Q: The EPP Political Assembly adopted a resolution on Hong Kong recently which calls on all parties involved to exercise restraint and work together to find a peaceful solution, on China to ensure the basic human freedoms of assembly, expression and association are protected, and on Hong Kong SAR government to investigate police conduct vis-à-vis protesters. What’s your comment?
A: We are strongly concerned about and firmly opposed to the so-called resolution on Hong Kong adopted by EEP Political Assembly. We have repeatedly made clear to the EU side our firm stance on Hong Kong related issues. I want to stress the following:
Firstly, Hong Kong is part of China and Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs that brook no foreign interference.
Secondly, the current situation in Hong Kong is not a so-called human rights or democracy issue. Rather, it is an issue on whether the rule of law should be upheld and extremist violence should be rejected and condemned.
Last but not least, the recent extremist, violent and criminal activities in Hong Kong have challenged Hong Kong's rule of law and social order, threatened the life and property of Hong Kong citizens, and undermined the SAR's prosperity and stability. Such criminal activities would not be condoned in any country. European countries are no exceptions, neither is Hong Kong.