new Hong Kong national security law at the National People’s Congress
Speaking on the sidelines of China’s annual parliamentary meetings, also known as the

“two sessions”

, Chen told state broadcaster CCTV that the new law would help to crack down on separatist and foreign forces aiming to undermine China’s national unity.

“[The garrison] will implement, according to law, various tasks delegated by the party and the people, and has the determination, confidence and ability to safeguard national security and development interest as well as Hong Kong’s continuing prosperity,” he said.

Commander of the PLA Hong Kong garrison Chen Daoxiang. Photo: Weibo
Commander of the PLA Hong Kong garrison Chen Daoxiang. Photo: Weibo
The proposal to impose a national security law in Hong Kong – which will give Beijing more direct control over the city – was introduced by China’s legislature on Friday. Beijing has blamed foreign forces for inciting last year’s months-long protests in Hong Kong, sparked by opposition to a separate and now-withdrawn extradition bill, and described the unrest as a grave threat to national security.

Separately, CCTV reported that a group of top military officials said in a session on Tuesday that there was a “great urgency” for Beijing to impose the law in a bid to address the “new risks and challenges” in governing the city.

The officials, who included Central Military Commission vice-chairmen Xu Qiliang and Zhang Youxia, said the plan was a “very timely, necessary and important” step to prevent and punish efforts to undermine China’s national sovereignty and security.

They reiterated the PLA’s commitment to opposing intervention from foreign forces in Hong Kong as well as maintaining China’s national unity and territorial integrity.

“Hong Kong affairs are purely China’s internal affairs. We resolutely oppose efforts by any foreign country, organisation and individual in interfering with Hong Kong affairs, and will resolutely guard against and contain any attempts by external forces in … engaging any separatist, subversion and infiltration activities,” they said, according to CCTV.

The planned national security law has drawn strong condemnation from the US government, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo calling it a “death knell” for the territory’s relative autonomy. White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien said on Sunday that the US government would likely impose sanctions on China if Beijing went ahead with the plan.

Source: SCMP

24/05/2020

China and US must find ways to get along and avoid new cold war, says Foreign Minister Wang Yi

  • Countries must respect each others’ systems and be wary of US political forces who want to ‘hijack relations’, Wang tells press conference at ‘two sessions’
  • Beijing is not looking for confrontation and wants to work with Washington to fight coronavirus, minister says
Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China did not want to replace or change the US. Photo: Xinhua
Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China did not want to replace or change the US. Photo: Xinhua

China and the US should try to avoid a new cold war and find new ways to cooperate despite their differences, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday.

“We need to be alert to efforts by some political forces in America to hijack China-US relations and who try to push the two countries towards a so-called ‘new cold war’.

“This is a dangerous attempt to turn back the course of history,” Wang told a press conference on the sidelines of the annual parliamentary meetings known as the ‘two sessions’.

Ties between the two countries have further worsened due to escalating tensions over the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Voices calling for decoupling have been on the rise in the US, with some arguing that the two countries are edging towards a new cold war akin to that against the Soviet Union.

Wang called for the two countries to respect each other’s political systems and to find a way to get along despite their differences.

The two nations should step up cooperation on global pandemic control, and coordinate on macro policies to deal with the economic impact.

“China has no intention of changing the United States, much less replacing it. The US should give up the wishful thinking that it can change China.”

“For the benefit of the two peoples, as well as the future and well-being of humankind, China and the US should and must find a way to coexist peacefully despite the differences in system and cultures of the two societies.”

Wang said China will not seek confrontation with the United States, but China is determined to protect its sovereignty, territorial integrity and development.

Source: SCMP
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