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<p>The UK takes its commitments as a co-signatory of the Joint Declaration seriously
and supports their implementation through the 'One Country, Two Systems' framework.</p><p>The
Prime Minister wrote to President Xi Jinping on 30 September and underlined the importance
of upholding the Joint Declaration.</p><p>The Foreign Secretary has set out his concerns
about developments in Hong Kong directly to both the Hong Kong Chief Executive, Carrie
Lam, and to the Chinese Foreign Minister, State Councillor Wang Yi. Senior officials
are in frequent contact with their counterparts in Hong Kong, Beijing and London.
The Foreign Secretary summoned the Chinese Ambassador on 19 November.</p><p>The leadership
in China and Hong Kong is in no doubt about the strength of UK concern over the current
situation, and our commitment to seeing the rights and freedoms provided for in the
Joint Declaration upheld.</p><p>The Six Monthly Report to Parliament on Hong Kong,
covering the period of June-December, will be published in the Spring in line with
usual practice.</p><p>In the Foreword to the previous report, the Foreign Secretary
has stressed that Hong Kong now needs to look ahead to the path towards de-escalation
and political resolution; protester violence must stop; the police response should
be proportionate; and there should be a meaningful political dialogue between all
parties.</p><p>We continue to believe that these are the best ways to protect the
rights and freedoms set out in Hong Kong's Basic Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration.</p>
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