Highlighting the one-year anniversary of Hong Kong’s controversial national security law (NSL) and also focusing on mainland China’s far-western autonomous regions of Xinjiang and Tibet, Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Representative Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, chairmen of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), asked Guterres for “immediate measures to closely monitor and assess China’s behaviour”, reported The South China Morning Post.

The law, which was imposed on Hong Kong by Beijing, “has led to the rapid deterioration of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong … Similarly, rights abuses across China have not abated”, they said, supporting a statement on Monday by 50 independent UN human rights experts that China has broken with protocol by not allowing independent missions to investigate allegations of abuse, the newspaper reported.

China has gained international criticisms in recent times over numerous issues including its treatment towards Hong Kong, COVID-9 and Uyghur.