51 Hong Kong civil society groups call for HKSAR's membership application of RCEP to be blocked

Today, Hong Kong Watch has published a joint letter signed by 51 Hong Kong civil society groups urging the governments of Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, and the Philippines to block the ratification of Hong Kong’s membership of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

The letter highlights the erratic and unpredictable behaviour of the Hong Kong Government which includes the mass arrest and jailing of lawmakers, trade unionists, activists, and journalists, the overhauling of democratic elections, and the undermining of judicial independence, which point to why Hong Kong is not a credible candidate for the trade pact.

Furthermore, the Greater Bay Area, which Hong Kong is a part of, is increasingly being used by the People’s Republic of China as a smuggling hub to bypass American restrictions on semiconductors and emerging technologies, undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy in a regulatory race to the bottom. 

In addition, the diminished status of Hong Kong’s autonomy as a result of the National Security Law means that ratification of its membership would see the People’s Republic of China effectively having two seats within RCEP, doing little to deflect criticism that the trade bloc will become dominated by China.

In the past, RCEP members have demonstrated a willingness to weigh the human rights record of applicants when considering ratification of their membership. In February 2022, members rightly blocked Myanmar’s membership on human rights grounds following the military coup.

The full letter and list of signatories is available here. 

Commenting on the letter, Jung-Hoon Lee, South Korea’s inaugural Ambassador for North Korean Human Rights and Patron of Hong Kong Watch, said:

“Given the ongoing human rights crackdown in Hong Kong, the mass arrest of lawmakers, civil society leaders, and journalists, and the decline in the autonomy of the Hong Kong Government since the introduction of the draconian National Security Law, South Korea and other democracies in the region should block the HKSAR’s membership application to join RCEP. 

For South Korea, this would be in line with its new commitment to uphold the fundamental principles of freedom and human rights. Besides, such an act is consistent with previous membership application decisions, including the blocking of Myanmar’s application following the military coup in February 2021.”

Kevin Andrews, former Defence Minister for Australia and former Member of Parliament, said:

“The Hong Kong Government’s increasing belligerent and authoritarian behaviour which includes the recent targeting of Australian citizens and Hong Kong activists with arrest warrants and bounties, reflect why it is wholly unsuited to join RCEP. 

I urge the Australian Government to block the HKSAR’s RCEP membership application and demonstrate to the world that it will put human rights at the heart of Australia’s trade policy.”

Sam Goodman, Hong Kong Watch’s Director of Policy and Advocacy, stated that: 

“Democratic members of RCEP – Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, and the Philippines – would do well to block the ratification of Hong Kong’s membership on the grounds of its increasingly belligerent, unpredictable, and unreliable behaviour.

The diminished autonomous status of the Hong Kong Government means that China would essentially be awarded a second seat in RCEP, as the Greater Bay Area pushes the city into a regulatory race to the bottom. 

We urge them to reconsider the implications of ratifying Hong Kong’s membership of the RCEP, and stand firmly with their democratic values.”