UK will bear consequences if it interferes in Chinese affairs – Ambassador
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China’s ambassador has issued a stern warning to the UK, accusing it of interfering in China’s internal affairs when suspending extradition with Hong Kong.
Yesterday, the UK foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, had announced his government would join the US, Canada and Australia in formally suspending its extradition agreement with Hong Kong in response to Beijing’s unilateral imposition of national security laws.
This decision was taken on the eve of a high-level visit by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in London. He is expected to meet Prime Minister Boris Johnson to discuss a post-Brexit free trade deal, as well as China and 5G.
The extradition announcement was the third announcement in a few weeks to irk Chinese officials, after an extension of an arms embargo and the decision not to allow telecommunications company Huawei from any involvement on the country’s 5G network.
China’s ambassador to London, Liu Xiaoming, accused the country of having “blatantly interfered in China’s internal affairs and contravened international law and the basic norms governing international relations”.
“China has never interfered in UK’s internal affairs. The UK should do the same to China. Otherwise it must bear the consequences,” he insisted.
