Earlier on Thursday, UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office published Six-monthly report on Hong Kong, saying that "the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities are undermining the rights and freedoms promised to Hong Kongers under the Sino-British Joint Declaration."
The office believes that freedoms in Hong Kong "are being systematically eroded by Beijing on multiple fronts, tightening the restrictions on the lives of ordinary Hong Kongers," while claiming that Hong Kong's autonomy "is declining, and the pervasive, chilling effect of the National Security Law seeps into all aspects of society."
"China’s position on Hong Kong-related affairs is consistent and clear. In disregard of China’s solemn stance, the UK went ahead to publish the so-called Six-monthly report on Hong Kong," the embassy said on the website.
"It distorted facts, grossly interfered in Hong Kong affairs, which are China’s internal affairs, and seriously violated the basic norms governing international relations. We are strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed to it, and have lodged stern representations with the British side."'
Hong Kong was returned to China by the United Kingdom in 1997 and has since been enjoying wider autonomy than the rest of the Chinese regions. China's central government adheres to the principle of "one country, two systems" in governing Hong Kong.
According to a joint declaration by China and the UK, Hong Kong will retain broad autonomy until 2047. How the former British colony will be governed after that date is not yet known.
On June 30, 2020, China adopted the Hong Kong National Security Law in response to massive pro-democracy protests that swept through the special administrative region in 2019. Under the law, subversion, secession, cooperation with foreign forces, and terrorist acts are all prohibited, with each violation carrying a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Since then, the West has been actively criticizing China, with the UK claiming that Beijing has undermined Hong Kong's autonomy and used the law to restrict the freedoms of Hong Kong's residents. Beijing denies all the accusations.