Hong Kong authorities object as Australia, UK grant asylum to 2 activists
Hong Kong authorities have lambasted the “harbouring of criminals by countries” as Australia and the United Kingdom granted asylum to a pair of opposition activists wanted for national security offences.Fugitive former lawmaker Ted Hui Chi-fung, who lives in Adelaide, and activist Tony Chung Hon-lam, based in London, announced separately on their social media accounts this weekend that they had been granted asylum by the governments of Australia and the UK, respectively.In a statement in the early morning on Sunday, the Hong Kong government expressed “strong disapproval and opposition against the harbouring of criminals in any form by any country,” without naming any country or individual.“Any country that harbours Hong Kong criminals in any form shows contempt for the rule of law, grossly disrespects Hong Kong’s legal systems and barbarically interferes in the affairs of Hong Kong,” its spokesman said.“Turning a blind eye to the offences committed by the criminals and disregarding the potential security threats posed to the local community and residents, they shall eventually bear the consequences of what they have done.”The spokesman said that a number of absconders wanted under the city’s national security laws had continued to engage in acts endangering national security, which he described as “out-and-out shameful and cowardly acts.”
