(Photo: cctv.com)
On Sunday, protesters waving American flags marched to the US Consulate in Hong Kong, calling on Washington to pass a bill aimed at backing Hong Kong protesters. In response, the Hong Kong SAR government expressed regret over the reintroduction of the act and reiterated that foreign legislatures should stay out of its internal affairs. The US bill is a dirty trick to up the pressure on China and push an agenda, a type of “color revolution.”
The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, a bill cosponsored by US senators Marco Rubio, Ben Cardin, Jim Risch, and Bob Menendez, aims to reaffirm US commitment to democracy promotion in Hong Kong. In a press release, the US senators cited “Chinese interference” in Hong Kong’s affairs as a reason for the bill. They also criticized the SAR government for trying to halt the violence and chaos and applauded the protesters for their actions.
Whichever way you slice it, the US bill is blunt interference in Hong Kong’s internal affairs, which are China’s internal affairs, and further proof that certain US politicians see the problem in Hong Kong as an opportunity to fan the flames of unrest in Hong Kong. The bill is also a blunt attempt to destabilize China.
It is something the world has seen repeatedly: interfere in the politics of other countries under the guise of democracy promotion. The promotion of Western-style democracy is a core principle of US foreign policy, the goal of which is to make the world more like America and turn certain countries and regions into vassals of the United States. This has weaponized democracy promotion by making it a tool to undermine adversaries, and US politicians with an anti-China agenda are no doubt eager to use the radical protesters as pawns for this goal.
The demonstrations that began months ago in Hong Kong after the SAR government introduced the now-scrapped extradition bill have gone far beyond the point of peaceful demonstrations. So far, in fact, that it is now pointless to describe them as such. From throwing bricks, petrol bombs, and other objects at government buildings and targeting police with offensive weapons to disrupting air travel and setting subway stations on fire, the protests have been getting more violent and extreme.
It is a shame that certain US senators see Hong Kong as a Cold War battleground. They would rather see radical protesters burn Hong Kong to the ground if it furthers their agenda than let the SAR government find a suitable solution for its problem. No country ruled by law would tolerate radical and violent protests, let alone the rise of a separatist movement. Yet, certain US politicians are throwing their support behind and even encouraging the unrest in Hong Kong—all in the name of democracy.
The problem in Hong Kong is an internal affair of China. US senators should stop trying to influence the outcome in Hong Kong. Their efforts to fan the flames of rebellion make it hard not to conclude that at least part of what is happening in Hong Kong is a kind of “color revolution.”
Lastly, the US bill will not help Hong Kong and it is a fantasy to think that it will. For those who are begging for US interference, they should abandon their illusions about American-style democracy and not place illusory faith in the hands of those who want to weaken China.