Attempts to interfere in China's internal affairs will never succeed

Note: The following article is taken from the Chinese-language "Commentaries on International Affairs".

On July 1, the 22nd anniversary of the return of Hong Kong to Chinese sovereignty, some extremists stormed and vandalized the Legislative Council building in Hong Kong. Such violence has seriously trampled on the rule of law in Hong Kong, undermined its stability, and has been widely condemned by the international community. However, some Western countries including the United States and the United Kingdom, instead of condemning the violence, have called for ensuring the “right of local residents to peaceful protest.” This naked double standard of dealing with violence is a gross interference in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs. The Chinese side has lodged strong protests.

The national flag and the regional flag fly outside of the government building of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, June 17, 2015. [Photo: VCG]

The rule of law is the most important foundation of Hong Kong. In February this year, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government initiated the revision of extradition law amendments regarding fugitive offenders. The purpose was to plug the loopholes in the existing legal system and to prevent Hong Kong from becoming a safe haven for criminals. In Hong Kong, there have been expressions of different opinions in this regard. After the protesters took part in street demonstrations and even riots, the SAR Government decided to suspend the amendments in order to listen more widely to the views of the various aspects of society and jointly advance the rule of law.

However, some extremists did not stop here because their goal was not only to oppose the amendments, but to use this as an excuse to cause chaos in Hong Kong and achieve their ulterior political goals. They deliberately chose to block public roads on July 1st, the day of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, attacking the local police, and assaulting the important symbol of Hong Kong's rule of law - the Legislative Council building. Their violence has far exceeded the bottom line of peaceful expression of demands, threatened Hong Kong’s public order, and seriously trampled on the rule of law in Hong Kong. They have openly challenged the "one country, two systems" bottom line. No sovereign country can tolerate this, and will surely hold them responsible in accordance with the law.

However, some Western countries, which have always advocated a high degree of rule of law, have been “tolerant” this time, claiming to guarantee the right of violent offenders to peaceful protest. Did they forget that when violent crimes occurred in these countries, local police in anti-riot vehicles used weapons and other gear to arrest protesters on a large scale? For example, in 2014, after a black young man in Ferguson, Missouri, was shot fatally by the police, a large-scale protest and riots occurred in the area. The heavily armed American police threw tear gas at demonstrators and fired rubber bullets. The scene of riots was likened by the US media to a "war zone". Now, when the rioters in Hong Kong hit the Legislative Council building in broad daylight, why did some Western forces suffer from selective blindness and openly support the criminals?

This double standard approach violates the basic norms of international law and international relations, undermining China’s sovereignty and security. It has made people more aware that external forces are merely speaking in the name of freedom and human rights, and colluding with the Hong Kong opposition figures, in an attempt to seize the power of governing Hong Kong and undermine the practice of "one country, two systems" and thus deter China's development. From the illegal “Occupy Central” protests in 2014, to the riots in Mong Kok in 2017, and to the turmoil caused by proposed amendments to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance, the sinister intentions of external forces interfering in China's internal affairs and throwing China into disarray have never been dead.

Hong Kong residents who have weathered the storms will never allow Hong Kong to fall into disorder. As the first stop of the "one country, two systems" practice, Hong Kong has been at the forefront of the growth of the developed economies in the world. It has successfully resisted the Asian financial crisis and the global financial crisis, and has been selected by many international organizations as one of the freest economies and the most competitive regions. Hong Kong's GDP increased from 1.37 trillion Hong Kong dollars in 1997 to 2.84 trillion Hong Kong dollars in 2018; Hong Kong's per capita GDP increased from 210,000 Hong Kong dollars in 1997 to 381,900 Hong Kong dollars in 2018. The establishment of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has helped create new opportunities for Hong Kong's economic development. In this regard, some Hong Kong media have commented that "one country, two systems" is the biggest advantage of Hong Kong's development as the principle allows Hong Kong to share the dividends of national development and protect the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents.

Regarding the intervention of external forces, the Chinese government's attitude is clear and firm: Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs, and no country, external organization or individual has the right to intervene. If such obsessive wrong-headedness continues, China will inevitably respond further. Don't underestimate China's firm determination to safeguard its national sovereignty. Any attempt to interfere in Hong Kong affairs and throw China into disorder will never succeed.