“We call on the United States to stop unjustifiably suppressing Chinese companies, stop deliberately discrediting China and stop the spread of ‘political viruses’,” the ambassador said.
In recent months, Washington has strengthened its sanctions on Huawei and has put pressure on other countries not to allow the Chinese tech giant to actively participate in the creation of 5G telecommunications networks. Zhang said that China will continue to resist US efforts to assert authority over the entire global landscape.
"China will resolutely say no to US hegemony and will resolutely take measures to protect the country's sovereignty, security and development interests," the ambassador commented.
Zhang also took aim at the United States’ human rights record, adding that this gives Washington no right to comment on events taking place in China.
"As the country with the worst human rights record, the US has no right to comment on human rights issues in China," the ambassador remarked.
In May, Washington slapped tough sanctions on Huawei that limit the company’s access to semiconductors manufactured with US equipment. These sanctions resulted in the United Kingdom government announcing that the Chinese tech giant would no longer be allowed to participate in the development of the country’s 5G network.
The Chinese ambassador in London Liu Xiaoming slammed the UK government’s decision, stating that it raises questions over the United Kingdom’s ability to operate in an open, fair, and non-discriminatory business environment.
China Ready to Respond If US Implements Hong Kong Autonomy Act
China is firmly opposed to the United States’ Hong Kong Autonomy Act, which was recently adopted by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump, and Beijing stands ready to respond with measures of its own should Washington implement the legislation, the country’s ambassador to Russia Zhang said.
The Hong Kong Autonomy Act, which was signed into law by President Trump on 14 July, would introduce sanctions on individuals who are involved in the implementation of China’s new security law in the special administrative region. Zhang said that Washington’s reaction is unacceptable and constitutes a violation of both international law and the basic norms of international relations.
"The Chinese government strongly opposes the so-called Hong Kong Autonomy Act adopted by the US Congress. China strongly condemns the US for malicious libel against the national security law of Hong Kong, for threatening to impose sanctions against China, for serious violations of international law and the basic norms of international relations, for gross interference in Hong Kong and China's domestic affairs," the ambassador said.
Zhang reiterated China’s commitment to fully implement the new security law and urged the United States to reconsider its decision to enforce its own legislation before Beijing takes retaliatory measures.
"The US attempt to prevent the implementation of the National Security Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will never succeed. We urge the US to correct its mistakes, not to implement the so-called Hong Kong Autonomy Act, and not to interfere in China's internal affairs, including issues related to the Hong Kong SAR. If the US insists, China will certainly take all necessary measures and respond firmly," the ambassador commented.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has called the implementation of the new Hong Kong security law an exclusively domestic issue for the Chinese authorities, and Zhang said that Beijing appreciates Moscow's stance on the matter.
"China appreciates Russia's positive statement on the national security legislation of Hong Kong SAR. Russia's firm support on issues related to Hong Kong reflects the spirit of strategic cooperation between China and Russia, especially on issues that affect the two countries' fundamental interests, and fully reflects the high level of Chinese-Russian relations," Zhang said.
On 30 June, President Xi Jinping signed into effect a new law that criminalizes secession, subversion, collusion, and terrorism in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The law has been met with stern resistance from many Western countries, including the United States.
Tensions between Beijing and Washington have escalated in recent days after the US authorities ordered the closure of the Chinese consulate general in the city of Houston, Texas. In response, Beijing demanded that the US consulate in the city of Chengdu also be closed.
