China Foreign Ministry Again Slams U.S. Trade Threats, G7 ‘Impertinent Meddling’ in Hong Kong

Aug. 27, 2019 (EIRNS)—In his daily press briefing yesterday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang stated:

“We strongly urge the United States not to miscalculate the situation and immediately cease its wrong actions. If the United States implements its plan of raising tariffs, China will definitely continue to take measures and safeguard its own legitimate rights. I hereby warn the United States once again that China does not accept any threats or intimidation.”

Geng then emphasized that the continuing tariff attacks violate the agreement reached between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in their last discussions in Osaka—a point made repeatedly over recent days by Chinese authorities and media.

“The United States’ moves severely violated the consensus reached by the heads of state of China and the United States in Osaka, Japan, trampled on the multilateral trading rules, undermined the interests of both countries, threatened the security of the global value and supply chains and impeded world trade and economic growth, Geng said,”

according to a Xinhua account.

In today’s briefing, Geng responded sharply to the G7 Leaders’ Declaration, dated Aug. 26, which “reaffirms the existence and the importance of the 1984 Sino-British agreement on Hong Kong and calls for avoiding violence.”

The spokesman responded:

“We deplore and firmly oppose the wanton criticism in the G7 joint statement. As we’ve emphasized time and again, Hong Kong affairs are China’s internal affairs. No foreign governments, organizations or individuals have any right to interfere.... We will manage our own affairs properly. I would like to say to the G7 members, stop your impertinent meddling in pursuit of a hidden agenda.

“With respect to the Sino-British Joint Declaration, I would like to reiterate that its ultimate purpose and core content is to affirm China’s recovering of Hong Kong and resumption of exercise of sovereignty over it. With the return of Hong Kong to the motherland, the Chinese government exercises jurisdiction over it in accordance with the Constitution and the Basic Law. Under international law and basic norms governing international relations, no country or organization has any right to use the declaration as a pretext to meddle in Hong Kong affairs.”