Berlin says EU foreign ministers will discuss Hong Kong at next meeting

Foreign ministers from European Union member states will discuss Hong Kong issues at their next meeting, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Friday. The West says China’s national security law threatens freedoms in the city.

Beijing says the law is necessary to tackle secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces, following anti-government protests that escalated in June last year.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said earlier that Germany would raise with China issues such as human rights, during its presidency of the EU, which began this month.

The EU must speak with one voice to China if it wants to achieve ambitious deals that secure the bloc’s interests, Reuters quoted Merkel as saying on Friday.