China will resolutely oppose any interference in Hong Kong affairs by foreign governments, organizations or individuals, a mainland official warned on Thursday.
Xie Feng, commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said at the 2019 Colloquium on International Law held in Hong Kong that the SAR is facing its most dangerous and grave situation since its return in 1997.
Some countries' gross interference in Hong Kong affairs, which are China's domestic affairs, violates international law and basic norms governing international relations, Xie said, adding that they aim to damage Hong Kong's prosperity and stability and China's national sovereignty and security.
China has labeled some politicians from the United States as the "black hand" behind the anti-China protesters in Hong Kong, and urged them to stop meddling in Hong Kong's affairs and interfering in China's internal affairs.
Liu Xiaoming, Chinese ambassador to the United Kingdom, said at a news conference in London on Thursday that evidence shows the situation in Hong Kong would not have deteriorated so much had it not been for interference and incitement from foreign forces.
Abdul-Khaliq Mahjoub, a Sudanese political expert, warned against foreign interference in Hong Kong affairs.
Some countries are not hiding their support for the negative developments in Hong Kong, while others are publicly seeking to ignite tension in the region with the belief that the move will weaken China, Mahjoub said.
He said that the entire world must be aware that the tension in the special administrative region will not benefit any party, and stressed the importance of ending the violence and restoring stability in Hong Kong.
Xie said that the essential problem in Hong Kong now is not about human rights, freedom or democracy as some claim.
"It is about the attempt by certain violent extremists to coerce those who do not know the truth and ramp up violent crime on the pretext of opposing amendments to the extradition bill," he said.
The violent crimes ramped up by some radical demonstrators have gone beyond the limits of law, morality and humanity, Xie added, highlighting the urgent need to stop violence, end the chaos and restore order in the city.
