Former UK Foreign Ministers Urge "British Government to Actively Intervene in Hong Kong Issue"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Former British foreign ministers have reportedly sent a letter to the UK Foreign Office urging the British government to actively intervene in the Hong Kong issue. They emphasized that since the UK has moral and legal responsibilities toward Hong Kong, it must raise its voice in the international community.

According to the British daily The Guardian, on the 1st (local time), seven former British foreign ministers, including William Hague and David Miliband, sent a letter to current UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, urging government-level action on the Hong Kong issue. In the letter, they pointed out that "the UK has moral and legal responsibilities toward the people of Hong Kong." The letter's main point is that if the promise of "one country, two systems" in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong's handover is not upheld, the UK must take action.

They are reportedly concerned that US President Donald Trump's strong stance against the Chinese government's enforcement of the Hong Kong National Security Law could worsen the situation. They argue that if President Trump pressures China as part of his election strategy, it could ultimately lead to divisions within Hong Kong's pro-democracy forces.

Raising the need for an organized international response, they cited the "Contact Group of Five Countries," which was formed in the early 1990s to resolve the Bosnia crisis, as an example, emphasizing that a similar international organization is necessary for the Hong Kong issue. They also advised Prime Minister Boris Johnson to bring up the Hong Kong situation as an agenda item at the Group of Seven (G7) summit and to garner support from the European Union (EU) and Commonwealth countries.

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