China criticises Britain for 'shameless' comments on Hong Kong

[snoop1130]

China criticises Britain for 'shameless' comments on Hong Kong

by Ben Blanchard

 

Broken glass is seen at the Legislative Council a day after protesters broke into the building, in Hong Kong, China July 2, 2019. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

 

BEIJING (Reuters) - China on Wednesday denounced British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt as “shameless”, saying it had made a diplomatic complaint to London after he warned of consequences if China neglected commitments made when it took back Hong Kong in 1997.

 

China has stepped up a war of words with Hong Kong’s former colonial ruler following mass protests there against a now suspended bill that would allow extradition to mainland China.

 

“To say that the freedoms of Hong Kong residents is something Britain strived for is simply shameless,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a news briefing.

 

“I would like to ask Mr. Hunt, during the British colonial era in Hong Kong, was there any democracy to speak of? Hong Kongers didn’t even have the right to protest.”

Only after Hong Kong’s return to China did its people got an “unprecedented” guarantee about democracy and freedom, he said.

 

Britain’s responsibilities to Hong Kong under the Sino-British Joint Declaration have ended, and Hong Kong is purely an internal matter for China, Geng added, repeating earlier remarks.

 

The comments followed remarks by Hunt to Reuters on Monday, condemning violence on both sides and warning of consequences if China neglected commitments to allow freedoms to Hong Kong not enjoyed in mainland China, including the right to protest.

 

Late on Monday, hundreds of protesters in the former British colony had besieged, and broken into, the legislature after a demonstration marking the anniversary of return to Chinese rule.

 

China called the violence an “undisguised challenge” to the “one country, two systems” model under which Hong Kong has been ruled for 22 years.

 

The turbulence in Hong Kong was triggered by an extradition bill opponents say will undermine Hong Kong’s much-cherished rule of law and give Beijing powers to prosecute activists in mainland courts, which are controlled by the Communist Party.

 

Hunt, who is seeking to become Britain’s next prime minister, has made no attempt to correct his mistakes in talking about Hong Kong and has “continued to wag his tongue too freely” on the issue, Geng said.

 

Had Britain’s parliament been surrounded and attacked, would authorities have stood by and done nothing, he asked.

 

“Does he think that the British police’s handling of the August, 2011 riots in London was repression?” Geng asked, referring to rioting in London that year.

 

“We hope that Britain, especially Mr. Hunt, does not overestimate its abilities and wantonly interfere in Hong Kong matters. This is destined to be futile,” he said.

 

China has lodged “stern representations” with Britain both in Beijing and London about Hunt’s remarks, he added.

 

The two countries had been seeking to reset ties after a row over the disputed South China Sea last year, with Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua visiting London last month to oversee the start of a link between its stock exchange and that of Shanghai.

 

Confrontation and lawlessness in Hong Kong could damage its reputation as an international business hub and seriously hurt its economy, China’s top newspaper, the People’s Daily, said in an editorial.

 

“It will not only serve no purpose, but will also severely hinder economic and social development,” the ruling Communist Party’s official paper said, denouncing what it called artificially created division and opposition.

 

Hong Kong, facing pressure from changes in the world economy and intensifying competition, could not “bear turbulence and internal friction”, it added.

 

China has blamed Western countries, particularly the United States and Hong Kong’s former colonial master Britain, for offering succour to the protests.

 

In an editorial, the official China Daily, an English-language newspaper Beijing often uses to send its message to the world, condemned “outside agitations”.

 

“What has also been notable is the hypocrisy of some Western governments - the United States and United Kingdom most prominently - which have called for a stop to the violence, as if they have had nothing to do with it,” the paper said.

 

“But, looking back at the whole protest saga, they have been deeply involved in fuelling it since its inception.”

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-07-03

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[Thingamabob]

Shameful the way we Brits threw Hong Kong under the bus. An utter disgrace.

[bristolboy]

2 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

Shameful the way we Brits threw Hong Kong under the bus. An utter disgrace.

What exactly should the UK have done?

[pegman]

Doesn't that insignificant little island have enough problems of its own? 

[evadgib]

1 hour ago, Thingamabob said:

Shameful the way we Brits threw Hong Kong under the bus. An utter disgrace.

We did no such thing, furthermore the Chinese ambassador was summoned to the FCO for a formal dressing down after yesterdays performance.

Edited July 4, 2019 by evadgib

[overherebc]

25 minutes ago, car720 said:

One gunship won't be enough to send up the Yangtze this time.

In the not too distant future.

