The UK government recently released its Hong Kong Mid-Year Report for the Second Half of 2025. The report pointed out that Hong Kong’s political autonomy and pluralism continue to be eroded and directly criticized the Hong Kong government’s cross-border suppression of members of the Hong Kong diaspora in the UK as completely unacceptable. The Hong Kong government strongly condemned the report.
According to media reports, the UK government’s report covering July–December 2025 reviews Hong Kong’s political, legal, and human rights situation. The report states that in the latter half of last year, Hong Kong’s political autonomy and pluralism continued to be undermined. The Hong Kong National Security Law continued to expand in scope, and 69 people were arrested for displaying political banners, peaceful protests, and organizing petitions.
The report notes that in national security cases, the Chief Executive’s authority supersedes the courts, increasing political pressure on the judiciary. Additionally, the Hong Kong government has cracked down on overseas dissent, issuing a new round of wanted notices and rewards in July targeting Hong Kong residents in the UK. The report emphasizes that the Hong Kong government’s cross-border suppression of members of the Hong Kong diaspora in the UK is entirely unacceptable.
The report also condemned politically motivated prosecution of Jimmy Lai, a British citizen, and stated that the UK government instructed officials to express Britain’s strongest condemnation to the Chinese ambassador following the verdict. The report notes that after Jimmy Lai was sentenced, the UK government expanded immigration routes for holders of British National (Overseas) passports to reaffirm its commitment to the people of Hong Kong. The UK government will continue to urge China to release Jimmy Lai.
Additionally, the report mentioned the Wang Fuk Court fire in late November, expressing heartfelt sympathy to all affected. It cited a previous condolence article by Jimmy Lai, noting that in the face of such a tragedy, strength comes from mutual support, seen in the ongoing efforts of the people to rebuild.
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Hong Kong’s rights and freedoms continue to be eroded
The report further states that the UK will continue to support British businesses operating in Hong Kong and strengthen cooperation with Hong Kong authorities, for example in combating organized crime, which it sees as helping protect UK security. The UK reaffirmed that it will continue to support China’s compliance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ensuring Hong Kong’s rights, freedoms, and autonomy.
The report also listed major events in Hong Kong during the latter half of last year, including: revisions to prison rules allowing restrictions or bans on lawyer and religious visits to prisoners on national security grounds; the arrest of four members of the “Hong Kong Democratic Nation-Building Alliance” and prosecution of three, including a 15-year-old minor; UN letters raising concern over increasing cross-border suppression of overseas Hong Kong activists; wanted notices issued against 15 individuals linked to the “Hong Kong Parliament” by the National Security Department; the verdict in the Jimmy Lai case; the Wang Fuk Court fire; interviews of several media personnel by the National Security Department; the Legislative Council election; the police’s first arrests under “illegal drilling” charges against ten people; and the Hong Kong Democratic Party’s dissolution resolution.
The report concludes that Hong Kong’s rights and freedoms remain continuously eroded. For example, in last year’s Legislative Council elections, Beijing only allowed pro-Beijing parties to participate, further consolidating control over the legislature and leaving no room for opposition voices. The revised prison rules also grant authorities greater power to restrict prisoners’ access to lawyers and religious leaders.
In response, the Hong Kong government issued a news release over 4,000 words long at 2:00 a.m. Friday, strongly condemning what it called “false statements.” According to Chasing Light, following remarks by Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, in January urging legislators to “dare to fight” and “be skilled in struggle,” Legislative Council President Andrew Leung last month indicated plans to establish a mechanism to rebut “false and smearing statements” by overseas governments or parliaments. This was the first public appearance of Leung’s Legislative Council “rebuttal team” since taking office, issuing statements to counter foreign commentary.
By Li Jingyao
