The recent demonstrations in China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) have been closely watched by many. Some European friends care about Hong Kong’s future, and hope that its long-term prosperity and stability could be well maintained. Enduring prosperity and stability in Hong Kong is indeed in the interest of Europe, and is also what the Chinese Central Government and the HKSAR Government have been striving for all along. However, some voices in Europe, in disregard of abundant facts, have failed to tell the difference between right and wrong. Such voices constitute an infringement on China’s sovereignty, interference in China’s domestic affairs, and departure from the basic principle of the rule of law. To that, we must categorically say NO.
Since the return of Hong Kong, the policy of “one country, two systems” has been implemented in good faith. Hong Kong residents enjoy democratic rights and freedom in accordance with law as never before. However, the serious offences committed during the demonstrations, such as the assaults on the police and the ransacking into the Legislative Council building, went far beyond peaceful expression of views. In any civilized society, violence is always to be condemned and shall not be tolerated. Some in Europe have chosen to turn a blind eye to those offences, and have gone even so far as to call on the HKSAR Government to drop all charges against the offenders and to investigate into the police’s exercise of duties. This is a typical act of confounding white with black and inciting violence.
