Hongkongers in Germany launch petition against totalitarian Chinese regime

David Missal and Glacier Kwong (pic credit: Wir Fur HongKong)

A group of Hong Kong people and their supporters living in
Germany has launched a petition aimed at applying more pressure on the Chinese
Communist Party (CCP).

Wir Fur HongKong (WFHK), a political collective, aims to
support democratic campaigners in Hong Kong following the increased erosion of
its autonomy by the CCP.

The group hopes the petition will encourage the German
Bundestag (Parliament) to impose sanctions on individuals and additional
countermeasures in response to the controversial introduction of the national
security law in Hong Kong, earlier in the summer.

Glacier Kwong, a Hong Kong activist who launched the
petition with David Missal, is hoping the petition will pass the
50,000-signature threshold that would trigger a hearing on it in the Bundestag.

Ms Kwong continued to tell Democracy Yellow: “It is true
that I observe there is a shift of attitude towards China. Politicians and
scholars are in general more sceptical, but when it comes to taking action
Germany is still somehow hesitant.

“They have come to acknowledge their usual practice of
dialogue does not work but have yet to put forward anything concrete.

“I feel like it is high time to put the discussion on the
table via formal channels to push for constructive discussions and changes.

“Germany is always the ‘good cop’ to offer communication,
then we might as well be the ‘bad guys’ to push for harsher things.”

The campaign also states Germans in Hong Kong could become
“victims of political persecution” if they publically support the protestors in
the territory.

WFHK has approached numerous German politicians about the
petition, although Ms Kwong said while the campaign is being supported by some,
they are unsure whether the measures will be accepted. 

Ms Kwong added: “Of course they are not entirely optimistic
about the proposals we put forward will be adopted, but they figure it is high
time to really talk about these issues.”

WFHK is hoping the Bundestag will adopt its nine proposals
among which are calling on the German Government to urge the UN to appoint a
special envoy to Hong Kong, implement entry bans, asset freezes on those who
break international law in China as well as for the Bundestag to support the
cancellation of the EU-China Summit – stating the reason for doing so is due to
the implementation of the National Security Law in Hong Kong.

The campaign said its proposals laid out in the petition
would also support other groups being persecuted by the CCP.

Ms Kwong continued: “The terms of the petition will also
have an impact on them too, because we are asking for sanctions against
Beijing’s violations of Human rights, which is something they also encounter.”

At the time of publication, the petition has garnered some
5660 online signatories.

The petition can be signed here.