EU also warns on Hong Kong National Security Law... Indicates possibility of cooperation with the US on sanctions

Charles Michel, EU Summit Permanent President, "China's Actions Are Not Pure"
Chinese State Media Retorts, "Worry About COVID-19 Prevention More Than Hong Kong"

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Young-shin] Following the United States, the European Union (EU) has expressed opposition to China's plan to enact the Hong Kong National Security Law (Security Law).

U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that if the Security Law is forcibly enacted, certain measures will be taken against it, increasing the pressure from the Western bloc on China. Amid this, Israel excluded the Hong Kong company CK Hutchison Group from the bidding process for the $1.5 billion Hadera coastal desalination project, leading to analyses that economic sanctions cooperation against China has effectively begun.

According to the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 27th, Charles Michel, the permanent chair of the EU Summit, expressed support for Hong Kong's "One Country, Two Systems" principle during a video conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

He said, "China's actions are not sincere," and "We are cooperating with all EU member states." This was interpreted as a clear intention to cooperate with the U.S. in pressuring China. SCMP also reported that Israel excluded the Hong Kong company CK Hutchison Group from the bidding for the $1.5 billion Hadera coastal desalination project.

SCMP explained that the bidding restrictions on the Hong Kong company followed U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's expression of opposition to China's participation in Israeli infrastructure projects. Pompeo reportedly expressed concerns about Hutchison's bid during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this month.

Regarding the bidding restrictions on the desalination project, SCMP interpreted that beyond the enactment of the Hong Kong Security Law, the U.S. concerns about China's Belt and Road investments connecting Asia, Africa, and Europe are also reflected. It is analyzed that the Security Law could serve as a catalyst to unite the Western bloc centered on the U.S.

On the 28th, ahead of the Chinese government's handling of the Security Law, President Trump again issued a warning message on the 26th (local time). He said regarding possible U.S. sanctions against China, "We are doing something now," and "Before this week ends, you will hear a very strong statement."

Meanwhile, China's state-run Global Times rebuked Western countries including the United Kingdom, which have criticized the Hong Kong issue, telling them to "worry about COVID-19 prevention."

The Global Times emphasized that some leaders in the West, including the UK, still live in a hypocritical colonial era and that since the 1997 handover of Hong Kong, Hong Kong citizens have enjoyed higher political rights and autonomy than before. It added that the UK, once the empire on which the sun never set, is no longer a great empire, and that involvement in the Hong Kong Security Law is merely verbal complaints to assert presence.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.