U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad was called in to the Foreign Ministry to protest President Donald Trump’s signing of the Hong Kong Autonomy Act. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang urged Branstad to “correct the mistake” and suspend the provisions of the law and the changes to Hong Kong’s status, describing it as “vehement interference” in China’s internal affairs. He said that U.S. steps to sanction Chinese entities and individuals “grossly violated international laws and the basic principles of international relations,” and he threatened Chinese retaliation.
“The Hong Kong [law] and the executive order were concocted by the U.S. not because it cares about democracy and freedom of Hong Kong people, but as a means to hinder the development of China,” Zheng said. “Such a scheme will never succeed.”
Zheng said that the U.S. also “revealed its hegemonic nature” in its recent interference in Xinjiang, Tibet and South China Sea. “China has and will continue to take countermeasures to resolutely safeguard the core interests,” said Zheng. “I want to tell the United States that any bullying and injustice imposed on China by the U.S. will be resolutely countered by China. The United States’ attempt to block China’s development is doomed to failure… We urge the U.S. to change its course immediately, stop defamation and provocation against China, and do not go further and further on the wrong path,” he said
Also Foreign Ministry Information Department director Hua Chunying, who expressed some frustration with having to refute Pompeo’s lies every day in the press briefing, simply extended an invitation to him. “If Mr. Pompeo is sincere, we can remove any visa sanctions on him and welcome him to take a look in Xinjiang and talk to our people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang to find out what the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang think of him. I can also Introduce him to a few Uyghur friends,” she offered. [wcj]
