The Hong Kong government has said it “strongly opposed and disapproved of smears with distorted facts” after countries such as the US, Canada, and Australia criticised the city’s fresh bounties targeting overseas activists.
In a statement on Sunday, the Hong Kong government said that “such foreign government officials and politicians, as well as anti-China organisations, turned a blind eye to illegal acts of criminals” and “also deliberately smeared and spread irresponsible remarks, in an attempt to mislead the public.”
On Friday, Hong Kong national security police announced bounties for information leading to the arrest of 19 overseas activists for their link to political group the “Hong Kong Parliament,” accusing them of committing subversion under the Beijing-imposed national security law.
A bounty of HK$200,000 each was offered for 15 members of the group, while the remaining four were already wanted for HK$1 million each.
“The ‘Hong Kong Parliament’ is an organisation which aims to subvert state power; its objectives include promoting ‘self-determination’, promulgating the so-called ‘Hong Kong Constitution’, and overthrowing or undermining” the governments in China and Hong Kong, the statement also said.
“No country or organisation should harbour criminals nor try to exonerate these people with different excuses.”
Criticism against bounties
The Sunday statement was issued after senior US, Canadian, and Australian officials levelled criticism against the bounties.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday condemned the move by the Hong Kong authorities, calling the bounties “transnational repression.”
“The extraterritorial targeting of Hong Kongers who are exercising their fundamental freedoms is a form of transnational repression,” Rubio said in a statement.
“We will not tolerate the Hong Kong government’s attempts to apply its national security laws to silence or intimidate Americans or anyone on U.S. soil,” he added.
In Canada, Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand and Minister of Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree issued a joint statement on Saturday condemning the bounties.
“This attempt by Hong Kong authorities to conduct transnational repression abroad, including by issuing threats, intimidation or coercion against Canadians or those in Canada, will not be tolerated,” the statement read.
“The actions taken by Hong Kong threaten the sovereignty of Canada and security of the people in this country,” the statement continued.
The Canadian officials also said the bounties were “being amplified in an inauthentic and coordinated way, through an online network of accounts that are targeting Chinese-speaking communities.”
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Saturday on X: “Australia strongly objects to Hong Kong authorities issuing arrest warrants for pro-democracy advocates in Australia. Freedom of expression and assembly are essential to our democracy.”
The Hong Kong government on Saturday also issued a statement opposing remarks by UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who described the bounties as “another example of transnational repression.”
A total of 34 people residing overseas are currently placed on a wanted list by Hong Kong national security police.
Beijing inserted national security legislation directly into Hong Kong’s mini-constitution in June 2020 following a year of pro-democracy protests and unrest. It criminalised subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts – broadly defined to include disruption to transport and other infrastructure. The move gave police sweeping new powers and led to hundreds of arrests amid new legal precedents, while dozens of civil society groups disappeared. The authorities say it restored stability and peace to the city, rejecting criticism from trade partners, the UN and NGOs.
