Opinion | Joephy Chan: G7 should awake from their wishful thinking

Editor's Note: Joephy Chan Wing-Yan, Director of the United Nations Association of China and Community Officer of the HK Federation of Trade Unions, made a speech at the United Nations Human Rights Council on Thursday (June 24). Here is the full speech.

By Joephy Chan Wing-Yan

Having been a student in Cornwall, it's sad to hear that after the recent G7 summit, Cornwall is now likely to be remembered as a political theatre for a small clique.

Back in 1975, when the G7 forum was first founded, it accounted for 70% of global GDP. Yet, its share has since shrunk to some 40%. At its core, the G7 members should not indulge themselves in wishful thinking that they could still dictate international rules from a position of strength.

While China was excluded from the G7 summit, China was clearly the dominant agenda. With the G7 members making a range of unsubstantiated accusations against China, China was not given the commensurate opportunity to put the records straight.

The G7 Foreign Ministers issued a joint statement last year alleging that the enactment of national security law would undermine rights and freedom in Hong Kong. The same old political rhetoric was repeated at the recent G7 summit. But the fact is, people in Hong Kong welcome the forthcoming first anniversary of the national security law, as it protects our rights to live normal lives free from black-clad violence.

Please also bear in mind that the G7 countries all have their own national security laws. For instance, on the instructions of the GCHQ, a news organization destroyed devices containing files that were seen as threats to the UK's national security. So why isn't China allowed to safeguard its own national security on its own sovereign territory?

Countries should avoid confusion and conflict by means of consultation and cooperation. Outdated, exclusive clubs are detrimental to international solidarity.

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