'Stop any form of meddling': China slams 'gross interference' by EU lawmakers on Hong Kong

China on January 22 denounced the European Union (EU) resolution against the clampdown on Hong Kong democracy activists and slammed the lawmakers for “gross interference” in mainland’s governance of the former British colony. After the EU parliament on January 21 passed the resolution calling for “targetted sanctions” against Chinese as well as Hong Kong officials behind the arrests of anti-government activists, China retaliated by reportedly saying that European lawmakers should “face up to the reality that Hong Kong has returned to China".

The EU parliament members had also said that they “regret” the handling of the landmark investment deal with China which is still pending ratification from lawmakers. EU MEPs also said that talks over the deal should have been suspended “as a leverage tool aimed at preserving Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy, as well as its basic rights and freedoms”. 

However, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying reportedly said that the EU resolution showed that MEPs “confused right and wrong” and engaged in “gross interference in the affairs of China's Hong Kong”. The European Parliament should “stop any form of meddling”, said the Chinese government official at the regular press briefing. 

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EU calls for ‘immediate’ release of Hong Kong activists

Addressing the crackdown on Hong Kong activists, EU parliament said in a statement that it calls for the “immediate and unconditional release of representatives of the democratic opposition and activists arrested in Hong Kong in the first two weeks of 2021, as well as all those previously detained on charges of subversion under the National Security Law for Hong Kong.”

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“The same goes for all peaceful Hong Kong protesters, activists and members of the political opposition arrested on politically motivated charges. These include the prominent opposition figures Joshua Wong, Ivan Lam, and Agnes Chow, whose charges should all be dropped,” says Parliament.

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