China says Five Eyes, including New Zealand, should face reality in Hong Kong

China has rebuffed the latest attack on its Hong Kong policy by the United States and allies such as New Zealand, saying they “should face the reality” that the former British colony has been returned to China.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian was responding to a statement on Hong Kong issued by the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, which together form an intelligence association known as the Five Eyes.

“It doesn’t matter if they have five or ten eyes, if they dare to harm China’s sovereignty, security and development interests, they should take care that their eyes are poked and blinded,” he said in a daily briefing.

Foreign ministers from the five nations said a new Chinese government resolution that led to the disqualification of four pro-democracy lawmakers in Hong Kong appears to be “part of a concerted campaign to silence all critical voices.”

The joint statement called the resolution a violation of China’s international obligations and its commitment to grant Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy and freedom of expression.

Hong Kong, a city of 7.5 million people, was promised autonomy over local affairs for 50 years after its return to China in 1997.

Zhao said that Hong Kong is an inalienable part of China and that public officials must “be loyal to the motherland. This is a basic political ethic in every country in the world, right?”

The four disqualified lawmakers were previously barred from running for re-election due to their calls on foreign governments to impose sanctions on China and Hong Kong. They had remained in office because the elections were postponed for a year.

Three other former pro-democracy legislators appeared in court in Hong Kong on Thursday, a day after they were arrested for disrupting the legislature during debate on a national anthem bill earlier this year.

The three were joined by supporters holding up slogan signs outside West Kowloon Magistrates Courts.

Eddie Chu, one of the three, said he faces “prosecution by the dictatorship” for his actions to try to block the approval of the national anthem ordinance. The law criminalizes the insult and abuse of the anthem, the March of the Volunteers. – AP