An absurd Hong Kong report by UK MPs

There has never been so absurd a report as the one by UK MPs claiming a region that used to be under British colonial rule for nearly a century has become less free since its return to China.

Under China's Basic Law and decisions of its top legislature, more than five million qualified voters in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) will be able to have a say in who will become their chief executive in 2017 through the "one man, one vote" election. This was never realized under British colonial rule.

Despite the Chinese central government's commitment to achieving the goal, however, UK parliament's foreign affairs committee released a report on Thursday saying Hong Kong is facing a "crisis of governance" and its high degree of autonomy from China is being "eroded".

It follows Beijing's decision not to use a public nomination system for the election of the next HKSAR chief executive, and police's dispersal of protesters who had gathered in Hong Kong in objection to the decision.

The wording of the report shows that these British MPs are hostile to Hong Kong's development and are still laboring under a colonial mindset.

They imply in it that the Hong Kong people would rather their government be loyal to the United Kingdom and that the region should follow instructions from politicians of its former ruler.

Remarks without basis in research and prudent review of history mislead the public and risk dangerous results.

The esteemed members of parliament should be reminded that since Hong Kong's return to China in 1997, the region has maintained long-time prosperity and is developing a system of democratic governance based on the "one country, two systems" principle, as agreed with the British government at the time of Hong Kong's handover.

The central government has made special arrangements to fully protect the fundamental rights and freedom of the Hong Kong people.

For instance, it allows permanent residents with overseas nationality to enjoy election rights. It is also taking concrete steps to achieve universal suffrage for selecting the chief executive from a pool of candidates chosen by a broadly representative nominating committee by 2017.

The Chinese government also encourages Hong Kong to take its advantage in legal system and culture to promote the country's development.

The constitutional reform of Hong Kong will develop on the right track under the guideline of the Basic Law rather than UK "guidance".

The MPs should also be reminded that more than three decades ago, Margaret Thatcher's government proposed to concede sovereignty to China in exchange for keeping the territory under British administration. This was flatly rejected by the Chinese government.

Today, any attempts to interfere in Hong Kong affairs and impose pressure on the Chinese government with so-called "international standards" are doomed to fail.

Any legitimate application of "international standards" would in fact require Chinese administrators in Hong Kong to be patriotic, as demanded of UK leaders when they are asked to state their loyalty to their own country when they are sworn in.

With comprehensive jurisdiction over the HKSAR, China will not squeeze the region's autonomy, but the illusion that Hong Kong is under full autonomy must be cast off.

China welcomes constructive suggestions on finetuning Hong Kong's political system and is willing to hear public opinions on the issue.

But external forces should stop making irresponsible remarks which can only cause economic and social chaos without bringing any benefit to the Hong Kong people.

It is regrettable that the UK MPs' report was released. It is not Hong Kong's autonomy but the UK's reputation that has been "eroded."