China: "Not the Poor and Weak China of 100 Years Ago"

Will Not Trade Core Interests Like Hong Kong... Warns US and UK of a Long Fight
Emphasizes the Necessity of Hong Kong Election Law Reform, Must Forfeit Huge Benefits if Sanctions Are Imposed

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] After the Group of Seven (G7) criticized China's Hong Kong election law revision plan, Chinese state media emphasized the legitimacy and inevitability of the election law revision, showing no intention of backing down.

China's state-run People's Daily reported on the 15th that the Western camp, including the United States and the United Kingdom, which have no international or moral grounds, are interfering in China's internal affairs regarding the "Resolution on Improving Hong Kong's Electoral System" passed at the National People's Congress (NPC) on the 11th.

The media claimed that the Western camp's interference is a malicious intent and despicable tactic to hinder the development of China and Hong Kong, and that the Hong Kong election law revision has the full support of not only the NPC but also 1.4 billion Chinese people.

It warned that China is no longer the poor and weak China (Qing Dynasty) that suffered from imperialist countries 100 years ago, and that China will not trade its core interests.

Photo by Global Times

People's Daily also emphasized that the legal basis for governing Hong Kong is not the China-UK Joint Declaration (Hong Kong Handover Agreement) but China's constitution and the Hong Kong Basic Law, stating that sovereignty over Hong Kong belongs to China and patriots must govern Hong Kong.

The Global Times reported on the same day that the Western camp, including the US and UK, has begun "stigmatizing" China over the Hong Kong election law revision, and that this fight will be a long one. The media said some Western countries may give up certain interests to pressure China, and China is prepared for a long-term struggle with these countries.

Lu Xiang, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said, "If the Western camp, including the US, imposes additional sanctions on Hong Kong, they will also have to give up huge benefits," adding, "If additional sanctions undermine Hong Kong's status as an international financial center, it will lead to mutual economic and financial destruction." He further explained, "Major European Union (EU) countries do not want to confront China over the Hong Kong issue," and that the fight related to Hong Kong will be between the US and the UK.

Chui Hong-gen, director of the European Research Institute at the China Institute of International Studies, warned, "China is immune to sanctions from the US and other Western camps," and "their new sanctions will come at a cost."

The Global Times added that China is prepared for a long fight with some Western camps including the US, and attempts to hinder China's development will ultimately fail.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that Zhang Xiaoming, deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, will hold talks related to the election system revision with about 1,000 business, community leaders, and pro-China politicians in Hong Kong over three days starting from this day.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.