European Parliament backs call for Hong Kong to lose special trading status

Lawmakers heavily backed a non-binding resolution that was prompted by the jailing of 45 opposition lawmakers on national security charges

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The European Parliament heavily backed a resolution calling for Hong Kong to lose its special trading status. Photo: Sun Yeung

Published: 8:05pm, 29 Nov 2024Updated: 8:34pm, 29 Nov 2024

The European Parliament has heavily backed a resolution calling for the European Union to revoke Hong Kong’s special trading status.

At the Strasbourg plenary on Thursday, 473 lawmakers voted in favour of the non-binding resolution, with only 23 voting against it. There were 98 abstentions.

The resolution also asked the European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, to review the status of Hong Kong’s economic and trade office in Brussels following a national security trial that saw 45 opposition politicians jailed for between four and 10 years.

Lawmakers renewed calls for “targeted sanctions” on the city’s political leaders, including Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, and urged the 27 member states to “file an International Court of Justice case against China’s decision to impose the national security law” on Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong government responded by saying “officials will not be threatened by such barbaric and despicable acts”.

“Turning a blind eye to the facts and making exaggerated remarks, the European Parliament has grossly interfered in China’s internal affairs and Hong Kong’s affairs, [and] demonstrated typical despicable political manipulation and hypocrisy with double standards,” it said in a lengthy statement.