China today blasted the United States for interfering its internal affairs after an American politician urged the rest of the world to confront Beijing like Hong Kong protesters.
Kentucky Republican senator Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday: ‘China’s trading partners, including the U.S., should make it clear that any crackdown [on Hong Kong] would have real and painful costs.’
He also wrote: ‘The world is awakening to China’s abusive and aggressive practices… Every trading nation and democracy that values individual liberty and privacy has a stake here.’
The pro-democracy rallies in Hong Kong, sparked by an extradition bill, has entered its 12th week. Pictured, secondary school students attend a rally at Edinburgh Place on August 22
Secondary school students raise their phone as they sing ‘Do You Hear the People Sing’ from ‘Les Miserables’ while attending a rally at Edinburgh Place in Hong Kong on August 22
Protesters use laser pointers to beam at policemen during a protest in Hong Kong on August 17
Senate Majority Leader McConnell made the remarks in an op-ed, titled ‘We Stand with Hong Kong’, published by Wall Street Journal.
The article said Hong Kong protesters ‘want their liberties preserved, the territory’s autonomy respected, and justice for those the security services have detained, brutalized or murdered’.
He claimed that Hong Kong’s turmoil was caused by ‘Beijing’s systematic ratcheting up of its domestic oppression and its pursuit of hegemony abroad’.
China has derided Kentucky Republican senator Mitch McConnell (pictured) after he urged the world to help Hong Kong protesters and oppose to Beijing in a column titled ‘We Stand with Hong Kong’. Beijing’s spokesman suggested that Mr McConnell learn from Abraham Lincoln
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell showed his support to Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters in a tweet earlier this month. Beijing has condemned the remarks too
Geng Shuang, a spokesman at China’s Foreign Ministry, derided Mr McConnell’s ‘irresponsible comments’ and said he intended to inciting tensions between China and other countries ‘with evil intentions’.
Mr Geng urged Mr McConnell to learn from Abraham Lincoln.
‘Former U.S. President Lincoln said: “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” I gave this quote from Lincoln to some people, hoping they would listen to Lincoln’s advice…’ Mr Geng said.
President Trump has also lent his support to Hong Kong demonstrators, warning China that the U.S. would find it ‘very hard’ to continue trade negotiations if violence is used to quell the protests. President Trump and Chinese President Xi had a meeting over the trade war in June
The spokesman also warned Mr McConnell to stop ‘challenging the IQ of the people of the world’ with his opinions.
‘I must stress again, Hong Kong is China’s Hong Kong, and Hong Kong matters are China’s internal affairs. The U.S. side must not interfere, intervene or acting at will,’ Mr Geng concluded.
This is not the first time Mr McConnell’s remarks have been criticized by China.
In tweet earlier this month, Mr McConnell said: ‘The people of Hong Kong are bravely standing up to the Chinese Communist Party as Beijing tries to encroach on their autonomy and freedom. Any violent crackdown would be completely unacceptable. As I have said on the Senate floor: The world is watching.’
His comments sparked outrage in China.
Beijing accused him and House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi of being the ‘black hand’ behind Hong Kong’s protesters whom the Communist Party said were no different to ‘terrorists’.
Beijing has also criticised House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi over her comments
Democrat Pelosi tweeted: ‘It is alarming to watch the #HongKong police with support from Beijing intensify their use of force against the protesters and label them violent criminals’
Democrat Pelosi tweeted on August 12: ‘It is alarming to watch the #HongKong police with support from Beijing intensify their use of force against the protesters and label them violent criminals.
‘I urge Carrie Lam to meet with protest leaders to listen and act on their legitimate grievances including withdrawing the extradition bill, ending police violence & granting universal suffrage.
‘The people of Hong Kong are trying to preserve the promise of One Country – Two Systems. If we don’t speak out for human rights in China because of commercial interests, we lose all moral authority to speak out elsewhere.’
Mrs Clinton wrote on August 13: ‘May we all stand in solidarity with the people of Hong Kong as they speak out for democracy, freedom from repression, and a world they long to see ‘
Hillary Clinton has been blasted in China after supporting Hong Kong in a tweet last week
China’s Foreign Ministry has repeatedly urged Washington to mind its own business and stay out of Hong Kong affairs.
Beijing has also banned two U.S. warships from visiting Hong Kong amid the escalating political tensions.
President Trump has lent his support to Hong Kong demonstrators, warning China that the U.S. would find it ‘very hard’ to continue trade negotiations if violence is used to quell the protests.
‘I think it’d be very hard to deal if they do violence, I mean, if it’s another Tiananmen Square,’ Trump told reporters in New Jersey on Sunday. ‘I think it’s a very hard thing to do if there’s violence.’
Footage and pictures show China has mobilised hundreds of military vehicles and more than 10,000 paramilitary police officers to a city bordering Hong Kong, sparking fears of a crackdown.
China has amassed troops near the Hong Kong border after the protests escalated this month
Chinese paramilitary officers and vehicles are seen at a sports center in Shenzhen, China
Hong Kong and the mainland Chinese city of Shenzhen shares a 37-kilometre-long border
President Trump also said he had received information from the U.S. intelligence of a sudden congregation of forces at the Hong Kong border.
In response to Trump’s remarks, Beijing stressed that Hong Kong affairs were part of China’s internal affairs.
Beijing said it hoped President Trump and his administration could stick to his earlier comment.
President Trump had said: ‘Because Hong Kong is a part of China. They have to deal that themselves. They don’t need advice.’
China and the United States have been locking horns over a trade war which has lasted for more than a year in addition to the Hong Kong spat.
The two countries hope to resolve the tariff battle through negotiations.
Chinese state media says Hong Kong’s ‘toxic’ textbooks lead to protests
Chinese state newspaper has suggested that the cause of the anti-government protests in Hong Kong is the city’s education system, particularly its textbooks.
Tung Chee-hwa, the city’s first Chief Executive, has confessed that the General Education system in Hong Kong was a failure and the young generations became ‘problematic’ as a result, claimed People’s Daily in a column today.
The op-ed, penned by Professor Gu Minggang, said Hong Kong needed to reflect on its entire education system.
Protesters hold hands to form a human chain during a rally to call for political reforms in Hong Kong on August 23. Chinese media accused that the city’s ‘biased’ and ‘erroneous’ textbooks had brought up a generation of ‘useless youngsters’
The author said: ‘After Hong Kong returned to the arms of the motherland, the first and foremost issue to resolve should be to establish the concept of the country. The problem is, how many educators in Hong Kong have this notion?’
On Wednesday, China’s Guancha.cn called the General Education textbook in Hong Kong ‘toxic’, ‘biased’ and ‘erroneous’.
Citing Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing newspaper Wenweipo, Guancha.cn accused the textbook of encouraging pupils to hate police, promoting Occupy Central campaign and twisting facts.
The article said that the textbook had become a political propaganda and brought up a generation of ‘useless youngsters’.