Some politicians from the United States have repeatedly made wanton remarks on Hong Kong affairs recently, grossly interfering in China’s internal affairs. They even blatantly link Hong Kong affairs to China-US economic and trade negotiations, saying that a trade deal would be “very hard if they do violence.”

Linking China’s internal affairs with bilateral economic and trade negotiations not only shows that some US politicians have lost their sense of reason on China-US economic and trade issues, but also exposes their ill intentions to mess up Hong Kong and contain China.

However, these US politicians have miscalculated the situation. China will never allow principle issues to be traded away and will never allow any foreign force to have a hand in Hong Kong affairs. US politicians are doomed to fail with the “Hong Kong card.”

The US has repeatedly encountered opposition from within its country and the world when escalating China-US economic and trade frictions. Now, some US politicians want to create new trouble by meddling in Hong Kong affairs.

As the New York Times pointed out, the US showed greater support for radical demonstrators in Hong Kong “after coming to view the issue as a point of leverage in trade negotiations with China.”

However, these politicians seem to have forgotten that it is an insurmountable bottom line for Chinese diplomacy that the sovereignty issue is non-negotiable. It looks like fool’s talk to expect the world’s second largest economy to trade away its sovereignty.

Since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, Hong Kong’s position as an international finance, shipping and trade center has been consolidated with support from the Chinese central government. Hong Kong has been rated as one of the world's freest economies and the most competitive regions by many international organizations.

For Hong Kong, the "one country, two systems" principle is the biggest advantage. Hong Kong integrating into the overall development of the country, participating in building the Belt and Road Initiative and implementing the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area are major decisions to ensure Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability. Hong Kong's brighter future can be expected.

The downward pressure on the global economy is increasing and market confidence is continuously frustrated. The US not only does things that benefit no one but also increases the volatility and uncertainty of the world economy by interfering in Hong Kong affairs, undermining Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability. What the US does will inevitably arouse strong opposition from the Chinese people, including Hong Kong compatriots and the international community.

Facing repeated provocation from the US side since China-US economic and trade frictions surfaced, China has maintained a rational and restrained attitude all along, upholding its core interests and the fundamental interests of the Chinese people and never compromised on major issues of principle.

Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. Hong Kong affairs are China's internal affairs. No foreign countries, organizations or individuals have any right to interfere. Mixing Hong Kong affairs and China-US economic and trade negotiations is a serious misjudgment of China’s willpower.

Chinese people do not believe in fallacies, nor are we afraid of evil forces. Chinese people do not stir up troubles, and we are not cowards when involved in some.

No country should expect China to swallow the bitter consequences of undermining national sovereignty, security, and development interests. The Chinese economy is a sea, not a small pond. It has a large space and is tough enough to withstand any shower.

China has not made any concessions without principles on economic and trade issues between China and the US, nor will it do so in the future. The Chinese government is confident in restoring order of Hong Kong under the “one country, two systems” principle. Hong Kong will also shine brightly again as the “Pearl of the Orient.”

It is purely delusional to think about gaining benefits by playing the “Hong Kong card.” Such calculation will be in vain. We warn some US politicians not to misjudge the situation and drift further down the wrong path.

(Compiled by Zhang Jian)