BEIJING, July 26 -- In the wake of a series of violent incidents initiated by radical protestors in Hong Kong, some politicians in the United States and Britain did not miss the chance of meddling in China's internal affairs, using their usual front as the champion of freedom and democracy.
What those radical protestors did was a trail of escalating violence. They first stormed and damaged the Legislative Council Complex in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), surrounded the police headquarters, attacked police officers and illegally stored dangerous goods and a large number of offensive weapons, and then on Sunday evening besieged and stormed the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, defacing the national emblem and painting insulting words on the wall.
They trampled on the rule of law in Hong Kong, openly challenged the authority of the central government and crossed the bottom line of the "one country, two systems" principle.
Their shocking acts not only harmed the interest and wellbeing of Hong Kong people but also hurt the feelings of all Chinese including 7 million Hong Kong compatriots.
It is the lawful duty of any government to denounce violence, crack down upon crimes and safeguard the rule of law, which should have given no cause for criticism.
Just as Hong Kong's society called for a curb on violence, and the government and police of the HKSAR took necessary and lawful measures to maintain the social order, some U.S. and British politicians took turns to "comment" on the situation.
Totally disregarding the facts, they "urged" the HKSAR government to respect freedom of speech and assembly and even "warned" the HKSAR government not to use the damages caused by the protests as what they called "an excuse for suppression."
One can not help but wonder if Capitol Hill or the Palace of Westminster were besieged and ransacked, would the two governments just sit by, would the rights of democracy and freedom be exercised with violence and would the overt challenge to the Constitution and trampling on the law be allowed.
It seems that some politicians of the two longstanding Western powers have an ingrained habit of applying double standards.
The HKSAR is a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China, and its affairs are outright internal affairs of China.
The government and the people of China will not allow any foreign government, organization or individual to interfere in Hong Kong affairs.
Some politicians of the United States and Britain had better get rid of their double standards, stop sending the wrong messages regarding the violent and unlawful acts, end smearing of the "one country, two systems" principle and keep their hands off Hong Kong.