By Liu Zhun
The case of Lee Bo, a Hong Kong book publisher who was asked to cooperate with an investigation in the Chinese mainland, rumbles on. Deeming Lee "was involuntarily removed to the mainland without any due process," UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, in his twice-yearly regular report on Hong Kong affairs, accused the Chinese central government of making "a serious breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong and undermines the principle of 'One Country, Two Systems...'"
Hammond's statement was rebuked by both Hong Kong and mainland authorities. A Hong Kong government spokesperson said the involuntary removal is speculative, and the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson criticized the UK for interfering and making groundless accusations.
This is the first time that the UK government has made a fuss against China using the Joint Declaration. Even though the UK government has been promoting a golden era for Sino-British relations, it seems that Westminster is willing to ramp up its confrontation with Beijing over Hong Kong-related issues.
The UK seems to have more interest in Hong Kong's democracy and development after the city's return to China than before. Appointing governors to Hong Kong for more than a century, it was not until the last two years that it started to care about how the Hong Kong people should elect a government.
As an established Western power, the UK has been sticking to a perennial mission, both for realistic benefits and as a political tradition, that it must spread Western values and ideologies.
The trajectory will keep dividing Hong Kong from China, and the fundamental policy of "One Country, Two Systems" and "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong" will face serious problems in implementation.
London must admit the fact that, after the return, Hong Kong stopped being a bridgehead for the West in completing their Western-values brainwashing program. Hong Kong is a gateway for cooperation and prosperity, not a testing ground for an ideological war.
It is also hoped that a few radical Hongkongers do not absurdly take the UK report seriously. Some people in Hong Kong still harbor illusions about Western intervention and hope it can increase the leverage of the opposition in Hong Kong to make extreme political confrontations.
Radicals in Hong Kong accuse the mainland of overstepping the boundaries, but they become reticent when the US and UK step in to Hong Kong-related issues. This indicates that these people build their arguments on values rather than rationality. They are tearing apart the diverse society that Hong Kong has grown after its return to China.
Hammond's statement was rebuked by both Hong Kong and mainland authorities. A Hong Kong government spokesperson said the involuntary removal is speculative, and the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson criticized the UK for interfering and making groundless accusations.
This is the first time that the UK government has made a fuss against China using the Joint Declaration. Even though the UK government has been promoting a golden era for Sino-British relations, it seems that Westminster is willing to ramp up its confrontation with Beijing over Hong Kong-related issues.
The UK seems to have more interest in Hong Kong's democracy and development after the city's return to China than before. Appointing governors to Hong Kong for more than a century, it was not until the last two years that it started to care about how the Hong Kong people should elect a government.
As an established Western power, the UK has been sticking to a perennial mission, both for realistic benefits and as a political tradition, that it must spread Western values and ideologies.
The trajectory will keep dividing Hong Kong from China, and the fundamental policy of "One Country, Two Systems" and "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong" will face serious problems in implementation.
London must admit the fact that, after the return, Hong Kong stopped being a bridgehead for the West in completing their Western-values brainwashing program. Hong Kong is a gateway for cooperation and prosperity, not a testing ground for an ideological war.
It is also hoped that a few radical Hongkongers do not absurdly take the UK report seriously. Some people in Hong Kong still harbor illusions about Western intervention and hope it can increase the leverage of the opposition in Hong Kong to make extreme political confrontations.
Radicals in Hong Kong accuse the mainland of overstepping the boundaries, but they become reticent when the US and UK step in to Hong Kong-related issues. This indicates that these people build their arguments on values rather than rationality. They are tearing apart the diverse society that Hong Kong has grown after its return to China.
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