US action on HK ‘doomed to fail’: Beijing

The mouthpiece of China’s communist party said the US decision to end trading privileges for Hong Kong was ‘doomed to fail’.

A pro-China activist protests outside the US consulate in Hong Kong on Saturday. Picture: AFP

The mouthpiece newspaper of China’s ruling communist party said the US decision to end some trading privileges for Hong Kong “grossly interfered” in China’s ­internal affairs and was “doomed to fail”.

The Hong Kong government called President Donald Trump’s announcement unjustified and said it is “not unduly worried by such threats”, playing down concern that they could drive companies away from the Asian financial and trading centre.

An editorial on Saturday in China’s official People’s Daily newspaper said that attempts at “forcing China to make concessions on core interests including sovereignty and security through blackmailing or coercion … can only be wishful thinking and day-dreaming!”

Mr Trump’s move came after China’s ceremonial parliament voted on Thursday to bypass Hong Kong’s legislature and develop and enact national security legislation on its own for the semi-autonomous territory. Democracy activists and many legal experts worry that the laws could curtail free speech and opposition political activities.

The Chinese government did not issue an official response at the weekend, but has said previously it would retaliate if the US went ahead with its threat to revoke the preferred trading status granted to Hong Kong after its handover from British to Chinese rule in 1997. “This hegemonic act of ­attempting to interfere in Hong Kong affairs and grossly interfere in China’s internal affairs will not frighten the Chinese people and is doomed to fail,” the People’s Daily said.

In Hong Kong, small groups of Beijing supporters marched to the US consulate on Saturday carrying Chinese flags and signs protesting “American interference in China’s internal affair” and calling Mr Trump “shameless and useless.” Elsewhere in the city, youthful activists including Joshua Wong held a news conference to welcome Mr Trump’s announcement and to try to downplay any economic fallout. Tensions between the US and China over Hong Kong have increased over the past year, with the US defending pro-democracy protesters who clashed with police last year and China vilifying them as violent ­rioters and separatists.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo set the stage for Mr Trump’s announcement by notifying congress on Wednesday that Hong Kong no longer had the high degree of autonomy that it was guaranteed under the “one country, two systems” framework.

Mr Trump said on Saturday AEST that his administration would begin eliminating the “full range” of agreements that had given Hong Kong a relationship with the US that mainland China lacked, including exemptions from controls on certain exports.

“China has replaced its promised formula of one country, two systems, with one country, one system,” he said, echoing recent statements by pro-democracy ­activists in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng said it was “completely false and wrong” to say the territory was losing its autonomy.

AP