China rebukes UK for its "gross interference" over Hong Kong

By Kate Holton, Michael Holden

 

FILE PHOTO: Chinese Ambassador to Britain Liu Xiaoming talks to the crowd following the Chinese Lunar New Year parade through central London, Britain January 26, 2020. REUTERS/Simon Dawson

 

LONDON (Reuters) - China’s ambassador to London accused Britain on Monday of gross interference and making irresponsible remarks over Beijing’s imposition of new security legislation in Hong Kong that he said could damage future Chinese investment.

 

Britain has described the security law as a “clear and serious” violation of the 1984 Joint Declaration under which it handed back its colony to China 13 years later and said that London would offer around 3 million residents a path to British citizenship.

 

“The UK government keeps making irresponsible remarks on Hong Kong affairs,” Ambassador Liu Xiaoming told reporters in the strongest rebuke Beijing has issued to London since Britain criticised the security law.

 

On the British offer to give British National (Overseas) (BNO) passport holders in Hong Kong a path to British citizenship, he said: “This move constitutes gross interference in China’s internal affairs and openly tramples on the basic norms governing international relations.”

 

He said China would decide on its response after seeing how Britain proceeded with its passport offer.

 

Although Prime Minister Boris Johnson describes himself as a “Sinophile”, he has also spoken of the need to “stick up for our friends in Hong Kong”, straining relations with Beijing.

 

He has also toughened his language on a provisional decision to allow China’s Huawei to be involved in the development of Britain’s 5G infrastructure, saying he would protect critical infrastructure from “hostile state vendors”.

 

Johnson has faced intense pressure from the United States and some British lawmakers to ban the telecommunications equipment maker on security grounds and Britain’s media minister said on Monday the Huawei decision was not set in stone.

 

Liu said that, although China wanted friendly relations with Britain, there might be many consequences if Britain treated Beijing as an enemy or with suspicion.

 

“We want to be your friend. We want to be your partner. But if you want to make China a hostile country, you will have to bear the consequences,” he said.

 

He said a U-turn on its Huawei decision would damage Britain’s image as an open, business-friendly environment and it meant London was having to “bounce to the tune of the other countries”.

 

“The China business community are all watching how you handle Huawei. If you get rid of Huawei it sends out a very bad message to other Chinese businesses,” Liu said.

 

In 2015, former British prime minister David Cameron heralded a “golden era” in bilateral relations with Beijing but these have soured amid growing dissent in Hong Kong. Liu said he hoped it was not over but Britain had to be careful how it characterised China.

 

“Whether it is over or not is not up to the Chinese side,” he said. “We have every reason to have good relations with the UK.”

 

Hong Kong returned to China on July 1, 1997, under a “one country, two systems” formula guaranteeing wide-ranging autonomy and freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland, including an independent judiciary.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-07-06

 

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19 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

China’s ambassador to London accused Britain on Monday of gross interference and making irresponsible remarks over Beijing’s imposition of new security legislation in Hong Kong that he said could damage future Chinese investment.

i love it ; as a well-known american , high-profile billionaire, said: "we need to know who the morons are"; these spokespeople sure qualify

Trade deal anyone?

that Huawei squeeze play again lol, I can't wait till they throw that witch over the fence to the Americans..

Every country in the world should be reducing and eventually removing their reliance on Chinese production and supply of materials. All countries should be tougher on China and review their trade agreements that normally favour China Through the use of incredibly high import taxes on foreign imports. 

 

The One belt, one road initiative has been sold to countries around the world, but especially those in South East Asia as China helping poorer countries through investment and infrastructure but in reality it is merely a high interest loan that pays Chinese workers to build substandard roads, Dams, railways and leaves the countries indebted to China. 

 

Countries that have accepted Chinese investment are being destroyed, look at what they are doing to parts of Africa and the casinos in Cambodia. Thailand will soon follow 

35 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

The China business community are all watching how you handle Huawei. If you get rid of Huawei it sends out a very bad message to other Chinese businesses,” Liu said

No what it says is the Brits are rightly having 2nd thoughts about buying kit from a company alleged to work very closely with the Chinese military and bend over backwards to say otherwise .. 

And given the transparency and accuracy they've displayed since exporting their bat soup virus around the planet Britain's rethink should come as no surprise .. 

Liu's response and taunts are just typical of China's bullying tactics when questioned .. they were trying similar with Australia recently threatening to boycott Aussie beef .. 

Why does Britain act as though they wrote the 'one country, two systems' idea when it was China who wrote the whole thing?

 

One country, two systems is Chinese construct. Britain barely looked over their shoulder.

Stand with Hong Kong!

 

20 minutes ago, Justgrazing said:

Liu's response and taunts are just typical of China's bullying tactics when questioned .. they were trying similar with Australia recently threatening to boycott Aussie beef .. 

