Consulates in Hong Kong have been instructed to provide information about their employees

China has given foreign consulates in Hong Kong a month to provide them with the names, addresses and job descriptions of all its employees in the territory, according to diplomatic sources and documents.

The documents include a letter from the Chinese foreign ministry commissioner in Hong Kong dated Monday, as well as two forms in English and Chinese that consulates must fill out providing information about their staff.

In recent years, China has tightened control over the once semi-autonomous city and imposed a national security law in 2020 to control opposition and human rights groups after massive pro-democracy protests in 2019. Two diplomatic sources confirmed that their consulates had received the documents and said it was the first time staff members’ personal information had been requested.

“We are still evaluating the document,” one of the sources said.
AFP has contacted the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong, as well as the city government’s protocol department – which prepared the forms to fill out – for comment.

The deadline for returning the documents is set for October 18.
Consulates will also have to notify every departure and arrival of employees within 15 days.