Hong Kong: Human Rights Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Viscount Bridgeman
Main Page: Viscount Bridgeman (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)Department Debates - View all Viscount Bridgeman's debates with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
(4 years, 6 months ago)
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Viscount Bridgeman (Con)
My Lords, I want to make one particular observation on the present turn of events. What motivates the willingness that many Hong Kong citizens have shown to expose themselves to extraordinary personal danger in recent demonstrations?
Prior to 1997, light-touch Administrations gave successive generations of Hong Kong citizens a sense of freedom under the law. The last of these was under the governorship of my noble friend Lord Patten of Barnes. I am pleased to see that he will be speaking in this debate. This sense of personal freedom dies hard. A real fear of its loss is causing many protestors to take extraordinary risks. They are putting their lives and livelihoods on the line against a bullying regime which gives the impression of regarding the 1997 agreement as little more than a scrap of paper. These courageous citizens deserve our support.