London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Oct 22, 2025

Agency overseeing Hong Kong lashes out over foreign criticism of mass arrests

Agency overseeing Hong Kong lashes out over foreign criticism of mass arrests

The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office accused the four nations that had condemned the arrests of seeking to foment ‘colour revolution’ to overthrow China’s constitutional order.

The Beijing office overseeing Hong Kong affairs has lashed out at a joint statement by four foreign governments condemning the mass arrest of Hong Kong opposition figures, accusing the countries of seeking to foment a “colour revolution” to overthrow the nation’s constitutional order.

The ministerial-level Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) on Monday also labelled the foreign governments’ comments as “blatant interference” in Hong Kong police’s law enforcement actions and a “grave violation” of the country’s “domestic affairs and judicial sovereignty”.

In a statement, an HKMAO spokesman said Australia, Canada, Britain and the United States – the countries behind the original remarks – had “exposed their evil motive of supporting anti-China elements to make use of elections to endanger our national security”.

“It is to collude with external forces to push for a colour revolution in Hong Kong, and it is also part of the script of overthrowing the country’s constitutional order,” the spokesman said.

The criticisms came a day after Beijing’s foreign ministry office in Hong Kong and the city’s government issued separate statements
accusing the four countries of applying double standards.

The countries’ foreign ministers had issued a joint statement over the weekend expressing concern over the mass arrests of opposition politicians and activists on suspicion of subversion under the Beijing-imposed national security law.

The arrests constituted the biggest crackdown yet under the legislation, which came into force at the end of June last year. More than 50 opposition figures were rounded up on Wednesday over their involvement in unofficial primary elections last July to select candidates for Legislative Council elections later that year – polls which have since been postponed.

Among those arrested were Occupy co-founder Benny Tai Yiu-ting, whom authorities accuse of orchestrating a “35-plus” plan that aimed to win a majority in the 70-seat legislature in order to “paralyse” and “overthrow” the government by blocking bills.

The HKMAO spokesman on Monday stressed that all elections in Hong Kong should be conducted “along the proper tracks” of “one country, two systems” and the city’s Basic Law, its mini-constitution.


Benny Tai arrives at the Ma On Shan Police Station after his arrest on suspicion of subversion last week.


The “one country, two systems” formula guarantees Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy in managing its affairs.

In an interview with the state-run China News Service on Saturday, Hong Kong Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai noted the opposition camp had ignored warnings from the authorities that the primary elections might violate the national security law, and went ahead with it anyway.

In its statement on Sunday, the Hong Kong government also defended the arrests of the activists as being made on the basis of evidence and in accordance with the law.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
×