China warns UK of backlash over Hong Kong and Huawei
CHINA has threatened Britain with consequences if it continues to “interfere” over new Hong Kong security laws and blocks Huawei from providing part of its 5G network, officials said yesterday.
The row escalated after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said three million Hong Kong people with British National Overseas (BNO) passports could get citizenship here.
Yesterday the PM hinted the Huawei deal was at risk, saying he did not want Britain to be “vulnerable to a high-risk state vendor”.
His actions come after Beijing enforced laws in the former British colony that dramatically curb residents’ rights to protest. The rules fly in the face of a 50-year agreement signed by China and Britain before Hong Kong was handed over in 1997.
Beijing’s Ambassador to the UK, Liu Xiaoming, said yesterday: “If you want to make China a hostile country you have to bear the consequences.
“The UK government keeps making irresponsible remarks on Hong Kong affairs. This move [on citizenship]
Threats... ambassador Liu Xiaoming and, right, police surround a protester in Hong Kong yesterday
constitutes gross interference in China’s internal affairs and openly tramples on the basic norms governing international relations.
“The UK side knows well that Hong Kong is no longer under its colonial rule and that Hong Kong has returned to China and is now part of China.The UK has no sovereignty, jurisdiction or right of supervision over Hong Kong after handover.” Of Mr Johnson’s 5G threat, Mr Liu said: “The China business community are all watching how you handle Huawei.
“If you get rid of Huawei it sends out a very bad message to other Chinese businesses.”
Mr Johnson, who was touring a train factory in Goole, East Yorks, said: “I’m very determined to get broadband into every part of this country. I’m also determined that the UK should not be in any way vulnerable to a high-risk state vendor so we have to think carefully about how we handle that.”
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said the decision to permit Huawei limited access was not “fixed in stone”, meaning a potential U-turn.
He added that the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre had reviewed the impact of sanctions announced by the US in May to try and cut Huawei off from international semiconductor supplies.
Mr Dowden said: “We believe that could have a significant impact on the reliability of Huawei equipment and whether we can use it safely.
“I’ve just received that advice, I’m working through it, the Prime Minister will do, and if it’s appropriate to change policy we’ll make a statement in the House of Commons.”