Britain is keeping its options open, including slapping sanctions on China over its treatment of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned on Thursday, amidst the war of words between Beijing and London over the issue.
Hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers have taken to the streets in recent weeks over a proposed extradition bill which China critics fear would be used by Beijing to go
after political dissidents in Hong Kong, a former British colony.
On Monday, student protesters stormed and briefly occupied the city’s legislature, causing widespread damage to the building before retreating.
Beijing has hit out at the UK over accusations of “interference” in the domestic affairs of the semi-autonomous Chinese city, after British Foreign Secretary Hunt expressed support for Hong Kong protesters and said London would stand by the city in preserving its limited democratic freedoms.
Reaffirming his tough stand, Hunt on Thursday warned China that it could face “serious consequences” over its treatment of protesters in Hong Kong.
Hunt told the BBC that he was keeping his options open over how the UK could respond, and refused to rule out sanctions. Hunt said he would not discuss any potential consequences “because you don’t want to provoke the very situation you are trying to avoid”.
“Of course you keep your options open,” he added, insisting the UK would not just “gulp and move on” if China cracks down on protesters in the former British colony.
Hunt said he “condemned all violence” but warned the Chinese government not to respond to the protests “by repression”.
Hong Kong was a British colony for more than 150 years, but it was returned to China in 1997 after a treaty was signed by the two countries.