EU Will Limit Exports of Technologies that Could Aid Chinese Repression on Hong Kong

A Chinese flag is seen in front of the Friendship bridge over the Yalu River connecting the North Korean town of Sinuiju and Dandong in China's Liaoning Province on April 1, 2017. (REUTERS/Damir Sagolj/File Photo)

Expressing 'grave concern' for a sweeping national security law imposed by China on the former British colony of Hong Kong, the 27 EU states agreed to a series of sanctions, including trade curbs and a review of visa agreements.

Reuters Brussels
Last Updated: July 24, 2020, 10:33 PM IST

The European Union will limit its exports to Hong Kong of technologies that could be used for repression or mass surveillance, an EU draft document seen by Reuters said.

Expressing "grave concern" for a sweeping national security law imposed by China on the former British colony of Hong Kong, the 27 EU states agreed on Friday to a series of sanctions, including trade curbs and a review of visa agreements with the territory.

The document, backed by EU ambassadors, says the bloc will be "further scrutinising and limiting exports of specific sensitive equipment and technologies for end-use in Hong Kong, in particular where there are grounds to suspect undesirable use relating to internal repression, the interception of internal communications or cyber surveillance".

The document seen by Reuters is expected to enter into force on Tuesday. Hong Kong was guaranteed wide-ranging autonomy when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.