Canada condemns Hong Kong for issuing arrest warrants to arrest some Canadians – State
The Canadian government issued a statement on Saturday condemning Hong Kong authorities, which issued a warrant for arrest around the world, including some Canadians.
Hong Kong police announced a reward on Friday to obtain information that led to the role of 19 overseas activists in so-called subversive organizations abroad, accusing them of violating national security laws imposed by Beijing.
Canadian Global Affairs Canada said in a statement: “People targeted under the national security laws implemented in Hong Kong and Beijing yesterday (Friday) include Canadians and those with close ties to Canada.”
“Hong Kong authorities attempted to carry out transnational repression abroad, including threats, intimidation or coercion against Canadians or Canada, will not be tolerated.”
The statement also added that Hong Kong’s move “represents an escalation of the transnational repression of the People’s Republic of China, a disturbing escalation.”
The Hong Kong police force said in a statement Friday that the Hong Kong parliament aims to promote self-determination and establish the so-called “Hong Kong Constitution”, claiming it is using illegal means to overthrow and undermine China’s basic systems or overturn cities or China’s power institutions.
At the request of the police, the city court issued arrest warrants to activists Elmer Yuen, Johnny Fok, Tony Choi, Victor Ho, Keung Ka-wai and 14 others. They allegedly organized or participated in Hong Kong parliamentary elections abroad and established or became members of the organization.
According to the group’s Facebook statement on June 30, its election attracted about 15,700 votes through mobile apps and online voting systems. It said the candidates and elected members come from various regions including Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
The organization calls itself the Hong Kong parliament, but its Election Organization Committee was established in Canada and has limited influence.
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Among the 19 militants, police have provided information on the arrest of Yuan, Ho, Folk and Choi to one million Hong Kong dollars ($127,400), when an arrest warrant was issued earlier. For the remaining 15 people, 200,000 Hong Kong rewards ($25,480) were provided, urging residents to provide information about the case or the people.
“The investigation is still ongoing. If necessary, police will provide bounty to hunt down more suspects in the case.”
They also called on those who want to stop their actions, saying they want the activists to “take this opportunity to return to Hong Kong and hand in, rather than make more mistakes.”
Yuen said on Facebook live that the election was not successful in active participation and that the police movement would help the group rally to support the resistance movement.
“It helps us with a lot of advertising,” Yuen said.
During a live chat with Yuen on Facebook, another man who aimed at bounty, Sasha Gong accused Hong Kong of becoming a police state. She said she is a U.S. citizen and would report her case to U.S. authorities and lawmakers.
The statement on Canadian Global Affairs describes how Hong Kong authorities use digital means to penetrate Chinese communities abroad and Canada to spread the published bounty.
“Canada’s rapid response mechanism has detected that these bounties are amplified in an untrue and coordinated manner through a network of online accounts targeting the Chinese-speaking community,” the statement said.
“The actions taken by Hong Kong threaten Canada’s sovereignty and the security of the people of the country.”
Warrants and bounties for people living in the UK are “another example of transnational repression” that encourages reckless behavior on British soil, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said in a joint statement.
Over the past two years, Hong Kong authorities have issued arrest warrants for various aggressive overseas countries, including former pro-democracy lawmakers Nathan Law and Ted Hui. They also canceled some of these passports under the latest security law introduced in the city last year.
The move against activists based on overseas has been criticized by foreign governments, especially given the assurance of the former British colonies that its Western-style civil liberties and semi-autonomous rule will remain for at least 50 years when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
In March, the United States approved six Chinese and Hong Kong officials allegedly involved in the “transnational repression” and could further erode the city’s autonomy.
But Beijing and Hong Kong insist that the national security law is necessary for the city’s stability. Hong Kong police insist that the laws imposed by Beijing apply to permanent residents of Hong Kong, who violated it abroad.
In retaliation for the U.S. migration, China said in April that it would approve U.S. officials, lawmakers and leaders of NGOs, saying it “she is not doing well” on the Hong Kong issue.
– Files with Ari Rabinovitch from Global News
& Copy 2025 Canadian Press
