Beijing is not one of those who let their internal policies dictate. "We advise the British side to immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong and Chinese internal affairs," the spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry said on Wednesday. 

Zhao Lijian was responding to London's call not to impose national security law on the autonomous territory. The bill, which has received the green light from the Chinese parliament, plans to punish separatist, "terrorist" activities, subversion, or even foreign interference in the territory. 

The United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and Canada have publicly expressed their concerns. And British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab on Tuesday urged Beijing to drop the law. "There is still time for China to think, to move away from the precipice and to respect Hong Kong's autonomy and its own obligations as well as its international obligations," he said.

>> Read: "China knows it is strong enough to do what it wants with Hong Kong"

A remark that quickly reacted in Beijing. "We advise the British side (...) to abandon their Cold War mentality, their colonial mindset, to recognize and respect the fact that Hong Kong was returned" to China, said Zhao Lijian .

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday that he would offer millions of Hong Kong citizens passports and possible access to British citizenship if Beijing implemented the law. "Britain is not trying to hinder the rise of China" on the international stage, assured Boris Johnson. "Britain only wants Hong Kong to prosper under one country, two systems."

With AFP 

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