The UK should abandon its colonialist mindset

In September 2014, protesters occupied several major HK intersections, doing serious harm to Hong Kong's social order and to its economic development. While China has been taking measures to deal with the protest and restore order, the UK has been trying to making trouble for China. A group of British MPs had planned to travel to Hong Kong as part of an "inquiry into the state of the Sino-British Joint Declaration", a proposal to which China took strong objection.

HK has been a part of China since ancient times. In the 1840s, the UK waged a war against China and forced the Qing government to cede Hong Kong Island. The UK went on to colonize Hong Kong for more than 100 years. In 1997, in accordance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration, China resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong. This means that the UK no longer has any reason to interfere with Hong Kong affairs.

The UK's interference is explained under the pretext of protecting "democracy" and "freedom" in Hong Kong. British Prime Minister David Cameron has said that according to the Sino-British Joint Declaration, rights and freedoms of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, and of strike are to be ensured by law in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. In fact, the people of the SAR already enjoy such rights. But the protest is damaging social order and causing harm to everyone in Hong Kong. It seems that the UK has no interest in defending the rights of the majority of the people.

In 2012, Cameron had a meeting with the Dalai Lama, which damaged China-UK relations. China delivered a clear message to the UK at the time that China objects to any country's interference with China's internal affairs. Later, the UK reiterated its respect for China's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In recent years, the two countries have made progress in restoring the relationship. The UK should work with China to achieve win-win bilateral relations. The UK has no right to try to impose the values of western counties on others, and should abandon its colonialist mindset.