The United Nations rights body says it will review Hong Kong's electoral reform, but Hua Chunying, spokeswoman of the Foreign Ministry, warns against foreign intervention in an internal issue. Photo: HKEJ, internet
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) will hold a meeting next month to discuss developments on universal suffrage in Hong Kong, a move strongly opposed by Beijing as an “intervention” in its internal affairs, media reports said.
The body, which monitors civil and political rights, will hold a public session on the thorny issue on Oct. 23, Singtao Daily reported Thursday.
The council will invite representatives from mainland China, Hong Kong and a range of organizations to review the progress in China’s human rights record. The findings will be released at the end of October, the report said.
A spokesperson for the UN agency said they are not adding Hong Kong to its agenda in reaction to recent developments in the city; the council is simply scheduled to make a follow-up to its review of China’s rights record last October.
The UNHRC is responsible for monitoring implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In its 2013 report, the body recommended that Beijing take measures to implement universal suffrage to ensure the right of all people to vote.
Meawhile, Hua Chunying, spokeswoman of the Foreign Ministry, stressed that Hong Kong’s political reform is an internal issue and Beijing opposes any foreign intervention on the matter, RTHK reported.
“China has repeatedly stated its firm stance that Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, and Hong Kong’s political reform is our internal issue, and we are firmly against any external forces to intervene in whatever form,” Hua was quoted as saying.
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