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Harare Bureau

THE Western hegemonic forces that imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe are the same instigators of the Hong Kong riots that have seen the passing of a bill by United States lawmakers paving the way for diplomatic action and economic sanctions against China.

This was said by Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Guo Shaochun during a recent wide-ranging interview with our Harare Bureau where he took a swipe at Western nations for “gross interference in China’s internal affairs”.

The sanctions imposed by Western powers, Ambassador Guo said, were a “tool” for meddling in the internal affairs of developing countries for “furtherance of own interests”. 

The recent passing of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act in the US is seen as reminiscent of ZIDERA and an endorsement of anti-government violence.

Hong Kong’s violent protests started in June against proposals to allow extradition to mainland China. Masked radicals and rioters have been forcing their way into protected buildings including the Legislative Building and the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government. 

“Though China and Zimbabwe are geographically apart, what is happening to Hong Kong is not unfamiliar to Zimbabweans. It reminds people of the notorious Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001. Sanctions have become a tool of some Western countries to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs in furtherance of their own interests. 

“This is blatant hegemonism and also shows that some countries are still intoxicated with the old dream of colonialism,” Ambassador Gou said. 

“The US House of Representatives’ recent passage of the so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act is another gross interference in China’s internal affairs. We express strong indignation on and firm opposition to it.”

China, the ambassador said, would “definitely take strong countermeasures in response to the wrong decisions by the US side to defend its sovereignty, security and development interests”. 

He said while Western nations were against the Hong Kong government’s response to the riots, the same governments were using similar means to thwart dissent in their countries. 

“Let’s see how the western countries deal with the riots. In the US for instance, the police have every right to shoot whenever they deem a potential life-threat. Earlier this year, the European Parliament passed a resolution on the right to protest, considering what was happening in some parts of Europe around that time. The resolution underlined duties of the police and law enforcement authorities. It argued that the right to protest and freedom of expression are not without boundaries,” he said. 

Ambassador Guo said maintaining rule of law is the incumbent responsibility of any responsible state or government