On Wednesday evening, 12 June, the spokeswoman of the European External Action Service called for a dialogue between the Hong Kong government and the people.
Tens of thousands of citizens have taken to the streets to denounce a government project that would allow extraditions to China. On Wednesday, 12 June the demonstrations were marked by clashes with the police.
“An in-depth, inclusive public consultation would help to find a constructive way forward. We look to the Government to engage in such a dialogue with its citizens”, the spokesperson asked in a statement.
Believing that the people of Hong Kong were exercising their “fundamental right to assemble and express themselves freely and peacefully”, the spokesperson called for this right to be respected. “Restraint should be exercised by all sides; violence and escalatory responses must be avoided”, she added.
According to the EEAS spokesperson, the EU shares many of the concerns expressed by Hong Kong citizens about the government's proposed extradition reforms, stating that the Union had communicated its concerns to the authorities. “This is a sensitive issue, with potentially far-reaching consequences for Hong Kong and its people, for EU and foreign citizens, as well as for business confidence in Hong Kong”, she warned. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)