A police officer attends to an injured colleague as hundreds of masked protesters attack police officers outside the Legislative Council building in Admiralty the morning of June 10, 2019. Demonstrations turned violent after a large-scale public procession on June 9 against the government's proposed bill to amend the city's extradition law. [Photo by Edmond Tang /chinadaily.com.cn]
No excuse for using extreme violence
When recalling the violent acts in the vicinity of the Legislative Council (LegCo) Complex in Hong Kong on Monday, the official said violence is violence and no claim can be used as an excuse for extreme violence.
Some protesters on Monday attacked the police with toxic powder, intruded the LegCo Complex in an extremely violent way and destroyed the chamber.
When Hong Kong society suffers from the trauma of extreme violence and when the international community condemns violence in unison, Patten was calling black white through deliberately confusing violence and peaceful demonstrations, the official said.
The statement also said Patten was "selectively blind" of serious violations of law and violence that had desecrated the spirit of the rule of law, trampled on the rule of law in Hong Kong, harmed the rights and security of the vast majority of Hong Kong residents, and lost the least moral conscience.
Rights, obligations of UK on Hong Kong fulfilled
Responding to Patten's repeated remarks on the Sino-British Joint Declaration, the official said as Hong Kong returned to the motherland, the rights and obligations of the British side under the Joint Declaration were completely fulfilled.
On July 1, 1997, China resumed sovereignty over Hong Kong and the Chinese government started administering it in accordance with the Constitution and the Basic Law.
The British side has no sovereignty over Hong Kong, nor does it have administrative power or supervisory power since its return. It has no so-called responsibility for Hong Kong at all.
If there is any other responsibility for the British side, it is to strictly abide by the basic principles of international law concerning respect for the sovereignty of other countries and non-interference in their internal affairs, and do more to contribute to Hong Kong's prosperity, stability and tranquility, rather than the contrary, the statement added.
With the title of the "last British governor of Hong Kong," Patten on the one hand wantonly slandered the HKSAR government and tarnished China's image, and on the other hand urged the British government to pressure the HKSAR government to withdraw its "amendments" to the fugitive law and threatened that the Chinese government would face serious consequences if it failed to comply with its commitments.
This is the typical "double standards," the official said, adding that Patten's acts have been condemned and rejected by all the Chinese people, including Hong Kong compatriots.
Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong
Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong and China is unswervingly committed to safeguarding national sovereignty, security and prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, the official stressed in the statement.
The wheel of history rolls forward. But Patten was still addicted to the dream of colonialism and unwilling to wake up and face up to the reality that Hong Kong had returned to its motherland for 22 years, the official continued.
Patten should put himself in a right position and reflect on himself to correct mistakes, the official said.
The official also warned Patten to recognize the irresistible historical trend of China's development, respect the iron facts of the successful operation of "one country, two systems", and immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong's affairs and undermining Sino-British relations.
