China tells foreign consulates in Hong Kong to provide personal data of all local staff

China's Foreign Ministry has asked all foreign consulates in Hong Kong to provide the personal data of all locally employed staff, including names, job titles, addresses, identity card numbers, and travel document numbers. The request was made in a letter dated September 18, 2023, and gave consulates until October 18 to comply. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the request is "in line with international customary practice." However, foreign consulates in Hong Kong have expressed concern that the request is an infringement on the privacy of their locally employed staff. Some consulates have said that they are considering refusing to comply with the request. Others are considering providing only minimal information. The request for personal data from foreign consulates in Hong Kong comes at a time when China is tightening its grip on the city. In recent years, China has cracked down on dissent in Hong Kong and has imposed a sweeping national security law on the city. Foreign governments have criticized China's crackdown on Hong Kong and have accused China of undermining the city's autonomy. The request for personal data from foreign consulates is likely to further escalate tensions between China and foreign governments. It is also likely to raise concerns about the privacy and safety of foreign consulate staff in Hong Kong. Here are some of the concerns that foreign consulates in Hong Kong have expressed about the Chinese Foreign Ministry's request for personal data: The request could be used to intimidate or harass locally employed staff. The data could be used to track and monitor the movements of locally employed staff.

The data could be used to pressure locally employed staff to spy on their consulates. The data could be used to discriminate against locally employed staff who are members of minority groups or who have political views that differ from the Chinese government. It is unclear what the Chinese government plans to do with the personal data that it has requested from foreign consulates. However, the request is likely to raise concerns about the privacy and safety of foreign consulate staff in Hong Kong.