In escalating war of words, Beijing hits back at Britain, US over two reports highly critical of Hong Kong’s political and legal systems
- Chinese foreign ministry’s Hong Kong office issues statement declaring two Western allies will not prevail by ‘playing the ‘BNO card’, ‘judge card’ or ‘sanction card’
- In their reports, the two countries had taken aim at the city’s judicial independence, the recent overhaul of its political system and the Beijing-imposed national security law
In an escalating war of words, Beijing has fired back at Britain and the United States over two official reports that were highly critical of Hong Kong’s political and legal systems, demanding they stop interfering in the city’s affairs and smearing its national security law.
Referring to recent punitive measures taken by the US and UK, the Chinese foreign ministry’s Hong Kong office issued a statement on Friday declaring the two Western allies would not prevail by “playing the ‘BNO card’, ‘judge card’, or ‘sanction card’, or cooking up various reports and bills that lack credibility”.
The “BNO card” referred to the UK’s offer of special visas providing a pathway to citizenship for Hongkongers, and the “judge card” was a reference to Britain pulling its last two serving judges out of the city’s top court.
“The Chinese government is the creator, enforcer and defender of ‘one country, two systems’,” the office said, naming the formula under which the city is governed.
“Under the protection of the national security law and a revamped electoral system, the stability of Hong Kong, as well as its people’s safety and rights are being firmly protected.”
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Hong Kong, Beijing condemn UK withdrawal of judges from city’s top court over security law concern
In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian decried Britain and the US State Department’s latest reports on Hong Kong alleging the erosion of liberties in the city’s politics, media and civil society.
