Parliamentarians call for audit of Hong Kong and Chinese officials' assets in UK

Cardinal Joseph Zen

Source: Hong Kong Watch

This week, a cross-party group of UK 110 parliamentarians (86 MPs & 24 Peers) have written to the Foreign Secretary to call for the UK Government to undertake an audit of the UK assets of Hong Kong and Chinese officials linked to human rights violations.

The letter cites recent research by Hong Kong Watch, which has found that those five Hong Kong officials and six lawmakers that are complicit in the ongoing human rights crackdown currently own property in the UK.

It also follows the recent national security arrests of 90-year-old Cardinal Zen and a number of other prominent pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong and John Lee's upcoming installation as Chief Executive of Hong Kong this weekend.

Led by Siobhain McDonagh MP, Iain Duncan Smith MP, and Tom Tugendhat MP, the letter urges the Foreign Secretary to use the upcoming secondary anniversary of the introduction of the National Security Law as an opportunity to consider the asset audit, which it notes could serve as the basis for a future Hong Kong specific sanctions list.

Commenting on the letter, Siobhain McDonagh MP, said: "It is absolutely imperative that anybody accused of human rights violations, including in Hong Kong, is unable to hold assets or property here in the UK. We must ask ourselves what it means to be complicit and whether our human rights rhetoric stands up to reality. A full audit of these assets is urgently needed."

Tom Tugendhat MP, said: "A deeper understanding of the assets that CCP officials hold in the UK is an important step. This work should start now."

Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP commented: "As we approach the second anniversary of Beijing enforcing its draconian National Security Law on Hong Kong, the Foreign Secretary should learn from the united western response to Russia's brutal war in Ukraine and undertake an audit of the assets of Hong Kong and Chinese officials in the UK.

This would serve as a pathway to the UK finally introducing a Hong Kong specific Magnitsky-style sanctions list against those officials responsible for the ongoing human rights violations in the city."

Sam Goodman is Director of Policy and Advocacy at Hong Kong Watch.