China urges UK to stop making groundless accusations against China: spokesperson

BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- China urges the UK to be prudent in its words and actions, stop making groundless accusations against China and interfering in the country's internal affairs, a foreign ministry spokesperson said Wednesday.

According to reports, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said in his speech on foreign policy and the position on China on April 25 that it would be a betrayal of national interest to declare some kind of new Cold War or to isolate China. This Government will engage robustly and constructively with China, and at the same time, steadfastly defend the UK's security and values. He said, China should fulfill its obligations in the Sino-British Joint Declaration. The UK is entitled to say so and act. China should not see the UK's remarks on Xinjiang as interference in its internal affairs. He also said the UK hopes to see a peaceful settlement of the Taiwan question, and it is essential that no party takes unilateral action to change the status quo.

"In today's deeply interconnected world, the multiple challenges facing humanity require joint responses. Bloc politics and the Cold War mentality are against the trend of history and do not serve the interests of the UK or any other party in the world," spokesperson Mao Ning told a daily news briefing when answering a relevant query.

Mao said that China has grown its relations with the UK in the spirit of equality and mutual respect. However, the UK has not kept up with the times and has been repeating old lines from an outdated playbook, which will only keep the UK itself further and further away from the advancement of our times.

Regarding the Hong Kong issue, Mao said that all provisions concerning the UK under the Sino-British Joint Declaration have been fulfilled, adding that the UK has no sovereignty, no jurisdiction or right of "supervision" over Hong Kong and no so-called "rights" or "responsibilities" concerning Hong Kong.

As for the circumstance of Xinjiang, Mao pointed out that Xinjiang enjoys economic development, social stability, religious harmony and cultural prosperity and people there lead a happy life. "These are facts for all to see, yet the UK side chooses to be oblivious to this and has deliberately smeared and slandered China," she said.

The status quo of the Taiwan Strait is that both sides of the Strait belong to one and the same China, Mao said, adding that the biggest threat to peace in the Taiwan Strait comes from the "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and the U.S. connivance at and support for them. If the UK side wants sustained peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, it needs to strictly abide by the one-China principle and stand firmly against the "Taiwan independence" separatist activities.

Mao reiterated that the Taiwan question and issues concerning Hong Kong and Xinjiang are purely China's internal affairs which brook no external interference.

"We urge the UK to be prudent in its words and actions, stop making groundless accusations against China and interfering in China's internal affairs, and do more things that are conducive to the development of China-UK relations and world peace and stability," said Mao.