Yang Wenchang, commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in Hong Kong expressed Wednesday strong dissatisfaction with remarks on Hong Kong made by Stephen Bradley, British Consul-General to Hong Kong.
He refuted Bradley's remarks concerning Hong Kong's implementation of "One Country, Two Systems".
Bradley cited the British report presented to the Parliament by Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs as saying Tuesday that "since the handover of Hong Kong to China, our regular reports to Parliament have concluded that generally One Country Two System have worked well in practice".
However, he stressed that "we feel that we could not come to exactly the same conclusion as we had previously because of what had happened."
Yang said Bradley' accusation was totally groundless and has ulterior motives.
He said since Hong Kong returned to the motherland seven years ago, the central government has been insisting on the implementation of "One Country, Two Systems", "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy.
The central government has been handling Hong Kong affairs in accordance with the Basic Law and has been fully supporting the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government to govern Hong Kong by law.
Apart from the disappearance of British HK governor, Hong Kong has not witnessed any change in its political, economic, social and cultural systems as well as the life style of Hong Kong residents.
Hong Kong residents enjoy freedom of speech, of the press and the freedom of association and their basic freedoms and rights have been fully guaranteed, he said.
He said that Hong Kong's democratic process has been advancing according to the Basic Law and Hong Kong residents are enjoying most ever democratic rights. This is the obvious fact which was even admitted by the past 14 British reports submitted to the Parliament.
Yang stressed that the interpretation of the Basic Law and "decisions" of the Chinese National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee are necessary measures taken in accordance with the national Constitution and the Basic Law for guaranteeing the smooth advancing of Hong Kong's constitutional development.
The "interpretation" and "decisions" accord with the Constitution and the Basic Law and thus are fair and reasonable.
The report of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the Parliament and Bradley's remarks on China's implementation of "One Country, Two Systems" have ulterior motives, which are aimed at instigating the discontents of Hong Kong residents to the central government.
Yang pointed out that today's Hong Kong is not what it was before it returned to the motherland. Bradley, as a foreign consul-general to Hong Kong, does not have any right to comment Hong Kong's political affairs.
He expected Bradley to be prudent for his speeches and actions in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relation and does not make remarks that are unconformable with his identity.
Yang expected Bradley to play a positive role for the sound development of the Sino-British relations.
Yang said that "One Country, Two Systems" is a wise pioneer concept initiated by late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping for solving Hong Kong issue, according to the practical conditions in Hong Kong.
He said the decisiveness for implementing the great cause of "One Country, Two Systems" by the central government and HKSAR government is unassailable, adding that the central government and HKSAR government, as well as Hong Kong compatriots will never tolerate any foreign intervention of Hong Kong's affairs.
(Xinhua News Agency July 21, 2004)
