Hong Kong leader says democracy activists exiled in the West will be 'pursued for life'

Hong Kong's leader said Tuesday that eight pro-democracy activists who now live in the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia will be "pursued for life" for alleged national security offences, dismissing criticism that the move to have them arrested was a dangerous precedent.

Chief Executive John Lee expressed his support for the police efforts to arrest the eight. At his weekly media briefing, Lee said anyone, including their friends and relatives, who offered information leading to their arrests would be eligible for the bounties offered by the police.

"The only way to end their destiny of being an abscondee who will be pursued for life is to surrender," he said.

The arrest warrants were issued for former pro-democracy lawmakers Nathan Law, Ted Hui and Dennis Kwok; lawyer Kevin Yam; unionist Mung Siu-tat; and activists Finn Lau, Anna Kwok and Elmer Yuen. They were accused of breaching the Beijing-imposed national security law by committing offences such as collusion with foreign powers and inciting secession.

Kwok, born in Edmonton, served in the Hong Kong legislature for eight years until 2020 and has since returned to North America.

LISTEN | Nathan Law speaks to CBC's As It Happens about Beijing's efforts:

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Hong Kong police issued wanted notices for eight pro-democracy activists in self-imposed exile overseas. They stand accused of violating the city's national security law, which oulaws subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorism. Nathan Law is one of them. He is a former Hong Kong lawmaker who is now based in London, England. He spoke to As It Happens host Nil Köksal.

Law, now in Britain, told CBC's As It Happens on Monday that the bounty means he will exercise caution but that he "won't stop my advocacy work."

"Since I left Hong Kong three years ago I've been living a relatively discreet life because I know I'm a target of the Chinese regime and I'll try to protect myself," he said.

Rewards for arrests a first under law

More than 260 people have been arrested under the law enacted in 2020 as part of a broad crackdown by Beijing on dissent in the territory, but the rewards of one million Hong Kong dollars ($169,000 Cdn) for information leading to each arrest were the first under the law.

The U.S. State Department condemned what it called "transnational repression efforts, [which] threaten and undermine human rights." In Canberra, Foreign Minister Penny Wong tweeted that her country was "deeply concerned" by the warrants," and that Australia would support those exercise the rights of freedom of expression and assembly.

But Lee, the only candidate put forth by Beijing last year to take over from Carrie Lam as Hong Kong's chief executive, insisted extraterritorial power exists in the national security laws of many countries. He said his government will not be swayed by comments of overseas officials and politicians.

In addition, Secretary for Security Chris Tang said authorities were seeking to freeze and confiscate any assets the eight held in Hong Kong. He warned that anyone who assists them in endangering national security may be violating the law.

Eunice Yung, a pro-Beijing lawmaker and the daughter-in-law of Yuen, supported the police move and reiterated she had already cut ties with Yuen last August.

"All his acts have nothing to do with me," she said on her Facebook page.

Reports of 'police stations' outside of China

Mung, now in Australia, pledged in a statement that he would not cease advocacy work for Hong Kong labour rights abroad.

"If I were ever found guilty, my only 'crime' would be speaking the truth for my fellow Hong Kongers," he said

Anna Kwok tweeted that she "never would have thought" a photo taken while she was a teenager for government-issued ID "would be publicized globally in an arrest warrant [with a bounty]."

The row reflects a fresh source of contention between Beijing and the West over the alleged overseas reach of China's enforcement agencies. China was reported to be running secret overseas police stations in several countries, including Canada, where Chinese communities include critics of the Communist Party or those with business or familial contacts in China. Beijing denied they are police stations, saying they exist mainly to provide citizen services such as renewing driver's licences.

Last month, a Brooklyn federal court trial was the first in the U.S. to result from what American officials have called China's Operation Fox Hunt, the initiative that Beijing characterizes as a pursuit of fugitives from justice. U.S. authorities have said some of the incidents involve deploying government operatives to harass, threaten and silence critics living outside of China.

Three men were convicted of various charges, including Michael McMahon, a former New York City police sergeant who conducted surveillance and data searches to smoke out the carefully guarded address of a man Beijing was seeking to repatriate.