British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab welcomed the remarkable election results in Hong Kong and called for a meaningful political dialogue.
Raab’s comments came a day after the landslide election victory in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam pledged to listen to public opinion on Monday after Democratic candidates secured almost 90 percent of 452 district council seats in Sunday’s poll.
“The people of Hong Kong have overwhelmingly expressed themselves. Their voice has been heard loud and clear,” Raab said. “I think it’s right that Carrie Lam takes this moment for reflection, as she said she’ll do.”
Raab added that the UK supported a solution that reflected the wishes of the people of Hong Kong, whilst respecting China’s “one country, two systems” model.
Last month, some British lawmakers called for the UK to offer British citizenship to Hong Kongers.
Baroness Falkner, who went to Hong Kong during the 2014 Umbrella movement said the EU also has a role to play.
“The European Parliament and the European institutions are slightly slow on this one, because they think it’s the United Kingdom’s problem, and it isn’t,” Falkner said.
Meanwhile, Baroness Hale of Richmond—the president of the Supreme Court, will take a temporary seat on the bench of Hong Kong’s court of final appeal in the new year.
Lady Hale’s move comes as the former colony’s judiciary attempts to demonstrate its independence from Beijing.
With reporting by Jane Werrell
