SYDNEY –Former pro-democracy Hong Kong lawmaker Ted Hui who is wanted by the Chinese city has been granted asylum in Australia, he said in a social media post, calling on Canberra to do more for those who remain jailed.
The former British colony — handed back to China in 1997 — has seen dissent quashed since Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law following huge and at times violent democracy protests that erupted in 2019.
Hui, a high-profile participant at the time who has since resettled in Adelaide, said the Australian government had granted him a protection visa this week, with asylum also extending to his wife, children and parents.
“I express my sincere gratitude to the Government of Australia — both present and former — for recognizing our need for asylum and granting us this protection,” he said in a Facebook post on Saturday.
A vocal critic of Hong Kong and Beijing authorities, Hui is among several overseas activists targeted in 2023 by police bounties of HK$1 million each. AFP
The bounties, which have previously drawn strong criticism from Western countries, are seen as largely symbolic given that they affect people living abroad in nations unlikely to extradite political activists to Hong Kong or China.
In this Facebook post, Hui urged the Australian government not to forget other Hong Kong activists who remained jailed, including tycoon Jimmy Lai, who has been behind bars since 2020.
“Australia must do more to rescue them and to speak up for their humanity,” Hui said. “Its stance matters internationally, and its protection of Hongkongers sets a precedent for other democracies.”
He added that he and his family will “give back to Australia in every way we can — through our work, our civic engagement, and our commitment to the values of democracy and freedom.” AFP
