EU criticizes China over Hong Kong but no action planned

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union criticized China on Friday for asserting more control over Hong Kong and suggested the move would have an impact on China-EU relations, but the 27-nation bloc ruled out taking any action against its major trading partner.

The criticism came after EU foreign ministers weighed the need for a tougher policy on China, which has been accused of trying to influence European officials, against the potential damage to business ties between the Asian economic giant and the world’s biggest trading bloc.

EU member nations are often divided in their approach to China, but Beijing’s imposition of a national security law on Hong Kong — a Chinese territory that is supposed to have a high degree of autonomy under a “one-country, two systems” framework — seems to have galvanized them.

“We express our grave concern at the steps taken by China," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said after chairing a video meeting of the foreign ministers. “This risks to seriously undermine the ‘one country, two systems’ principle and the high degree of autonomy of the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong."

Borrell told reporters, “Our relations with China are based on mutual respect and trust. I want to underline this - respect and trust - but this decision calls this into question."

The national security law approved in Beijing could severely restrict opposition political activity and civil society in Hong Kong, where the pro-democracy opposition sees the move as an assault on the territory’s autonomy.

The United States has called on China to back off on the security law. The U.K. government warned that it would extend the visas and possibly provide a path to citizenship for some British passport holders from Hong Kong.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that “Hong...