China made a strong representation to the United Kingdom over the criticism of persecution of Hong Kong anti-Beijing activists, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Thursday
BEIJING (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th January, 2021) China made a strong representation to the United Kingdom over the criticism of persecution of Hong Kong anti-Beijing activists, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Thursday.
On Wednesday, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab accused Beijing of abusing last year's national security law to crack down on pro-democracy dissent in Hong Kong. The official said Hong Kongers were welcome to acquire British national overseas passports and come live in the United Kingdom.
"In response to UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab's statement, China made a strong representation to the UK side," Hua said at a daily briefing.
The spokeswoman stressed that Hong Kong was a territory of China and, therefore, any interference in its domestic affairs amounted to an infringement on Chinese sovereignty.
"The United Kingdom should abandon its colonizer mentality and illusions about the continuing colonial influence on Hong Kong. It should as well abandon hypocrisy and double standards, respect China's sovereignty and immediately stop any forms of interference in Hong Kong affairs and China's domestic affairs," Hua added.
Morning raids across Hong Kong on Wednesday resulted in arrests of 53 anti-Beijing activists. They were rounded up on charges of subversion under the national security law that had triggered a broad international outcry last year.
The United Kingdom has long criticized what it considers China's infringement on Hong Kong's rights and freedoms under the 1984 UK-Chinese declaration that passed the region from London to Beijing.
