A day after the United Kingdom lambasted Beijing for the arrest of over 50 pro-democracy politicians and activists under the draconian National Security Law, China on Thursday claimed that Hong Kong was a territory of China and any interference in its domestic affairs amounted to an "infringement on its sovereignty.
"In response to UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab's statement, China made a strong representation to the UK side," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Thursday, as quoted by Sputnik.
Hua claimed that Hong Kong was a territory of China and, therefore, any interference in its domestic affairs amounted to an "infringement on Chinese sovereignty."
"The United Kingdom should abandon its colonizer mentality and illusions about the continuing colonial influence on Hong Kong. It should as well abandon hypocrisy and double standards, respect China's sovereignty and immediately stop any forms of interference in Hong Kong affairs and China's domestic affairs," Hua added.
On Wednesday, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab accused Beijing of abusing last year's national security law to crack down on pro-democracy dissent in Hong Kong. "The mass arrest of politicians and activists in Hong Kong is a grievous attack on Hong Kong's rights and freedoms as protected under the Joint Declaration," he said in a statement.
Over 50 opposition lawmakers and activists were arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of violating the authoritarian national security law, for their part in a primary election run-off last July.
Among the arrested were former lawmakers James To Kun-sun, Lam Cheuk-ting, Andrew Wan Siu-kin, Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu and Wu Chi-wai, as well as pollster Dr Robert Chung Ting-yiu, who helped orgse the event, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.
Most of those had orgsed or taken part in primary contests held by the pan-democratic camp last July as part of a "35-plus" strategy to maximise its chances of taking control of the 70-member legislature.
According to the authoritarian security law, a principal offender convicted of subversion faces imprisonment of 10 years to life, while an "active participant" can be sentenced to between three and 10 years' jail, while a minor can face a fixed term of not more than three years' imprisonment or short-term detention or restriction.
China has faced criticism over the national security law which is being dubbed in conflict with the Sino-British joint declaration.
( With inputs from ANI )
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