Reuters, LONDONBritain yesterday warned China that there would be serious consequences if Beijing broke its promises to protect freedoms in Hong Kong, after police fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters. “The UK signed an internationally binding legal agreement ... that enshrines the ‘one country, two systems’ rule, enshrines the basic freedoms of the people of Hong Kong and we stand four-square behind that agreement, four-square behind the people of Hong Kong,” he told the BBC. It has denied interfering in Hong Kong affairs, although protesters have said that the extradition bill is part of a relentless move toward Chinese control. Hunt said that many supporters of the Hong Kong demonstrators would have been dismayed by footage of Monday’s protests. China and Britain signed a Joint Declaration in 1984 on the terms of the return of Hong Kong.

Source: Taipei Times July 02, 2019 15:56 UTC