U.K.’s interference in Hong Kong affairs to lead nowhere

Recently, the British government released its so-called Six-monthly Report on Hong Kong, maliciously stigmatizing the Law on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the electoral system of the HKSAR.

“We have a duty to speak out when we have concerns,” British Foreign Secretary falsely claimed in the foreword of the report.

The report slandered the successful practice of “one country, two systems” and severely trampled on international rules, such as the principle of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs. It will surely be despised by righteous individuals.

The report documents detailed incidents but its views are completely distorted. It actually provides evidence showing that the U.K. and some politicians in other Western countries have interfered in China’s internal affairs and meddled in Hong Kong affairs.

The report distorts the improvements to the electoral system as an erosion of democracy and smears fair trials as politicized prosecutions, completely ignoring the significant roles that the national security law and the new electoral system have in safeguarding national security and maintaining Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability. The report also disguises mobsters who engaged in “mutual destruction” as “fighters for democracy” and misrepresented the collusion between foreign forces and anti-China troublemakers in Hong Kong as “normal diplomatic contact.” All these reveal that Britain’s issuance of the report is purely a form of political manipulation.

During the period of British colonial rule over Hong Kong, Chinese were excluded from the colony’s governance structure for a long time, and Hong Kong citizens never enjoyed democracy. After Hong Kong’s return to its motherland, especially since the turbulence over the amendment bill in 2019, some British politicians have repeatedly meddled in Hong Kong affairs by backing anti-China troublemakers in Hong Kong and promoting the so-called BNO passport policy for Hong Kong residents. Their fundamental purpose in this regard is to mess with Hong Kong and try to use chaos in Hong Kong to contain China.

According to international law and the norms governing international relations, Hong Kong affairs are China’s internal affairs that brook no interference by any external countries.

With the return of Hong Kong and the completion of follow-up matters, all provisions associated with the U.K. under the Sino-British Joint Declaration were fulfilled. The U.K. has no sovereignty, jurisdiction or right of supervision after Hong Kong’s return. The U.K.’s groundless comments on Hong Kong affairs are a distortion of history and law, efforts that are doomed to fail. The British should give up on their old colonial dreams.

Foreign forces smearing and slandering China will only make China more determined in running its own affairs well. Over the past two years, Hong Kong has shifted from chaos to order, which has proven that the national security law in Hong Kong protects its national security, Hong Kong’s stability, and the peaceful life of Hong Kong citizens. The principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong” is a fundamental policy for maintaining Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity and enduring stability.

The seventh-term Legislative Council (LegCo) election in the HKSAR, an important election under the new electoral system, is now drawing near. Under the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong,” Hong Kong is developing a democratic system that fits its reality.

The new electoral system has many advantages, such as broad representation, political inclusiveness, balanced participation, and fair competition. For example, candidates in the upcoming LegCo election come from different sectors and districts and from across the political spectrum, including elites in all walks of life, and grassroots people, such as tenants of subdivided units and bus drivers.

The new electoral system greatly improves the quality of democracy and better represents the overall interests of Hong Kong.

We firmly believe that the general public of Hong Kong will exercise their democratic rights in accordance with the law, cast their votes and elect those actually capable of governing Hong Kong, so as to make Hong Kong more secure, democratic, free and harmonious.

We urge the U.K. to immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs. Any external forces that attempt to use Hong Kong to curb China’s development will find themselves on a collision course with the strong willpower of the Chinese nation to defend its national interests.