UK extends China arms embargo to Hong Kong
In Notice to Exporters 2020/12 (22 July 2020), the Export Control Joint Unit said:
On 20 July 2020 the Foreign Secretary informed Parliament in an oral statement that the UK has taken measures, given the new National Security Law which China has imposed on the people of Hong Kong
So we will extend to Hong Kong the arms embargo that we have applied to mainland China since 1989 and last updated on 3 June 1998. This goes beyond the ban on crowd control equipment announced on 25 June 2019 and also covers any items that might be used for internal repression alongside the other restrictions included in the 3 June 1998 written ministerial answer.
The scope includes:
- lethal weapons, such as machine guns, large-calibre weapons, bombs, torpedoes, rockets and missiles
- specially designed components of the above and ammunition
- military aircraft and helicopters, vessels of war, armoured fighting vehicles and other weapons platforms
- any equipment which might be used for internal repression
Open general licences that include Hong Kong will be changed or amended to bring them in line with restrictions on China.
All licence applications are carefully assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria and a licence will not be granted if to do so would be inconsistent with the Criteria, including Criterion 1 embargoes and national restrictions.