Unfortunately the bullying works too often, see how they made the NBA to fools. 

It can only stop if we all stand our ground, and help each other to resist to they pressure of the bully.

Therefore stand with Hong Kong, and with Taiwan!
#MilkTeaAlliance ????

8 minutes ago, Traubert said:

Why does Britain act as though they wrote the 'one country, two systems' idea when it was China who wrote the whole thing?

 

One country, two systems is Chinese construct. Britain barely looked over their shoulder.

How do Britain act like they wrote 'one country, two systems' idea? 

 

It's irrelevant who came up with the idea, what is relevant is the fact that the UK signed an agreement with China to hand back Hong Kong in 1997 and that the people of HK would have protection for their freedoms and way of life under the "one country, two systems" policy until 2047.

 

 

Time to choose democracy, free speech and human rights over oppression and control, #standwithhongkong

4 minutes ago, yuyiinthesky said:

Unfortunately the bullying works too often, see how they made the NBA to fools. 

It can only stop if we all stand our ground, and help each other to resist to they pressure of the bully.

Therefore stand with Hong Kong, and with Taiwan!
#MilkTeaAlliance ????

Agreed, the World need to do more to standup for HK and Taiwan and other countries that China are bullying such as Vietnam and Philippines 

 

#MilkTeaAlliance ????

Whatsapp and Facebook have both just announced they are suspending co-operation with Hong Kong law enforcement with regards requests for user data in light of the new security law.

 

#standwithhongkong

China should calm down with it's gross censorship. 

6 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Time to choose democracy, free speech and human rights over oppression and control, #standwithhongkong

 

 Lets not for get China are considering investing in Nuclear power in the UK .

   Without that investment  UK , would be in the dark , nothing new..

3 minutes ago, elliss said:

 

 Lets not for get China are considering investing in Nuclear power in the UK .

   Without that investment  UK , would be in the dark , nothing new..

Sorry that's already forgotten and all's lit up

28 minutes ago, elliss said:

 

 Lets not for get China are considering investing in Nuclear power in the UK .

   Without that investment  UK , would be in the dark , nothing new..

You may want to check that one.

 

China had agreed to invest in a new Nuclear power station years ago but the agreement specified that a Chinese company were to have a large part in building said power station so thank god the UK government have (at the moment) reversed their decision. 

I love how China complains about ‘gross interference’ with a straight face, given how often they are at it themselves...

The ambassador can go suck on a bat and stick his 5G up his yangtze ???? 

If the UK was still part of the EU then maybe China might listen.

But now?

China says "Meh".

5 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

If the UK was still part of the EU then maybe China might listen.

But now?

China says "Meh".

Or something  along those  lines. lol

 

3 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

If the UK was still part of the EU then maybe China might listen.

But now?

China says "Meh".

EU has already in a lengthy Joint Motion:

 

Strongly condemns the constant and increasing interference by China in Hong Kong’s internal affairs, as well the recent assertion by China that the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984 is a historic document, and hence no longer valid.

 

Calls on the EU and its Member States to consider, in the event the new security law is applied, filing a case before the International Court of Justice alleging that China’s decision to impose national security legislation on Hong Kong violates the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the ICCPR;

 

Supports the VP/HR’s assessment that a new and more robust strategy to deal with a more assertive China is necessary,

 

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/RC-9-2020-0169_EN.html

 

 

6 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

If the UK was still part of the EU then maybe China might listen.

But now?

China says "Meh".

The E.U has already voiced their opposition to what China are doing in HK , as has most of the World

9 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

The E.U has already voiced their opposition to what China are doing in HK , as has most of the World

And I imagine they are far more worried about what the EU says than what the UK says.

Small fish in a big pond.

1 hour ago, Patts said:

Agreed, the World need to do more to standup for HK and Taiwan and other countries that China are bullying such as Vietnam and Philippines 

 

#MilkTeaAlliance ????

No forget Tibet.

2 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

And I imagine they are far more worried about what the EU says than what the UK says.

Small fish in a big pond.

I doubt that the Chinese are overly concerned about either the EU or the UK. As you say, the UK are small fish while the EU are unable to agree any sort of meaningful, coordinated response.

 

 

6 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

And I imagine they are far more worried about what the EU says than what the UK says.

Small fish in a big pond.

When has China ever listened to anyone about anything ?

Never have done so and anyway , The EU and the UK are saying the same thing about China and HK

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

Time to choose democracy, free speech and human rights over oppression and control, #standwithhongkong

China on the way to a total surveillance state with its social point system. In contrast, J.Orwell's visions were pure dreams of freedom.

1 hour ago, tomacht8 said:

China on the way to a total surveillance state with its social point system. In contrast, J.Orwell's visions were pure dreams of freedom.

 

on the way to? I'd rather say slowly on the way away from

 

improvements are spottable

 

All bets are off, they've broken the Sino-British Declaration.