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Beijing has supported the Hong Kong government on its controversial plan to authorize extradition to Mainland China, stating that it opposes "any outside interference" in the semi-autonomous territory.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Monday that Beijing "Continue to strongly support" Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam, who previously pledged to enforce the new laws despite mbadive protests against them.
"Secondly, we strongly oppose any outside interference in legislative affairs [of Hong Kong], "Shuang said at a regular press conference, adding that" some countries have made irresponsible remarks about the amendment ".
Chinese official media Monday criticized the organizers of the protest on the territory, calling them "collusion with the West" and discussed meetings between Hong Kong opposition figures and senior US officials, including State Secretary Mike Pompeo and Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
"It is very interesting to note that some international forces have significantly strengthened their relations with the Hong Kong opposition in recent months," said an editorial in the Chinese-language edition of the Global Times.
Earlier Monday, Lam had defended the proposed amendments – which would allow extraditions on a case-by-case basis to jurisdictions, including mainland China, beyond the 20 states with which Hong Kong has already concluded treaties – to ensure that the territory respects its "international obligations" in terms of cross-border and transnational crimes ".
& # 39; The quiet conscience & # 39;
Critics fear that these changes will make Hong Kong residents vulnerable to politically motivated charges in China's notoriously opaque judicial system, and are part of a larger movement in Beijing aimed at reducing the freedoms of the country. city listed in the so-called principle "one country, two systems".
But Lam, who was elected chief executive in 2017 by a committee made up mostly of pro-Beijing elites from Hong Kong, denied receiving orders from the Chinese government.
"I have not received any instructions or mandate from Beijing to make this bill," she told reporters. "We did it – and we always do it – by conscience and by our commitment to Hong Kong."
"Freedom will disappear"
On Sunday, more than a million people took to the streets of the financial center to demonstrate against the bill and demand its demolition, according to the organizers of the movement. The police estimated the number at 240,000 at the height of the march.
Hong Kong-based Sarah Clarke (Al Jazeera) said the rally was the biggest rally in the city since 1997, when it was handed over to China by the British, guaranteeing the protection of its autonomy and independence. his freedoms, including an independent judiciary.
Opponents of the law have called for a new protest on Wednesday while a second reading of the bill is to take place before the Beijing Legislative Council, majority majority, which has 70 seats.
Emily Lau, a political activist and former member of the Democratic Legislative Council, said critics of the proposal were "all opposed". united by their fear of the Chinese Communist Party ".
"Many are terrified by the Chinese judicial system entering Hong Kong," Lau told Al Jazeera.
"It will be like a truck pbading and making a big hole in one country, two systems, we will be crushed, we will have a country, a system, and the freedom and the rule of law of Hong Kong will disappear", she added. .
"We are a beautiful free and vibrant city and nobody wants to see us crushed by evil forces, so I hope the international community will continue to monitor Hong Kong."
US and European officials have formally warned of the proposed changes, thus matching international companies and human rights groups who fear the amendments will undermine the Hong Kong rule of law .
SOURCE:
Al Jazeera and news agencies
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