Earlier, the Japanese authorities expressed their “deep concern” over Beijing’s policy towards this special administrative region of the People’ s Republic of China.
China expressed its dissatisfaction to Tokyo through diplomatic channels with its attempts to obtain publication of a joint statement of the G7 on the situation around Hong Kong, but the Japanese leadership responded by reiterating its “deep concern” over Beijing’s policy towards this special administrative region of China. This clarification was made by Cabinet Secretary General Yoshihide Suga at a press conference in Tokyo on Thursday.
“In response to China’s displeasure, we have once again expressed our deep concern”, – he said. – “There are unresolved problems between our countries and we intend to gradually resolve them by clearly expressing our position, including at the senior level. I would like to strongly encourage China to take a constructive position.”
The day before, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told Parliament that his government intends to take the lead in drafting a joint G7 statement on the issue of Hong Kong. According to him, the document intends to emphasize the importance of maintaining the special status of Hong Kong on the basis of the principle of “one country – two systems”.
May 28, the National People’s Congress of China adopted a resolution to draft a bill on national security in Hong Kong. The White House took it as a violation of the autonomous status of the special area and promised to respond with sanctions. On May 29, U.S. President Donald Trump said that in connection with such actions of Beijing, the U.S. side began the process of cancelling all privileges enjoyed by this special administrative region in trade and economic relations with the United States.
In Beijing, the importance and urgency of drafting the law stemmed from the growing threats to national security in Hong Kong, as well as the inability of local authorities to enact the law themselves within 23 years of the transition to Chinese jurisdiction. Hong Kong authorities have repeatedly stressed that the new law will target “only a handful of criminals” and will not violate the principle of “one country, two systems”, the legitimate rights and freedoms of local people, including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.