NEW YORK (Reuters) – The United States and Britain plan to informally raise at the United Nations Security Council on Friday China’s plan to impose new national security legislation on Hong Kong, diplomats said, a move likely to anger Beijing.
China’s parliament approved on Thursday a decision to move forward with the legislation that democracy activists, diplomats and some in the business world fear will jeopardize Hong Kong’s semi-autonomous status and its role as a global financial hub.
Britain’s U.N. mission confirmed that Britain and the United States had notified the 15-member Security Council that they would raise the situation in Hong Kong behind closed-doors under “any other business.”
The move comes after China, backed by Russia, opposed a U.S. call on Wednesday for a formal open council meeting on Hong Kong, arguing that it was an internal matter and not an issue of international peace and security. [nL1N2DA02M]
China’s mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the U.S. and British plan to raise the issue informally on Friday.
The Security Council has been meeting virtually amid the coronavirus pandemic.
