The Embassy of China in the United Kingdom has rejected the most recent semiannual report prepared by the British Government on Hong Kong, considering that it includes unjustified judgments about the special administrative region and constitutes an interference in the internal affairs of the Asian country. This stance has led Beijing to express its "firm opposition" to the document and to file a formal complaint with the authorities in London.
In statements to the press regarding this report, a spokesperson for the Chinese diplomatic mission has accused the British Executive of repeatedly using this type of document to question the political and legal situation in Hong Kong. In his view, the United Kingdom "has repeatedly falsified the so-called semiannual reports," using them to seriously interfere in matters that, according to Beijing, are the exclusive competence of China.
The representative of the Embassy has reminded that the Sino-British Joint Declaration had as its central axis the return of Chinese sovereignty over Hong Kong and has emphasized that this agreement does not grant London any capacity to continue influencing the region after the transfer of sovereignty.
In this regard, he has insisted that the constitutional and legal framework under which Hong Kong has been administered since its return to China is based on the Constitution of the People's Republic and on the Basic Law of Hong Kong, and not on the joint declaration signed with the United Kingdom.
"The United Kingdom has no sovereignty, no right to govern, no right to supervise Hong Kong," the spokesperson emphasized, who also stressed that the European country lacks authority or legitimacy to intervene in the internal affairs of the region. He also pointed out that the period of British rule "disappeared a long time ago."
China demands that the United Kingdom end its reports on Hong Kong
Beijing argues that, since the reintegration of Hong Kong into Chinese sovereignty, all issues related to its territory, government, and legal system correspond solely to Chinese institutions. Consequently, the Government of China has asked the United Kingdom to abandon what it describes as a "colonial mentality" and to respect both national sovereignty and the constitutional order in force in the special administrative region.
The demand from Beijing includes the end of the publication of the British semiannual reports on Hong Kong, as well as the cessation of any actions that the Asian giant interprets as interference in its internal affairs. "China urges the United Kingdom to abandon its colonial mentality, respect China's sovereignty, respect the rule of law in Hong Kong," concluded the spokesperson of the Embassy.
Beijing claims the 'one country, two systems' model
At the same time, the Chinese Embassy has defended the results of the "one country, two systems" model applied since Hong Kong's return to China, assuring that its implementation has received broad recognition. According to the spokesperson, the region now has greater security guarantees, a framework based on the rule of law, and an administration that, in their opinion, has improved significantly, which is reflected in a situation of social stability.
The representative has also highlighted the positive evolution of the business environment, the continued growth of the local economy, and the legal protection of the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents. Regarding the judicial sphere, they have defended the independence of the courts in the special administrative region in processes related to the National Security Law, and have cited as examples the cases of Hong Kong activist Jimmy Lai and the Hong Kong Alliance, responsible for years for the vigil in memory of the Tiananmen massacre. Regarding these proceedings, they have reiterated that there should be no external pressures or interference.