Hong Kong must wake up from ‘myth of American-style democracy’, says top Beijing diplomat
- Liu Guangyuan makes remarks during briefing session for consul generals, foreign business chambers and selected media
- One diplomat calls event ‘very awkward’ and says China and West are ‘just talking past each other’
Beijing’s top diplomat in Hong Kong has said the city’s democratic development must be guided by the central government, adding it was time to wake up from the “American-style democracy myth”.
Liu Guangyuan made the remarks during a briefing session on Wednesday for consul generals, foreign business chambers and selected media, in which he explained the State Council’s white paper on the subject.
One consul general present at the event, said China and the West were now “just talking past each other and a real dialogue has become very difficult”.
Liu, the commissioner of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong, said other countries had fallen into a “democracy trap” laid down by “certain countries”.
“For quite a long time, certain countries have imposed their own political systems and values on others, staged ‘colour revolutions’, interfered in others’ internal affairs wilfully, and even subverted the political power of some other countries,” Liu said.
“As a result, these countries and regions are in misery and the democracy pie has become a democracy trap. The 1.4 billion Chinese people, including Hong Kong compatriots, are all clear-eyed about it. We will never want or accept such a democracy trap.”
On Monday, the State Council issued its Hong Kong Democratic Progress Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems white paper, which renewed the central government’s pledge to pursue the ultimate goal of electing the city’s leader and legislature by universal suffrage.
