Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with members of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong on (a) the rule of law and (b) democracy in Hong Kong.

While I did not meet the Chief Executive CY Leung during my visit to Hong Kong on 1 – 3 December 2016, I discussed the political situation in Hong Kong with the Chief Secretary, Carrie Lam; legislators from a variety of mainstream parties; and a range of senior civil society and business representatives. In my discussions, I made clear that the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law underpin the implementation of 'One Country, Two Systems' and remain the foundations for the high degree of autonomy of Hong Kong and the rights and freedoms of its people. The rule of law and independent judiciary are essential to the success of 'One Country, Two Systems'. I encouraged all parties to play their part in rebuilding constructive dialogue to pave the way for the resumption of the political reform process at the earliest opportunity.