The Committee on Canada-China Relations of the Canadian House of Commons reportedly passed a motion to “express its grave concern” over Hong Kong police’s legal action against Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and several other offenders. In an official response to a media inquiry on Tuesday, the spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry Commissioner’s Office in the HKSAR expressed strong disapproval of and firm opposition to the motion. The spokesperson noted the Canadian parliamentarians, by grandstanding before Lai and the others put on trial, are openly condoning these criminal suspects, impeding HKSAR courts’ judicial proceedings, and grossly interfering with the HKSAR’s judicial independence.
The Canadian parliamentarians, generally speaking, are not as showy as their American counterparts when it comes to meddling in Hong Kong, which the whole world knows is China’s domestic affair. Whatever their motives, this unjustifiable move is no doubt the wrong decision at the wrong time, to say the least. They may be a rare step ahead of the US Congress this time, but this cannot make them any less guilty of poisoning Canada-China relations, which could be seriously damaged.
Foreign governments’ and politicians’ interference in Hong Kong’s internal affairs has never stopped since China resumed the exercise of sovereign rule over the city nearly 23 years ago, but has yet to achieve anything except damaging their own reputations and hurting Hong Kong society.
As the Commissioner’s Office spokesperson noted, the rule of law is a cornerstone of social stability in Hong Kong, where all are equal before the law and no one can expect to get away with any crime no matter who are enabling, encouraging and reassuring them. The arrest of Lai and others has been applauded by the public in Hong Kong because this is a requirement of the rule of law, in particular the principle of equality before the law.
Foreign politicians who think they can pressure Hong Kong’s judiciary into making decisions they favor are undoubtedly delusional. Whatever tricks they play will never undermine Hong Kong courts’ commitment to defend judicial independence and handle cases in strict accordance with the law.
Foreign politicians have scrambled to take issue with the recent legal actions against the likes of Lai not because of their innocence — they committed what they are accused of, right under the eyes of the public and media cameras. It is because of their political maneuvers, which serve the interest of anti-China forces around the world — in particular, their objective of containing China’s rise by first separating Hong Kong from the country and then turning it into a bridgehead to subvert China.
But the Sinophobes need to be reminded: China’s determination and commitment to safeguarding territorial integrity and other national interests are unshakable, as is the 1.4 billion Chinese people’s resolve in achieving the great rejuvenation of the nation.