Photo taken on Feb. 9, 2016 shows the scene of Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, China. (Xinhua/Li Peng)
The Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese foreign ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Friday strongly condemned and opposed Britain's interference in China's internal affairs including Hong Kong affairs.
Hong Kong is part of China and has returned to China for nearly 23 years, said a spokesperson of the commissioner's office, adding that nonetheless, Britain continues to issue so-called "six-monthly reports on Hong Kong", ignoring the fact and smacking of colonial nostalgia.
The spokesperson condemned and firmly opposed such reports, which have interfered with Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs as a whole, and violated non-interference and other principles of international law and basic norms governing international relations.
The spokesperson pointed out that citing the Sino-British Joint Declaration to justify unwarranted remarks about Hong Kong affairs is a distortion of the fact.
In the Declaration's eight paragraphs and three annexes, there is no single word or clause that grants Britain any responsibility for Hong Kong after Hong Kong's return to the motherland, said the spokesperson.
Since July 1, 1997, all rights and obligations concerning Britain in the Declaration have been fulfilled, and Britain has no sovereignty, jurisdiction or the right of supervision over Hong Kong, said the spokesperson.
The spokesperson pointed out that no foreign country, including Britain, shall meddle with Hong Kong affairs, which are purely China's internal affairs, under the pretext of the Joint Declaration.
The spokesperson said that since the unrest following the proposed amendment bill last year, hostile forces in and out of Hong Kong have kept committing violence and openly advocated "Hong Kong independence" and "self-determination".
"They have severely undermined the stability, prosperity and security of Hong Kong, threatened the red line of 'one country, two systems", jeopardized national security, and pushed Hong Kong to the brink."
Unfortunately, said the spokesperson, Britain's latest report has confounded right with wrong.
The report whitewashed the rioters who have applied the "burn with us" mentality in defiance of humanity, condoned separatists, and smeared the restrained Hong Kong police and the central and the HKSAR governments, and thus exposed double standards and a motive to mess up Hong Kong and China at large.
It runs counter to the dominant will of Hong Kong people for restoring order and stability, to Britain's commitment to respecting China's sovereignty and "one country, two systems", and to the interests of international stakeholders.
The spokesperson said the allegation in the report that the national security legislation for the HKSAR would undermine "one country, two systems", the high degree of autonomy of Hong Kong and its people's freedoms and rights is groundless panic-mongering.
It is widely recognized that matters concerning national security fall within the purview of the central authorities, and legislating on national security by the central authorities are a common practice internationally, including in Britain, said the spokesperson.
Nearly 23 years after Hong Kong's return, legislation required by Article 23 is yet to materialize due to obstruction by forces sowing trouble in Hong Kong and China at large, leaving Hong Kong an unguarded region in national security, rare in the world said the spokesperson, adding that therefore, it is imperative, legitimate and urgent for the central authorities to establish and improve a legal system and enforcement mechanisms at the state level for the HKSAR to safeguard national security.
The spokesperson pointed out that political, business, legal and other professional communities in Hong Kong have expressed support for the legislation, and nearly 3 million Hong Kong residents signed a petition endorsing it in eight days.
"All these fully show that the legislation is in line with people's will and the trend of the times."
Some people in Britain, however, said the spokesperson, are attempting to obstruct the legislation.
The spokesperson emphasized that the Chinese government is rock-firm in safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, in implementing "one country, two systems", and in opposing any external interference in Hong Kong affairs.
"We urge the UK (Britain) to step back from the brink, abide by international law and basic norms governing international relations, and stop impeding China's just effort to legislation on national security," said the spokesperson.
Any interference that may undermine China's sovereignty and security and Hong Kong's prosperity and stability will be hit back by the 1.4 billion Chinese people, including Hong Kong compatriots, the spokesperson warned.
