Beijing blasts Five Eyes over Hong Kong

Beijing slams Australia and other Five Eyes nations for expressing ‘grave concerns’ about the outcome of Hong Kong elections.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam. Picture: AFP

Beijing has denounced Australia and other Five Eyes nations for expressing “grave concerns” about the outcome of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council elections, claiming it was a “fair, equitable, open, secure and clean” process.

The elections – which had a record low turnout due to a popular boycott – were the region’s first since controversial electoral reforms were passed in May meaning only Beijing patriots and those in favour of the ruling Communist Party were able to stand.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne and counterparts from the US, Britain, Canada and New Zealand condemned the “erosion of democratic elements of the Special Administrative ­Region’s electoral system”, which prompted the boycott of the Legislative Council ballot on Sunday. The response came as G7 ­nations also condemned Hong Kong’s tight restrictions on election candidates.

A spokesman for the Chinese embassy said the statement “recklessly disregarded the facts and reversed the truth”, labelling it an interference in China’s internal affairs. “Hong Kong is China’s Hong Kong. The Chinese central government and the HKSAR government know best how to secure the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong,” he said.

“The democratic rights of voters are fully respected and protected. It is widely supported by all communities of Hong Kong society. This LegCo election is fair, equitable, open, secure and clean.”

The spokesman also accused Australia of double standards, arguing that Australia had previously boasted about its opposition to “foreign interference”.

“China strongly urges the Australia side to reflect on itself and stop undermining the stability and development of other countries under any pretext.”

Beijing has overseen a sweeping crackdown in Hong Kong in response to huge and often violent democracy protests two years ago. It imposed a National Security Law in the former British colony that criminalised much dissent and introduced political rules that vet the loyalty of anyone standing for office.

The first public vote under this new order was on Sunday.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement the poll was “yet another step in the dismantling of the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ principle”.

Additional reporting: Agencies