The first British minister visiting Hong Kong in five years said his country will not “duck” its historic responsibilities to people living in its former colony while engaging with China in areas they share common interests.
The remarks by Dominic Johnson, minister of state in the Department for Business and Trade, were published in an opinion piece in the South China Morning Post on Tuesday. He wrote that the UK will be clear about its right to act when China breaks its international commitments or abuses human rights. Johnson’s trip this week came after relations between Hong Kong and Britain became increasingly tense following the enactment of a Beijing-imposed national security law, which the U.K. earlier called “a clear breach” of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration. The declaration included a promise to retain Hong Kong’s rights.