China on Friday urged the UK to wake up from a "colonial dream" and rejected all criticisms made in the UK government's latest six-monthly report on Hong Kong.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a routine press briefing in Beijing when asked to comment on the report.
"It has been nearly 26 years since the reunification of Hong Kong but the British side still fails to wake up from its old colonial dream and presumes to interfere in Hong Kong affairs through the so-called report which is full of ideological bias, distortion of facts and confusion, seriously violating the principles of international law and basic norms of international relations, to which China expresses its strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition," Mao said.
Since the return of Hong Kong, the central government of China had fully and faithfully implemented the policy of "one country, two systems" and "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong," ensuring the city enjoyed a high degree of autonomy and protection for residents' lawful rights and freedoms, she said.
The National Security Law in Hong Kong and the new electoral system have successfully safeguarded national security, the ministry spokesperson asserted.
"The situation in Hong Kong has turned from chaos to governance and from governance to prosperity," Mao said. "Hong Kong enjoys better rule of law and a better business environment."
"Foreign investors have growing confidence in Hong Kong and Hong Kong's position as an international financial, trade and shipping center has been further consolidated."
The spokesperson reiterated that Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs and reminded the UK that the Joint Declaration gives the UK no sovereignty, jurisdiction or right to supervise Hong Kong.
"Hong Kong is one of China's special administrative regions," Mao said. "No noise that casts aspersion on Hong Kong can shake the steady progress of the 'one country, two systems' policy."
