The Chinese embassy in the UK on Tuesday urged the British side to correct its own mistake and abandon its colonial mentality and double standards, and immediately stop its meddling in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs and judicial sovereignty after British officials made irresponsible comments on Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s arrest.
According to media reports, the spokesperson of the UK Prime Minister has expressed concerns over the case of Jimmy Lai and UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab issued a statement, claiming that this “highlights the authorities’ continued attacks on the rights and freedoms of its people.”
The unwarranted claims of the UK side on the case of Jimmy Lai constitute interference in Hong Kong’s judicial affairs, which are China’s internal affairs. China expresses its grave concern and strong opposition, the embassy said.
The 72-year-old Lai, an instigator of Hong Kong riots, appeared in court Saturday in Hong Kong for the charge of colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security.
Lai was denied bail by West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts and his case was adjourned to April 16, 2021 for further investigations.
“China upholds the rule of law. Hong Kong is a society under the rule of law. No one has extrajudicial privileges, and no offender escapes justice,” the embassy said.
The embassy also stressed that the legal proceedings instituted against Jimmy Lai and some other anti-China elements aiming at destabilizing Hong Kong, for suspicion of undermining China’s national security in collusion with foreign or external forces are lawful steps taken by the enforcement institutions of the Hong Kong SAR who were fulfilling their duty. This brooks no slandering or disruption.
The Chinese embassy again emphasized that there is not a single word or clause in the China-British Joint Declaration that gives the UK any responsibility over Hong Kong after its return to China since July 1, 1997. The UK has no sovereignty, jurisdiction or right of “supervision” over Hong Kong.
It is completely groundless to claim that the national security law “breaches” the Joint Declaration. The Joint Declaration gives no foreign country any excuse or right to interfere in the affairs of Hong Kong and internal affairs of China, the embassy said.
