Officials Deny UK Report Of Beijing Interference

The government has hit back against a report by a British parliamentary committee warning that Hong Kong's autonomy is at risk.

The Foreign Affairs Committee report challenged Beijing over its commitment to the principle of "One Country, Two Systems", warning that the SAR is "in reality moving towards One Country, One-and-a-Half-Systems".

But the Mainland and Constitutional Affairs Bureau said the administration has been exercising a high degree of autonomy in strict accordance with the Basic Law, and the "One Country, Two Systems" principle has been fully and successfully implemented.

In the Foreign Affairs Committee report, the panel challenged Beijing over its management of Hong Kong affairs, saying "China’s adherence to the letter and spirit of the Joint Declaration is a key test of the sincerity of its commitment to global governance".

"We are therefore deeply concerned by the evidence that Hong Kong’s autonomy is at risk, especially in the area of the rule of law, which is the lifeblood of Hong Kong’s future as a vibrant economy and society," the report said.

The report said that Beijing, the British Government and others had reaffirmed the importance of 'One Country, Two Systems'.

"But we fear that Hong Kong is in reality moving towards One Country, One and a Half Systems. We also believe that the Chinese government's approach to Hong Kong is moving closer to One Country, One System than it is to maintaining its treaty commitments under the Joint Declaration," the report said.

It also cited the apparent targeting by the Hong Kong authorities of independence advocates and of journalists who give them a hearing, citing the authorities' refusal to renew the visa of Financial Times journalist Victor Mallet. It said the use of the Societies Ordinance to ban the Hong Kong National Party, was a matter of deep concern, adding that citizens of a free society have the right to free speech.