Foreign Governments Denounce HK$1M Bounties on Activists

Foreign governments spoke out about the bounties on activists

Reaction to the Hong Kong government putting a HK$1 million bounty on six activists was swift despite it being Christmas Eve and Christmas, depending on the time zone.

United States Consul General Gregory May said Washington denounced the Hong Kong authorities' latest move.

"We call on the Hong Kong government to stop using its national security laws to silence dissent," he said in a social media post.

The European Union spokesman for foreign affairs and security policy Anouar El Anouni posted a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, condemning "the new round of extraterritorial arrest warrants."

"The EU calls on China to respect its international commitments and the one country, two systems principle. The EU urges the Hong Kong authorities to stop the crackdown on pro-democracy forces and to uphold fundamental freedoms as enshrined in Hong Kong's Basic Law," he said.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy also criticised the move as well, adding the UK government was committed to supporting Hongkongers who had relocated to the country.

"We will not tolerate any attempts by foreign governments to coerce, intimidate, harass or harm their critics overseas, especially in the UK," he said.

"We call on Beijing to repeal the national security law, including its extraterritorial reach. And we call on Hong Kong authorities to end their targeting of individuals in the UK and elsewhere who stand up for freedom and democracy."

Meanwhile Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly criticised the conducting of "transnational repression abroad" and vowed such "threats, intimidation and coercion" against Canadians and those in the country would not be tolerated.

In response, a spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Canada slammed the "groundless accusations and wilful smear" against the Hong Kong authorities...