China rebukes UK for HK interference

Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin. [Photo/fmprc.gov.cn]

China is firmly opposed to the United Kingdom's interference in its internal affairs and will strongly retaliate against the indiscretion, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday after the UK announced it will suspend its extradition treaty with Hong Kong.

"China reserves the right to react," Wang told reporters at a regular news briefing in Beijing.

The spokesman stressed that the affairs of Hong Kong are China's internal affairs that allow no interference from any foreign country, and he urged the UK to give up its fantasies of continuing colonial influence in the territory and immediately correct its mistakes.

In a statement released by the Chinese embassy in the UK, the embassy spokesperson said the UK had once again contravened international law and the basic norms governing international relations, and blatantly interfered in China's internal affairs in an attempt to disrupt the implementation of the National Security Law for Hong Kong SAR and undermine the city's prosperity and stability.

"China urges the UK side to immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs, which are China's internal affairs, in any form. The UK will bear the consequences if it insists on going down the wrong road," the statement said.

At Tuesday's press briefing, Wang also refuted a Wall Street Journal report that said China is considering retaliating against telecoms equipment makers Nokia and Ericsson if the European Union follows the United States and the UK in banning Huawei from 5G networks.

"The report is groundless. It's maliciously fabricated fake news," Wang said, noting that the WSJ report which cited so called people familiar with the matter was aimed to sow discord between China and the EU.

"We oppose individual countries' abuse of the concept of national security, violation of international trade rules and rejection of certain businesses from a particular country," he said.

Wang reiterated that China takes an open attitude toward the participation of telecommunications companies from all countries, including European firms such as Nokia and Ericsson, regarding 5G cooperation in the Chinese market.

According to Wang, the above-mentioned companies have already won bids on some Chinese projects.

"We also hope European countries will provide a fair, just, open and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies," he said.