A British democracy activist has been captured by the Chinese after trying to make a dramatic seaborne escape from Hong Kong to Taiwan.
Andy Li, 30, who has worked with former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith and other politicians on pro-democracy campaigns, was intercepted in international waters, along with 11 other activists, as they tried to navigate the perilous South China Sea in a small boat.
Mr Li had been arrested two weeks earlier under draconian new security laws introduced by Beijing to try to stamp out protests. While he was on bail, Mr Li was warned by his lawyers that he could face life imprisonment when eventually tried.
British democracy activist Andy Li (pictured) has been captured by the Chinese after trying to make a dramatic seaborne escape from Hong Kong to Taiwan
After Mr Li, who had British National (Overseas) status, was advised that the British consulate in Hong Kong was unable to help him, he hatched the desperate escape plan.
Last night, Mr Duncan Smith, who helped to establish the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), said that Mr Li had risked his life to try to reach self-governing Taiwan which regularly offers sanctuary to people escaping the mainland.
Writing for The Mail on Sunday, right, Mr Duncan Smith said: ‘Andy and 11 others, all young and desperate, risked everything in an attempt to escape to Taiwan. They crowded into an overloaded old boat, unseaworthy and in the hands of a novice and set out into one of the most heavily patrolled seas in the world. Sadly they were caught by the Chinese authorities.’
Mr Li, 30, was intercepted in international waters, along with 11 other activists, as they tried to navigate the perilous South China Sea in a small boat (pictured)
Mr Duncan Smith – a trenchant critic of the Beijing regime – added: ‘As long as human rights are so appallingly violated, we should not be conducting business as usual with China.’
The protests in the former British colony were triggered last year by plans to allow Hong Kong citizens to be extradited to China.
Mr Li, who is now being held on the Chinese mainland, had only made it about a third of the way across the perilous 400-mile stretch to Taiwan when he was intercepted.
He was the co-founder of Fight for Freedom Stand for Hong Kong, a campaign which raised £1.7million to support pro-democracy activities, and played a role in setting up IPAC’s website and was involved in behind-the-scenes digital support.
The Chinese authorities told Mr Li that working with politicians such as Mr Duncan Smith was evidence of ‘collaborating with foreign forces to undermine Hong Kong’s national security’.
One of Mr Li’s friends said: ‘Andy stopped volunteering for IPAC before July 1, when the new security law came into force, but the authorities wouldn’t listen. Rather than spend decades in gulag-style conditions on the Chinese mainland, he and the other campaigners paid a group of people-smugglers to try take them to Taiwan.
Mr Li has worked with former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith (pictured) and other politicians on pro-democracy campaigns
‘They left last Saturday at 7pm local time, and called supporters an hour later on a satellite phone to say that they were international waters, but failed to call again an hour later as agreed. The seas were choppy, and the boat was old, decrepit and massively overloaded – far from seaworthy. The skipper had trained for just two days on how to handle a boat. It was a desperate attempt.
‘Although Andy was classed as a British National (Overseas) and had dual-nationality, the UK does not as a matter of policy provide consular support for people with that status, so he had no other option.’
Five of the boat’s passengers were students, with the youngest being just 16.
According to local media reports, some of the activists on the boat had been linked to a foiled bomb plot last December when two home-made devices, each packed with 11lb of high-grade explosives, were found by police.
Others within the group were said to be implicated the police seizure of weapons in Hong Kong, including a Glock semi-automatic pistol and 105 bullets.
More than 9,000 people have been arrested under the new security clampdown in Hong Kong.
We can’t have TikTok’s HQ in Britain: IAIN DUNCAN SMITH says the UK’s rush for business with Communist China shouldn’t replace our moral duty to speak out and stand up for freedom
By Iain Duncan Smith For The Mail On Sunday
Two weeks ago, the young activist Andy Li was arrested under the new national security law Beijing imposed on Hong Kong. His crime? Peacefully promoting democracy in his country – without ever once condoning violence.
The Chinese authorities, however, fired a list of charges at him centring on the accusation he has collaborated with foreigners. The Hong Kong secret police want to charge him with ‘collusion with foreign forces to undermine the state’ on the basis that he had talked, even before the national security law was passed, to foreign democratic politicians, including the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China.
This organisation, of which I am part, is formed of politicians on the Left and the Right in 17 countries from America, Europe, Africa and Asia, who all have concerns about the aggressive nature of China. For instance, it recently published new information showing that Uyghur women in Xinjiang have been systematically sterilised and they – and their men – incarcerated in forced labour camps.
The British government is considering allowing Chinese firm ByteDance, owners of the TikTok app (file image) – to establish a headquarters in London
Andy and 11 others, all young and desperate, risked everything in an attempt to escape to Taiwan. In an old and overloaded boat, unseaworthy and in the hands of a novice, they set out into one of the most heavily patrolled seas in the world. Unfortunately, they were caught by the Chinese authorities and have been taken to an undisclosed location.
China’s persecution of the Falun Gong, the Christians and the Uyghurs, happens while we turn a blind eye to China’s appalling behaviour. Instead, some business and political leaders even talk of China as a reliable partner.
Shockingly, the British government is still considering allowing Chinese firm ByteDance, owners of the TikTok app – to establish a headquarters in London. This would be a grave mistake: all Chinese companies are required to hand over data to the Beijing government when required.
It’s no secret that China intends to become the world’s most powerful economy with the most powerful military by 2049. To do that they need the free world to beat a path to their door to do business with them. So far, they are winning.
Andy and his comrades only wish to live with the freedoms that we in Britain take for granted every day.
The rush for business with Communist China should not replace our moral duty – even in business – to speak out and stand up for freedom. For as long as human rights are so appallingly violated, we should not be conducting business as usual with China.
Throughout history, the price of freedom has always been high.
Yet the desire for cheaper goods must never be allowed to raise the price of freedom beyond the reach of people like Andy.