LONDON: Chinese Ambassador to Britian Liu Xiaoming expressed “grave concern” over and “firm opposition” to Britain’s groundless accusation against Chinese lawmakers’ decision on the qualification of members of the Legislative Council (LegCo) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), China Daily reported on Sunday.
Liu made the remarks while meeting Sir Philip Barton, permanent under-secretary of British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Chinese embassy said in a statement published on its website Saturday.
Liu pointed out that in recent days; high-level officials of the FCDO have time and again made unwarranted accusation against the decision of the NPC Standing Committee of China on the qualification of LegCo members of the HKSAR and blatantly interfered in Hong Kong affairs, which are China’s internal affairs.
The decision on the qualification of LegCo members was passed Wednesday at the 23rd session of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislature. The NPC Standing Committee, Liu said, as the permanent body of China’s highest organ of state power, has the right to rule on any constitutional issues in the implementation of the HKSAR Basic Law and the law on safeguarding national security in Hong Kong. The legal validity and authority of the NPC decision brooks no challenge. “It is a basic political ethics in any country that holders of public office, legislators vested with legislative power in particular, shall uphold constitutional laws and pledge allegiance to the country. Nowhere in the world will holders of public office, legislators included, ever be allowed to breach their oath and betray their country, and get away with it,” he said.
“Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. The question of the qualification of Legislative Council members of HKSAR is China’s internal affair.
– The Daily Mail-China Daily News exchange item
