China slams British FM's remarks on HK violent acts as 'effrontery'

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China on Wednesday said it lodged a solemn protest with London after British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned Beijing of "serious consequences" if it breaches the Hong Kong handover agreement and also slammed his remarks on the protesters' violent acts in Hong Kong as effrontery.

"He seems to be fantasizing in the faded glory of British colonialism and in the bad habit of gesticulating while looking down on other countries' affairs," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a regular briefing on Wednesday.

HKSAR chief executive condemns violence at Legislative Council building

"It's bold as brass for the British side to say it was Britain that gave Hong Kong residents their civil rights. I'd like to ask Mr. Hunt, when Hong Kong was under the British colonial rule, did the residents truly have democratic rights? They even couldn't demonstrate in the streets," Geng said.

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"But after Hong Kong's return to China, the Chinese government complies with the Constitution and the Basic Law, and sticks to the principles of 'One Country, Two Systems' and 'Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong.' It also gives the Hong Kong residents a high degree of autonomy, as well as unprecedented democratic rights and freedom," Geng added.

On Monday, groups of protesters used a roll cage trolley as a ram and iron poles to shatter the glass doors of the HKSAR LegCo building. Geng said such acts are serious breach of law and harm the social order.

Hunt ignored the fact, saying the Hong Kong government "repressed" the protest.

"I would like to ask Hunt. If protesters siege the British parliament and make damage, will the UK government ignore it and do nothing?" said Geng.

"If Hunt calls it democracy, does he think the police in UK parliament should be withdrawn and protesters should get in?" Geng continued.

Geng stressed at last that Hong Kong issue is purely China's internal affair. Any government, organization or person shall not intervene in it in any way.

"We hope the UK side, especially Hunt, do not interfere in Hong Kong affairs, which is doomed to fail," Geng warned.

Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in HKSAR later echoed Geng's remarks in a statement, calling Hunt's remarks as "publicly justifying violent acts" and urging his country to respect China's sovereignty and immediately stop its interference in China's internal affairs.

"Violence is violence, crime is crime. No country or society would tolerate violence and crime, and also a man with conscience and a sense of law and order should stand up and resolutely against it," the statement said.