China 'misled world' on Hong Kong security law

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has said that China deliberately misled the world when it passed its new security law in Hong Kong last year.

His comments came after more than 50 of Hong Kong's most prominent pro-democracy activists and politicians were arrested in the biggest crackdown since China imposed the security law last year. It has been reported that approximately 1,000 police took part in raids on 72 premises across the city.

It is believed that those being held helped run an unofficial ‘primary’ to pick opposition candidates ahead of postponed 2020 elections. They are accused of trying to "overthrow" the government. Activists say the new law aims to quash dissent.

Raab, who has reiterated the UK’s offer to holders of British national (overseas) passports in the city to come and live in Britain, called the arrests ‘a grievous attack on Hong Kong’s rights and freedoms’ and said that they demonstrate that the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities ‘deliberately misled the world’ about the true purpose of the national security law, which ‘is being used to crush dissent and opposing political views’.

Lord Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong, has told the EU not to go ahead with an economic deal with China as doing so would ‘forfeit its right to be treated as a serious global economic and political power’.