UK Foreign Office publishes latest six-monthly report on Hong Kong

Today, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) published the 57th six-monthly report on Hong Kong. The FCDO’s six-monthly reports, which have been published every year since 1997, are used to provide regular updates on the implementation of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) , and on the state of Hong Kong’s autonomy as promised under the Joint Declaration. The latest report covers the period from 1 January to 30 June 2025.

The report notes the ‘continued erosion of democratic rights and freedoms’ in Hong Kong over this period, including the ongoing trial of 77-year-old British citizen and founder of Apple Daily Jimmy Lai, the rearrest of imprisoned activist Joshua Wong under new National Security Law charges, and the prosecution of the father of exiled Hong Kong activist Anna Kwok. It also notes the passing of supplementary legislation to the 2024 Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, which was gazetted without amendment.

The report criticises the diminishing transparency of the Hong Kong government and the further entrenchment of national security legislation within Hong Kong law. It further criticises the application of national security laws in ways that undermine the rights and freedoms guaranteed under the Joint Declaration, and reiterates the call of the British government for the immediate release of Jimmy Lai. The report also condemns the PRC and Hong Kong government’s use of transnational repression tactics against exiled Hong Kong pro-democracy activists and their family members in Hong Kong. 

However, the report also notes sustained engagement between the UK and Hong Kong governments, with the then-Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security, the Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP, visiting Hong Kong in April; Hong Kong Secretary for Education, Christine Choi Yuk-lin, holding a bilateral meeting with the then-Minister for School Standards, Catherine McKinnell MP; the then-Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Indo-Pacific, the Hon Catherine West MP, meeting Chief Secretary Eric Chan in May; and Hong Kong Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Christopher Hui, meeting the then-Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Emma Reynolds MP, in June.

The report concludes that while political freedoms and autonomy have been undermined, Hong Kong ‘continues to retain a high degree of autonomy in economic, monetary, and financial matters’ and that ‘economic freedoms remain broadly preserved as envisaged in the Joint Declaration’. 

Thomas Benson, Senior Research and Policy Advisor at Hong Kong Watch, commented: 

“We welcome the publication of the latest six-monthly report on Hong Kong, which continues to highlight human rights abuses within Hong Kong and call for the immediate release of Jimmy Lai. 

However, we must take issue with the conclusion that the ‘economic autonomy’ of Hong Kong has been unaffected by the imposition of national security laws. The UK government is attempting to draw a line between ‘political’ and ‘economic’ autonomy, where no such line exists. Any economic matter can be politicised and fall under the remit of national security laws, should the Hong Kong or Beijing government see fit. 

It is easy to see, however, why the government might be keen to draw this imaginary line. The level of bilateral engagement between Hong Kong and the UK government over the last six months shows that the government is trying hard to build new economic ties to Hong Kong. We urge the government to acknowledge that the repressive crackdown on Hong Kong’s rule of law has real implications for UK businesses operating in Hong Kong. The Foreign Office should amend its six-monthly reports and its business advisory to reflect this reality.” 

英國最新《香港半年報告》指香港經濟自由大致保存 香港監察促英政府認清事實：香港法治受打壓 不適宜營商

英國外交、聯邦及發展事務部今天發表第57份《香港半年報告》，報告期涵蓋2025年1月1日至6月30日。

報告指出，香港在報告期內「民主權利和自由持續受損」，所列事件包括77歲英國公民、《蘋果日報》創辦人黎智英的案件審訊持續，在囚社運人士黃之鋒被加控《國安法》罪名，以及流亡海外社運人士郭鳳儀的父親被落案起訴。報告亦指出，《維護國家安全條例》附例未經修訂刊憲生效。

報告的結論為，雖然政治自由和自治受到破壞，但香港「在經濟、貨幣和金融事務上繼續保持高度自治」，而「經濟自由仍然大致保存，正如《聯合聲明》所展望般」。

香港監察資深研究及政策顧問湯柏森（Thomas Benson）表示：

「我們歡迎最新一份《香港半年報告》，報告繼續列出香港境內侵害人權行為，並呼籲立即釋放黎智英。

然而，我們必須對香港『經濟自治』未受國家安全法例影響的結論提出異議。英國政府正試圖在『政治』自治與『經濟』自治之間劃出界線，但這條界線並不存在。如果香港或北京政府認為合適，任何經濟問題都可被政治化，並受國家安全法例管轄。

不過，我們不難理解為甚麼英國政府熱衷劃出這條假想線。過去六個月，香港與英國政府之間的雙邊交流程度顯示，英國政府正努力與香港建立全新經濟關係。我們促請政府承認，對香港法治的專制打壓對在香港經營的英國企業有實際影響。外交部應修訂其半年報告和營商諮詢公告，從而反映這事實。」