China slaps down UK over ‘unwarranted accusations’ in Hong Kong report | CNN

‘Stop meddling’: China blasts UK over Hong Kong report

James Griffiths
By James Griffiths, CNN
2 minute read
Updated 11:40 PM EDT, Thu October 13, 2016
Newly elected Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmakers thumbed their noses at Beijing at a swearing-in-ceremony to start the legislative session on Wednesday, October 12. They displayed banners with words reading "Hong Kong is not China."
Newly elected Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmakers thumbed their noses at Beijing at a swearing-in-ceremony to start the legislative session on Wednesday, October 12. They displayed banners with words reading "Hong Kong is not China."
ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP/Getty Images
Youngspiration's Yau Wai-ching told the city's Legislative Council: "I do solemnly swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Hong Kong nation," after laying out a flag bearing the words "Hong Kong is not China."
Youngspiration's Yau Wai-ching told the city's Legislative Council: "I do solemnly swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Hong Kong nation," after laying out a flag bearing the words "Hong Kong is not China."
Kin Cheung/AP
Nathan Law, the city's youngest lawmaker, quoted Ghandi before making his oath. He also refused to leave the podium demanding that the Legislative Council secretary general, Kenneth Chen, explain his reasons for refusing to accept the oaths of his fellow lawmakers.
Nathan Law, the city's youngest lawmaker, quoted Ghandi before making his oath. He also refused to leave the podium demanding that the Legislative Council secretary general, Kenneth Chen, explain his reasons for refusing to accept the oaths of his fellow lawmakers.
Kin Cheung/AP
Hong Kong rebel lawmakers shouted, banged drums and railed against "tyranny" on Wednesday when they took their oaths of office, as calls grow for a split from Beijing.
Hong Kong rebel lawmakers shouted, banged drums and railed against "tyranny" on Wednesday when they took their oaths of office, as calls grow for a split from Beijing.
ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP/Getty Images
A newly elected pro-democracy lawmaker, Fernando Cheung tears an oversized mock copy of controversial, proposed anti-subversion legislation as he takes oath on Wednesday.
A newly elected pro-democracy lawmaker, Fernando Cheung tears an oversized mock copy of controversial, proposed anti-subversion legislation as he takes oath on Wednesday.
Kin Cheung/AP
Lawmakers not only displayed flags declaring that Hong Kong is not a part of China but also called out for "democratic self-determination" for the semi-autonomous Chinese city at Wednesday's oath taking session.
Lawmakers not only displayed flags declaring that Hong Kong is not a part of China but also called out for "democratic self-determination" for the semi-autonomous Chinese city at Wednesday's oath taking session.
ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP/Getty Images
New Hong Kong Lawmakers

Story highlights

UK voices concern over Chinese influence in Hong Kong

London worried about case of missing booksellers, democratic development

Hong Kong CNN  — 

China has reacted angrily to a British report voicing concerns over Beijing influence on Hong Kong’s legal affairs, demanding that London stop meddling in China’s internal issues.

The report “contains willful comments on Hong Kong affairs,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Thursday.

“We by no means accept the unwarranted accusations against China in some parts of the report.”

Missing booksellers

British foreign secretary Boris Johnson
British foreign secretary Boris Johnson
DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

In the report, British foreign secretary Boris Johnson says there are “specific concerns about the integrity of Hong Kong’s law enforcement.”

He cited the case of five booksellers who disappeared in late 2015, only to later reemerge in mainland China, including Lee Bo, who holds British citizenship.

One bookseller who returned to the city, Lam Wing-kee, told CNN how he was detained by “special forces” officers during a visit to mainland China and kept in solitary confinement for months.

ALSO READ: Daughter of Hong Kong bookseller: Don’t let China get away with illegal abductions

“Lee’s involuntary removal from Hong Kong to the mainland constituted a serious breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration by undermining the ‘one country, two systems’ principle,” Johnson said, referring to the system which grants Hong Kong limited autonomy and control of its own legal affairs.

The Chinese government is “confident and determined in carrying forward ‘one country, two systems’,” Geng said.

Lam Wing-kee (C-in cap), one of five Hong Kong booksellers who went missing last year, leads a protest in Hong Kong on June 18, 2016. The Hong Kong bookseller who said he was blindfolded, interrogated and detained in China led the protest march on June 18 defying Beijing as pressure grows for authorities to answer questions over the case. / AFP / ISAAC LAWRENCE (Photo credit should read ISAAC LAWRENCE/AFP/Getty Images)
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Hong Kong bookseller goes public
03:03 - Source: CNN

‘Stop meddling’

Britain should “stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs,” Geng said, emphasizing that the city is a Chinese special administrative region.

Despite Beijing’s complaints however, the UK does have a limited obligation to Hong Kong as a signatory to the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, which transferred control of the city between the two countries.

Westminster issues regular twice yearly reports on the situation in Hong Kong, including democratic development in the city.

ALSO READ: New Hong Kong lawmakers quote Gandhi and insult China

“A more democratic and accountable system of government … (would) help strengthen those rights and freedoms, including academic freedom and freedom of expression, which have come under increasing pressure over the past two years,” Johnson said.

This week, a new session of Hong Kong’s legislative council was sworn in, amid gestures of defiance from a new crop of young lawmakers, several of which had their oaths of allegiance rejected after inserting curse words and displaying a flag with the slogan “Hong Kong is not China.”