China summons US ambassador Terry Branstad over American actions on Hong Kong
- Beijing calls on US envoy to ‘correct the mistake’ of Hong Kong Human Autonomy Act and Trump’s order stripping city of special status
- Recent US actions are deemed ‘interference’ into China’s internal affairs
Beijing summoned US Ambassador Terry Branstad on Wednesday to voice its opposition the Hong Kong Human Autonomy Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law the day before, and the US revocation of Hong Kong’s special trade status.
Chinese vice foreign minister Zheng Zeguang on Wednesday urged Branstad to “correct the mistake” and suspend the provisions of the law and the changes to Hong Kong’s status.
Branstad was called to the Foreign Ministry, where Zheng described the US actions as “a vehement interference” into China’s internal matters, according to People’s Daily, a state-run news organisation.
Zheng said the moves were an attempt by the US to “viciously denounce” the national security law that Beijing recently imposed on Hong Kong. US steps to sanction Chinese entities and individuals “grossly violated international laws and the basic principles of international relations,” he added, and threatened Chinese retaliation.
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“The Hong Kong [law] and the executive order were concocted by the US not because it cares about democracy and freedom of Hong Kong people, but as a means to hinder the development of China,” Zheng said. “Such a scheme will never succeed.”