China says Britain’s plans to disrupt Hong Kong ‘doomed to fail’
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The comments came after Britain published its six-month report on Hong Kong for the Jan 1 to June 30 period.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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HONG KONG – China’s Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong slammed a report on the financial hub by the United Kingdom, saying it had ignored good societal conditions and a more stable business environment, and instead supported “anti-China” chaos.
The comments came after Britain published its six-month report on the Chinese-controlled hub for the period from Jan 1 to June 30, which stated that the authorities had extended the application of a Beijing-imposed national security law “beyond genuine national security concerns”.
Beijing imposed the sweeping law in 2020,
While some Western governments criticised the law as curbing social and political freedoms in the city, both Chinese and Hong Kong officials said it was vital to restoring stability.
Hong Kong, which returned to China in 1997 from Britain, has had “universal success” in implementing the “one country, two systems” model, China’s Foreign Ministry said.
“In recent years, the number of people in the UK living in poverty has been increasing... Crime rates have hit record highs. What confidence does (Britain) have to criticise Hong Kong’s democracy and human rights situation?” the ministry said.
“Plans to disrupt Hong Kong are doomed to fail.”
The British report said that the authorities continue to try to use legal routes to suppress the protest anthem Glory To Hong Kong, while media tycoon Jimmy Lai’s national security trial has been further delayed.
“The UK will always defend universal human rights, including freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, and we will stand up for those who are targeted,” it said.
Lai’s prosecution has been highly politicised, Britain said, adding that the British government is continuing to press for consular access.
The Hong Kong police have also issued arrest warrants and bounties against individuals in Britain and elsewhere, the report said, adding that Britain would not tolerate attempts to intimidate and silence people within its borders.
Hong Kong’s legal and judicial systems are at a critical juncture, the report said, adding that while the city’s courts remain independent, they have to “adjudicate on an opaque national security law that places the authority of the chief executive on security matters above that of their own”. REUTERS