[zydeco]

China lied to get what they wanted, which was Hong Kong intact with its money flow, and now they're ready to bring down the hammer. The UK, US, and Europe have had two generations of fools who thought that China would Westernize. They created a monster. The ones still alive responsible for this should be staked to an anthill. For the "honored dead," dig up their bones and fix them on a pike.

[Myshkin]

England is irrelevant in today's world. They should look after their own mess. 

[bkk6060]

55 minutes ago, Myshkin said:

England is irrelevant in today's world. They should look after their own mess. 

What better way then to deflect from their own incompetence and attack someplace else.

Very sad.

[from the home of CC]

if the U.K. does actually brexit perhaps not a good idea to piss off the Chinese.. 

[Traubert]

37 minutes ago, zydeco said:

China lied to get what they wanted, which was Hong Kong intact with its money flow, and now they're ready to bring down the hammer. The UK, US, and Europe have had two generations of fools who thought that China would Westernize. They created a monster. The ones still alive responsible for this should be staked to an anthill. For the "honored dead," dig up their bones and fix them on a pike.

No they didn't. The New Territories lease ran out and Hong Kong would have been isolated. Their water comes from the mainland and although it was leased in perpetuity, it would have had to have been evacuated and was therefore worthless.

[overherebc]

7 hours ago, overherebc said:

Whole different ball game.

@khunken @Myshkin 

 

Why are you sad and confused?

[Baerboxer]

9 hours ago, pegman said:

Doesn't that insignificant little island have enough problems of its own? 

 

This thread is about Britain, China and Hong Kong, none of which are insignificant. 

 

 

[Baerboxer]

8 hours ago, evadgib said:

We did no such thing, furthermore the Chinese ambassador was summoned to the FCO for a formal dressing down after yesterdays performance.

 

I bet that told him!

 

 

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and replies have been removed. 

[Baerboxer]

3 hours ago, Myshkin said:

England is irrelevant in today's world. They should look after their own mess. 

 

Irrelevant - what like your apparent knowledge?

 

The UK is referred to as Britain. 

[Traubert]

1 hour ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Irrelevant - what like your apparent knowledge?

 

The UK is referred to as Britain. 

Sigh. Bloody colonials.

 

England is a sole country. Great Britain consists of England, Scotland and Wales. The UK is England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

 

On the passport it says 'The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.'

 

It is fun in immigration when they're searching under countries for England for half an hour though.

[Jonmarleesco]

On 7/3/2019 at 6:17 PM, snoop1130 said:

Geng Shuang told a news briefing: “I would like to ask Mr. Hunt, during the British colonial era in Hong Kong, was there any democracy to speak of? Hong Kongers didn’t even have the right to protest.”

Only after Hong Kong’s return to China did its people got an “unprecedented” guarantee about democracy and freedom ...'

I'm impressed, if only with the fact that he can spell democracy and freedom.

[lannarebirth]

4 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

if the U.K. does actually brexit perhaps not a good idea to piss off the Chinese.. 

Why is that? When America was the sole superpower (probably still is) did you feel the same way about pissing off the Americans? Why or why not?

[Scott]

Off-topic troll post removed.  

[baboon]

6 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

I bet that told him!

 

 

Indeed. China must be lying awake tonight and terrified to have incurred the wrath of Brexit Britain...

[Pinoydave]

Tibet happening all over again

[KhaoYai]

Faults on both sides. Hunt wants to be the new UK PM? Then he should learn that threatening China with 'consequences' is hardly the best way to handle things. Entering into dialogue with China might be difficult but far better than threats.

 

On 7/3/2019 at 12:17 PM, snoop1130 said:

“Does he think that the British police’s handling of the August, 2011 riots in London was repression?” Geng asked, referring to rioting in London that year.

Erm......you wish to criticise the British police's handling of those riots do you Mr Geng? Does the name Tiananmen Square mean anything to you? Perhaps Mr Geng would do better if he refrained from such comments and crawled under a stone somewhere.

 

The BBC reported this morning that someone in the government (can't remember who) said the protestors had the full support of the British government.  That's ridiculous, whilst it may be right to support their cause, it is wrong for the British government support the ransacking of the Hong Kong Parliament - that was senseless and is likley to backfire on the protestors. I can see the time coming when China simply swallows up the Hong Kong territory and ditches the 'one country, two systems' principle agreed with the UK when Hong Kong was handed back to China

 

The Chinese though, have been quoted as calling the agreement made with the UK when Hong Kong was returned to Chinese control a 'an insignificant historic document' - in that case, any country entering into any agreement with the Chinese in future should perhaps be wary of the long term efficacy of that agreement...............hello, hello......Thailand........hello!!