China again urges US side to stop interfering in HK affairs

BEIJING -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Monday once again urged the US side to stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs, stressing that no one should underestimate China's firm resolve to implement the "one country, two systems" principle and safeguard prosperity and stability in Hong Kong.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying made the comments when responded to a letter from some US lawmakers Friday, in which they urged the US government not to help the "repression" of Hong Kong's "peaceful demonstrations" and rejected the idea of defining those demonstrations as "riots."

"The relevant US individuals are calling black white with ill intentions. We firmly oppose that," said Hua.

Hua said the violent radicals in Hong Kong smashed their way into the Legislative Building and the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) with iron sticks. They wantonly vandalized public facilities, obstructed public traffic and illegally stored dangerous goods and offensive weapons. They attacked the police in lethal means, beat them and even bit their fingers off. They tarnished the national emblem and national flag.

Those scenes have been witnessed by people around the world. How on earth do those individuals in the United States call them "peaceful demonstrations"? Hua asked.

"All people with conscience will agree those violent behaviors have already crossed the bottom line of any civilized society. They have crossed the line of peaceful demonstration and freedom of expression. They have gravely trampled on Hong Kong's rule of law, threatened local people's safety and property and violated the bottom line of 'one country, two systems' principle," said Hua. "Such things simply cannot be tolerated."

She said the US side doesn't mention at all and has turned a blind eye to the power abuse and violent law enforcement of police at home. But at the same time, it blatantly criticized or even tried to smear the professional, civilized and constrained law enforcement of Hong Kong police. "This will only help the world see how arrogant, biased, hypocritical, ruthless, selfish and bossy the US side is."

Is rampant violence and collapse of rule of law something the US side calls "human rights and freedom"? Hua asked.

Hua also urged the US side to stop conniving at violent criminals, and undermining the administering by the government of the HKSAR in accordance with law and interfering in Hong Kong affairs.