Q: On November 19th, The foreign ministers of Five Eyes Alliance have issued a joint statement to raise their concern regarding China’s imposition of new rules to disqualify elected legislators in Hong Kong. What is your comment?
A: The Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and the Secretary of State of the United States issued a joint statement on Hong Kong, openly finger-pointing over China's Hong Kong affairs, which is a flagrant violation of international law and basic norms governing international relations. The Chinese side is strongly concerned about and firmly opposed to it.
Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. Hong Kong affairs are entirely China's internal affairs, and allow no foreign interference. The decision made by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China is a necessary and essential step to uphold and improve the "one country, two systems", implement the Basic Law and the Hong Kong national security law, and maintain the rule of law and constitutional order in the HKSAR.
It is a basic political ethics in any country that holders of public office, legislators in particular, shall uphold constitutional laws and pledge allegiance to the country. No country will turn a blind eye if they betray their country, violate such allegiance, seek external interference and endanger national security.
It is completely wrong and in disregard of basic facts and legal basis for a few countries to take the Sino-British Joint Declaration as an excuse time and again to accuse China of “not fulfilling its international obligations”. After Hong Kong's return to China, all the articles related to the UK under the Sino-British Joint Declaration have completed their mission. The UK is not entitled to any right of supervision over Hong Kong, nor citing the Joint Declaration to meddle with Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs. Five Eyes Alliance countries are in no position or basis to level criticism on China with regard to Hong Kong affairs.
Once the prejudice and arrogance spread, they are like fire burning in the wilderness. The Chinese side urges the Five Eyes Alliance and its member to abide by the international law and the basic norms governing international relations, refrain from going further down the wrong path, and collude with each other in wrong-doings. We hope that relevant country will adhere to an independent foreign policy, maintain the political basis of bilateral relations, refrain from doing bad things that harm friendship, and do more for mutual respect and win-win cooperation.