A protest against China's national security control policies on Hong Kong (Photo: SCMP/VOV)

The statement said China’s move, bypassing Hong Kong’s own legislative institutions, will dramatically erode Hong Kong’s autonomy and the arrangement that has made it so prosperous. China’s move is in direct conflict with its international obligations under the legally-binding, UN-registered Sino-British Joint Declaration, the statement said, adding that China’s proposed law will undermine the One Country, Two Systems framework.

The four countries said global pandemic demands more trust in governments and greater international cooperation, but Beijing’s actions risk having the opposite effect. They called on the Chinese government to work with the Hong Kong government and people to find a mutually acceptable accommodation that will honor China’s obligations under the Sino-British Joint Declaration.