Hong Kong photo: VCG

Following the decision of China's National People's Congress to improve the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the US has led a crazy offensive to thwart the move. For example, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged Hong Kong to allow the 2021 September Legislative Council elections to proceed and "ensure that all candidates are included." Meanwhile, British foreign minister Dominic Raab said Beijing's step would "hollow out the space for democratic debate in Hong Kong." Some EU diplomats followed the same tone as the US and UK. Western media outlets also rushed to claim "death knell for democracy in Hong Kong has been sounded," or "a high degree of autonomy is dead."

Both Blinken and Raab mentioned the "international community" in their statements on Hong Kong. They should be ashamed as they only regard themselves as the "international community." From Xinjiang to Hong Kong issues, only several Western countries - led by the Five Eyes members such as the US and the UK - have been jumping out of their skins to scold China. Don't they feel their team is small and isolated? The Republic of Belarus, on behalf of 70 countries, voiced support for China's stances on affairs related to Hong Kong at a meeting during the 46th session of the Human Rights Council recently. That truly represents the international community's voice. Compared with a joint community of 70 countries, those Western countries - including the US and UK - are actually the minority. 

The fundamental problem facing Hong Kong is a matter of "prosperity-and-stability" or "chaos-and-turbulence." Hong Kong originally had a good foundation in the rule of law. If the US and UK cooperated with China to ensure a smooth transition after the city's return, there wouldn't have been any problems. But, from the very beginning, there have been forces in the UK who want to jeopardize the smooth transition. Christopher Francis Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong, unilaterally initiated the "democratic process" in Hong Kong, which directed the attention of pro-Western forces in Hong Kong and laid the hidden dangers for Hong Kong's extreme political confrontation. 

Hong Kong is where Western and Chinese cultures converge, and it is sensitive to changes in China-West relations. The anti-extradition bill protests became unprecedentedly violent, which was in concert with the fundamental changes in the US' China policy. The US and the UK openly stood with the mobs in Hong Kong, leading to the formation of twisted political correctness in the West. They gave no thought to such embarrassment: Washington, on one hand, hailed violent acts, including when rioters stormed the Hong Kong Legislative Council, as "beautiful sights," while, on the other, strongly condemning US rioters when they attacked the US Capitol as "an assault on democracy" and demanding severe punishment on them. The EU expressed sympathy for secessionist forces in China, but described Catalonia's pro-independence movement as a domestic issue, indulging Spain's suppression. 

Washington's latest double-standard performance is while it was attacking the National People's Congress' decision to improve Hong Kong's electoral system, the US House of Representatives passed an election reform bill. The bill covers all aspects of the electoral process, including clarifying relevant provisions of early voting, limiting influence of political donations, and requiring states to redraw congressional district boundaries. Washington launched an offensive against the electoral reform in Hong Kong but doesn't feel embarrassed - its political impudence has gone beyond our imagination.

Countries such as the US and the UK have played an increasingly evil role in Hong Kong affairs. They have destroyed Hong Kong's prosperity and stability under the disguise of supporting democracy. Because of Beijing's firm resistance against their meddling, there has been no hope for them to control Hong Kong, therefore, they intended to "kill" Hong Kong. Their actions are equivalent to seducing and inciting Hong Kong to commit "suicide."

Both the US and its staunch allies know well that their pressure on Beijing won't work. Their condemnations and threats of sanctions have received contempt from Beijing. They have neither the capabilities nor guts to militarily intervene in Hong Kong issues. Beijing has already seen through their frustrated howls that represent their declining hegemonism. 

But they are still obsessed with an illusion; that is, they mistakenly think they can continue to mislead some Hongkongers to believe that the city's high degree of autonomy is "dead," and the US and the UK would protect them at all costs. The US and the UK hope this small group of Hongkongers could intensify their "resistance," aggravating confrontation within the city and eventually paralyzing Hong Kong's governance. They aim to make the central government's moves invalid and further escalate Hong Kong's situation.  

What an evil conspiracy this is! But we want to say the show staged by the US and the UK in Hong Kong has violated clear-cut rules. Their time is up. Beijing's series of resolute moves are aimed at driving them away. They will have to be audiences in the back rows from now on and look for other targets for their ambition. Hong Kong will grow healthily - nurtured by a big Chinese family. Let the US and the UK be tortured by their jealousy and hatred.