People wave the Chinese national flag and the flag of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region(HKSAR) at a pier in Tsim Sha Tsui of Hong Kong, south China, August 8, 2019. /Xinhua
China is strongly dissatisfied and firmly opposes the remarks made by the Canadian foreign minister about China's decision to improve the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Chinese Embassy in Canada said the remarks were a gross interference in China's internal affairs.
Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven issued a statement on Friday "expressing concerns" in China's Hong Kong situation, which the embassy said violated international law and the basic norms in international relations.
"The HKSAR's electoral system is China's local electoral system. How it is designed, developed, and improved is entirely China's internal affair, and no country has the right to say anything about it."
China's determination to safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests is unwavering, as is its determination to uphold the principles of "One Country, Two Systems," "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong," and a high degree of autonomy, as well as to maintain Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability, the embassy noted
China urges Canada to immediately stop interfering in China's internal affairs in any form, as further meddling will only cause more damage to the Chinese-Canadian relations, the embassy said.
Meanwhile, the Swiss Foreign Ministry criticized China's decision to improve Hong Kong's electoral system on a Twitter post. In response, the Chinese embassy in Switzerland expressed strong condemnation.
"Since Hong Kong's return to China, the central government has always been the leader and promoter of the development of Hong Kong's democratic system. It is the power and responsibility of the National People's Congress, the highest organ of state power, to make the decision to improve the electoral system of the HKSAR," said the embassy in a statement on Saturday.
The embassy added that NPC's decision will better safeguard the overall and fundamental interests of the Hong Kong society, ensure the steady development of "One Country, Two Systems" and create a better environment for foreign investment in Hong Kong.