Beijing official in Hong Kong warns against foreign meddling

Beijing's top official in Hong Kong on Thursday warned foreign forces not to interfere with the "bottom line" of national security in the city, threatening retaliation amid tensions between China and Western powers.

Canada, the U.S., Britain and their allies have condemned China's tightening control over Hong Kong's freedoms, including the sweeping national-security law and electoral reforms that have all but silenced the once-vibrant opposition in the semi-autonomous region.

"When it is time, actions must be taken in relation to any external or foreign forces that may interfere in Hong Kong affairs or attempts to use Hong Kong as a pawn," Luo Huining, director of the central government's liaison office in Hong Kong, saidat the opening ceremony for Hong Kong's National Security Education Day.

"We will propose strong objections and teach them a lesson."

Authorities marked the event with a police college open house, where police personnel demonstrated the Chinese military's goose-step march, replacing British-style foot drills from the time Hong Kong was ruled by the U.K. until the 1997 handover to China.

Critics say Beijing's crackdown aimed at reining in dissent after months of anti-government protests in 2019 has further eroded freedoms promised to Hong Kong when it was handed over to China's rule. Most of the city's prominent pro-democracy activists and advocates are currently facing charges, are in jail or have fled abroad.

During his speech, Luo said that everyone in Hong Kong needs to respect the legal responsibility of upholding national security in the city.

"Anyone who wants to go beyond the bottom line of national security, and people's livelihood, the central authorities will never allow such acts," Luo said.

Protesters demanded leader's resignation

Hong Kong's leader, Carrie Lam, described the 2019 protests, which sometimes erupted in violence, as "almost like terrorist activities." She also called efforts by those advocating for Hong Kong's independence and self-determination a huge safety risk.

"If this is not stopped, then national sovereignty, security, development interests will be affected. So this is an unprecedented crisis," she said. "The National Security Law in Hong Kong immediately restored stability in society."

One of the core demands from protesters in 2019 was for the resignation of Lam, who under Hong Kong's political system is not directly elected by voters. Protesters also accused the police of unnecessary violence during the months of demonstrations.

Canadians detained inChina

Last month, Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneauwarned countries around the world that doing business with China means facing the riskof seeingcitizens detained arbitrarily.

"My advice to all other countries in the world is, if you are doing business with China and you have citizens of your country in China, and you have disagreements with them, there is the possibility that your citizens could be detained," Garneau told CBC News Networks'Power & Politics.

Garneau said thatlikely will remain the case until China gives up the practice of arbitrary detention.

Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrigwho have been held in China for more than two years on espionage charges appeared in a Chinese courtroom for separate one-day trials in March.

No officials from Canada or any other country were permitted in the courtroom during the proceedings.

WATCH | Secretive trial in China for Michael Spavor endd withoutverdict:

Secretive Michael Spavor trial ends with growing international pressure on China

3 years ago

Duration 1:58

Despite growing international pressure, China is refusing to budge from its stance on detained Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig. Spavor is awaiting his fate after his closed trial concluded yesterday while Kovrig's is set to begin on Monday, all while China's relationship with Canada and the U.S. remains tense.

Kovrig and Spavor were detained in China on Dec. 10, 2018 nine days after Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, was arrested while changing planes in Vancouver.

Meng was detained on a U.S. extradition request over allegations she lied to a Hong Kong banker in August 2013 about Huawei's control of a subsidiary accused of violating U.S. sanctions against Iran.

The detention of the two Canadiansis widely viewed as areprisalin response to Meng's arrest.

'Trumped up charges'

Kovrig, a former diplomat who was working for an international non-profit group called International Crisis Group, and Spavor, an entrepreneur who promotes tourism and investment in North Korea, are Canadian citizens who were detained separately by China more than two years ago.

The two men stand accused of spying on China charges Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said China concoctedin retaliation for Meng'sarrest.

"It is obvious that the two Michaels were arrested on trumped-up national security charges days after we fulfilled our extradition treaty responsibilities toward our ally, the United States," Trudeau said earlier this month.