The governments of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union, Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Sweden issued a joint statement in response to Hong Kong’s latest arrest warrants and bounties targeting pro-democracy activists now living overseas (August 8, 2025).
The G7 RRM [Rapid Response Mechanism] notes recent statements made by the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, the European Union, Australia, and New Zealand condemning the July 25, 2025 decision by the Hong Kong Police Authorities. The authorities issued arrest warrants and bounties on individuals outside Hong Kong’s borders, including in G7 RRM countries, for exercising their freedom of expression. This form of transnational repression undermines national security, state sovereignty, human rights, and the safety of communities.
Building on the recent G7 Leaders’ Statement on Transnational Repression [of June 17, 2025], The G7 RRM members and associate members are committed to strengthening our efforts to safeguard our sovereignty, to keep our communities safe, and to defend individuals from the overreach of governments trying to silence, intimidate, harass, harm or coerce them within our borders,” the statement says.
We encourage individuals to report suspicious activities and any incidents of intimidation, harassment, coercion, or threats to their law enforcement authorities in accordance with domestic laws and regulations.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong decried the G7 RRM statement for “blatantly slandering and defaming Hong Kong police’s law enforcement actions…. The West’s accusations of so-called ‘transnational repression’ against [Hong Kong] police are pure nonsense.” It’s all “fully in line with the principles of international law, international practice,” etc. Everybody does it.
The G7 leaders’ June 17 statement condemned all acts of transnational repression, including “harassment, assault, abduction or assassination”; “misuse of cooperation with other foreign states, international bodies and intergovernmental organizations”; “forced return by confiscating passports, invalidating documents, or denying consular services”; “misuse of spyware and cyber tools…to enable physical targeting and tracking, hacking, or cyber harassment”; and “direct or implicit threats against family members.”
Also see:
Reuters: “Hong Kong issues arrest warrants for 19 overseas activists accused of subversion” (July 26, 2025)
“…the largest such tally yet. They are accused of organising or participating in the Hong Kong Parliament, a group that authorities in the Asian financial hub say aimed to subvert state power….”
G7.Canada.ca: “G7 Leaders’ Statement on Transnational Repression” (June 17, 2025)
The Oxus Society: “No Space Left to Run: China’s Transnational Repression of Uyghurs” (2021)
