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BEIJING / SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Britain could have ended China's post-Brexit free trade deal with China.
FILE PHOTO – Worker adjusts British and Chinese national flags (R) for signing ceremony at Seventh China-Britain Economic and Financial Dialogue "Roundtable on Public-Private Partnerships" at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse 21 September 2015 REUTERS / Andy Wong / Pool / Photo File
China and Britain agreed last month to examine the possibility of reaching a "leading" post-Brexit free trade agreement that, if achieved, would be an important political victory for the government. British conservative.
"China and the United Kingdom have agreed to actively explore the possibility of discussing a free trade agreement after Brexit. Any act that undermines China's fundamental interests will only make things clear, "the China Daily reported in an editorial.
Britain has long courted China for a post-Brexit trade deal and has evoked a "golden age" in relations, even though official talks could only begin when Britain leaves the country. European Union next year.
The HMS Albion, an amphibious warship of 22,000 tons, sailed near the Paracel Islands claimed by China last month, Reuters reported on Thursday, causing an angry reaction from China.
The Paracels are fully occupied by China but also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan.
China's claims in the South China Sea, through which some $ 3 trillion in commercial transactions per boat are spent each year, are challenged by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. Britain has no territorial claim in the region.
The China Daily said Britain was trying to "win the favor" with the United States, which is pleading for greater international participation in free navigation operations in the strategic waterway.
"Now that he is looking at the United States as an economic lifeline after leaving the European Union, the UK is certainly looking forward to seizing every opportunity to get into the good books of Washington," he said. the English newspaper.
"FOMENT TROUBLE"
The Chinese Ministry of Defense said in its statement that joint action by China and Southeast Asian countries has stabilized the situation in the South China Sea.
"Some countries outside the region pay no attention and send ships and military planes into the South China Sea to foment problems, creating problems where they do not exist, threatening peace and security. regional stability ".
China has repeatedly denounced what it considers to be an "outside the region" meddling, a message generally addressed to the United States and its allies to stay out of the maritime dispute.
In addition to the tension, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Thursday that Britain should stop "gesticulating" about the former British colony of Hong Kong and interfere in Chinese domestic affairs.
British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt noted "growing concern over the extent of freedom of expression in Hong Kong, particularly in the context of independence", while stating that Britain did not think that independence was a realistic or desirable option.
China said the issue of independence had nothing to do with freedom of expression and was a serious violation of the Chinese constitution and the Hong Kong law.
"Basically, this is not freedom of expression," the ministry said. "The central government has zero tolerance for" Hong Kong independence "and will never tolerate it.
Edited by Paul Tait and Simon Cameron-Moore
