Beijing slams Britain & US over ‘gross interference’ in Hong Kong protests
China warned London and Washington against meddling in its domestic affairs after Western politicians backed massive protests in Hong Kong, which spiraled into clashes with police as demonstrators stormed the city’s parliament.
Beijing’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office had blasted Britain, along with the US and the EU, for their position on the Hong Kong protests on Tuesday. The agency demanded “the relevant countries to immediately stop making false statements and actions that undermine China’s national security and Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability.”
Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Geng Shuang, meanwhile, voiced“strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to one country’s gross interference in Hong Kong affairs and China’s domestic affairs.”
We once again warn [all] countries to be careful and not interfere in Hong Kong’s domestic affairs in any way.
Geng had earlier stated that Britain has “no so-called responsibility” for its former colony Hong Kong and urged London “to know its place” and stop meddling in the tensions there.
Over a million people began marching and staging a sit-in protest in downtown Hong Kong in late-June, denouncing a since-suspended bill that would allow extradition of locals to mainland China.
Also on rt.com Hong Kong protesters occupy parliament building, spray graffiti (PHOTOS)The peaceful protests escalated into sporadic clashes with police, which culminated on Monday when the protesters broke into the city’s parliament building. The rally that day coincided with the anniversary of Britain returning Hong Kong to China in 1997.
British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt backed the protesters, saying that London’s support for the city and “its freedoms is unwavering.”
“No violence is acceptable but HK people MUST preserve right to peaceful protest exercised within the law, as hundreds of thousands of brave people showed today,” Hunt wrote on Twitter on Monday.
Away from campaigning want to stress UK support for Hong Kong and its freedoms is UNWAVERING on this anniversary day. No violence is acceptable but HK people MUST preserve right to peaceful protest exercised within the law, as hundreds of thousands of brave people showed today.
— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) 1 июля 2019 г.
A similar stance was taken by Washington. President Donald Trump, who met Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the G20 event in Japan over the weekend, said that the protesters in Hong Kong are “looking for democracy.”
I think most people want democracy. Unfortunately, some governments don’t want democracy.
Brussels called on all sides “to exercise restraint,” and “to engage in dialogue and consultation” in order to defuse the crisis.
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