UK Sells Hong Kong Instruments of Oppression and Security Equipment Sales Inappropriate in Current Climate

2.25.14pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 5th Sep 2003

As the Hong Kong Government announces that it has withdrawn for consultation its controversial anti-subversion bill, Vince Cable MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow DTI Secretary, criticised the Government for approving arms exports to Hong Kong for tear gas, crowd control equipment and anti-riot ammunition.

George Bush has urged Hong Kong to amend the controversial legislation saying it could "harm local freedoms and autonomy." Security think tank Saferworld, also raised concerns that arms sales to Hong Kong could be diverted to the Chinese mainland.

Dr. Cable said: "It is bizarre that just as the UK Government was urging Hong Kong to rethink its new legislation, it was approving sales of the sort of equipment that would be used to implement it. The 500,000 Hong Kong citizens who took to the streets to protest against the new law will not thank the British Government for these sales.

"The UK has a bad record in selling repressive equipment to governments that cannot be fully trusted to respect the human rights of their people. There is now a catalogue of occasions when the Labour Government has disregarded human rights advice in favour of commercial advantage.

Andy Mclean, Head of Communications for Saferworld said:

"There should be no more arms sales to Hong Kong until we are sure that human rights in Hong Kong are being respected."

ENDS (see Notes to Editors)

Strategic Export Controls Annual Report 2002 p193-4

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

STANDARD INDIVIDUAL EXPORT LICENCES

Total value of SIEL applications for which a licence was issued £2.5m Number of SIELs issued covering:

Items on the Military List 44. Other items 31. Military List and other items 1. Total number of SIELs issued 76. The SIELs issued were granted for the following items (for permanent export except where the entry is followed by a (T),which indicates a Temporary Export):

anti-riot shields,assault rifles (58),assault vessel,body armour,civil body armour,components for body armour, components for general purpose machine guns,components for gun mountings,components for military airbourne cargo strops,components for military communications equipment (T),components for military firing sets,components for military improvised explosive device disposal equipment,components for military infrared/thermal imaging equipment,components for naval radars,components for NBC respirators,componentsfor optical target surveillance equipment,components for rifles,components for semi-automatic pistols (T),components for sniper rifles,components for submachine guns,components for submachine guns (T),computer analogue to digital equipment,cryptographic software,direct view imaging equipment,equipment employing cryptography,equipment for evaluating and validating information security functions,equipment for the use of ilitary communications equipment (T),equipment for the use of small arms ammunition,equipment for the use of sniper rifles,general purpose machine guns (6),gun mountings,handcuffs,inert ammunition,instrumentation cameras,mass spectrometers,military communications equipment (T),military firing sets,military helmets, military improvised explosive device disposal equipment,military infrared/thermal imaging equipment,military infrared/thermal imaging equipment (T),mine countermeasures equipment,NBC clothing,NBC respirators, projectile launchers,shotguns (2),sniper rifle maintenance equipment,sniper rifles (8),software for the development of cryptographic software,software for the development of equipment employing cryptography, software for the use of equipment employing cryptography,submachine guns (58),tear gas/irritant ammunition, technology for the development of equipment employing cryptography,technology for the development of software for the development of cryptographic software,technology for the use of equipment employing cryptography, technology for the use of sniper rifles,technology for the use of software for the development of cryptographic software,technology for the use of software for the development of equipment employing cryptography,test equipment for equipment employing cryptography (T),training crowd control ammunition,weapon cleaning equipment,weapon sights

OPEN INDIVIDUAL EXPORT LICENCES

Licences issued or where coverage was amended during the period by the inclusion or reinstatement of this destination (this also includes additional goods authorised during 2002 through the amendment of a pre 2002 licence). 13 P Non-military explosives/propellants. 16 P Anti-riot shields. 24 P Small arms ammunition. 25 P Body armour,components for body armour,bomb suits,military helmets,anti-riot shields, ballistic shields.