Britain's Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind has made it clear he expects China to display full tolerance towards what it might see as political dissent in post-handover Hong Kong - and warned that the consequences of intolerance would extend far beyond the individuals concerned.
Any breach of the Joint Declaration by China would mean 'its own reputation would suffer very severely', he said.
Mr Rifkind praised the territory's democratically elected leaders in the existing Legco, despite having sometimes clashed with them in the past. He described them as 'very mature, astute political animals'.
In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Morning Post, one year ahead of the handover, Mr Rifkind said: 'They are very impressive people in their own territory and I am sure they will be able to exercise their own mature judgment as to how they should carry out their responsibilities over the next year.
'I have no doubt they will do it with the integrity and the courage for which they are well known.' The Foreign Secretary insisted it would be very damaging to confidence in Hong Kong if China did not display tolerance towards what it might construe as dissent.
'It would have consequences far beyond the individuals directly affected and I am sure the Chinese will not wish to risk such an outcome,' he said.