Hong Kong iMail: EC rights report gives thumbs up to SAR

Fri , 27 July 2001

THE European Commission has given a positive appraisal of Hong Kong, despite noting that the Falun Gong issue poses a new challenge to SAR authorities.

In its third report on Hong Kong, the commission said ''one country, two systems'' continued to work well during the year 2000.

Both the Central Government and the SAR government continued to stress the importance they attached to full implementation of the principle of ''one country, two systems'', it said. While the report noted several issues that had caused controversy, it observed that Hong Kong people ''remain vigilant in defence of their basic rights and freedoms.''

It said Hong Kong's press remained free, and that open and lively discussion continued on matters of public interest.

The report said the controversy surrounding the presence of the Falun Gong movement in Hong Kong posed ''a new challenge'' to authorities to continue to ensure that rights and freedoms under the Joint Declaration were maintained and respected.

The European commissioner for external relations Chris Patten, Hong Kong's last colonial governor, said he was delighted to see ''Hong Kong people are continuing to succeed.''

''Hong Kong ... remains a free society, and ... people have continued to demonstrate how much they value the values that have made their community so successful and prosperous,'' Mr Patten said.

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