China asks EU to stop interfering in Hong Kong, Macao affairs

China has urged the European Union (EU) to stop interfering in Hong Kong and Macao affairs after the European Commission and European External Action Service issued their 2016 reports on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the Macao SAR.

"We urge the EU to halt interference in Hong Kong and Macao affairs, and contribute more to the China-EU relations," Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a daily press briefing on 27 April.

He added that it is well known that "one country, two systems" has made remarkable achievements as he said that the SAR system has been effective under the Constitution and the basic law of the two SARs.

China will stick to "one country, two systems," "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong," "Macao people governing Macao,"and a high degree of autonomy" said Geng.

European Commission in its report said, 2016 was a politically challenging year for the Hong Kong SAR and for the functioning of the 'one country, two systems' principle.

It also highlighted the case of the five book publishers who went missing in 2015, which according to the report, the EU regards as the most serious challenge to the Basic Law and the 'one country, two systems' principle since the 1997 handover, continued to unfold, and the circumstances of their disappearance have yet to be clarified.

"The EU hopes that the Hong Kong SAR and China's central government will resume electoral reform in Hong Kong in line with the Basic Law and reach an agreement on an election system that is democratic, fair, open and transparent," the report stated.

-ANI