HK representatives slam West's double standards

Former district councilors of Hong Kong called on some Western countries on Thursday to stop throwing mud at China with biased comments and to stop politicizing the global anti-pandemic campaign at a United Nations meeting in Geneva.

The remarks were made through a video speech at the regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

During the session, several Western countries criticized China on issues related to the Hong Kong Special Administration Region. More than 90 countries threw their weight behind China against the finger-pointing by the West at the session.

Joephy Chan Wing-yan, a former district councilor and an internet celebrity from Hong Kong, said in a two-minute speech the "unsubstantiated" accusations are just a kind of "same, old political rhetoric".

Chan cited the joint statement issued by the G7 foreign ministers last year. The statement alleged the enactment of the National Security Law in Hong Kong would undermine rights and freedom.

"But the fact is, people in Hong Kong welcome the forthcoming first anniversary of the National Security Law, as it protects our rights to live normal lives free from black-clad violence," Chan said.

It also shows that they are applying double standards as China is not allowed to safeguard its own national security on its own sovereign territory, while all G7 countries have their own national security laws, she added.

Judy Chan Ka-pui, also a former district councilor of Hong Kong, said in an online speech at the same meeting that the United States should not see China as a strategic competitor in the face of the pandemic.

Chan said the contribution of China to the international community during the pandemic should not be disregarded and distorted. She said China has provided more than 350 million doses of vaccines to over 80 countries up to early June, mostly to developing countries.

"Besides going through bilateral channels, China always seeks multilateral cooperation in fighting the pandemic and is committed to donating vaccines to the UN Peacekeepers and the International Olympic Committee," she said.

"Instead of making everything political, it is time for leaders in the West to step up and join the leader in the East" to fight the common enemy in COVID-19, Chan added.

Holden Chow Ho-ding, a Hong Kong solicitor and lawmaker, agreed with the two former district councilors, saying some Western countries applied double standards on China-related issues.

A good case in point would be the recent accusations by the West on the arrest of the executives of the Apple Daily and its parent company, Next Digital, under the National Security Law, Chow said. The West said the law enforcement action stifled press freedom.

"I doubt that any nation would condone abuse of press freedom to endanger its own national security."