London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 04, 2025

Anti-democracy US is ‘plagued’ with social problems, Hong Kong official says

Anti-democracy US is ‘plagued’ with social problems, Hong Kong official says

US-style democracy is undermined by high levels of violent crime, drug abuse and racism, John Lee says.

A top Hong Kong official has fired a fresh salvo at the United States, describing the country as “plagued” with social problems that expose its leadership to be “anti-democracy”.

Echoing Beijing outrage against Western governments, Chief Secretary John Lee Ka-chiu on Thursday said there was no “one-size-fits-all” standard for democracy and that every jurisdiction would follow its own path based on the actual circumstances.

Mainland Chinese officials began advancing that position weeks ago in the lead up to Washington’s “Summit for Democracy” earlier this month, accusing the US of trying to impose its version of democracy on the rest of the world.

The argument was aired again immediately before and after the Monday release of Beijing’s latest white paper for Hong Kong in defence of its strategy for developing democracy locally “in line with its realities”.

The paper – published the day after Hong Kong’s first Legislative Council poll since Beijing drastically overhauled its electoral system to ensure only “patriots” governed – also renewed its pledge to pursue the ultimate goal of electing the city’s leader and legislature by universal suffrage.

Speaking at a forum organised by Beijing’s liaison office in the city, Lee said that democracy should not just be an “adornment”, repeating a phrase used by mainland officials, before he turned his ire on the US.

“America claims it has democracy. Yet it is plagued by all kinds of problems, including security, violent crimes, drug abuse, racism, social polarisation and a huge wealth disparity,” said Lee, who was subject to US financial sanctions before becoming chief secretary.

“Despite all sorts of human rights and racism problems at home, the US is still taking pride in imposing its system on others. This bears the hallmark of hegemony, a sense of superiority, speaking in a single channel and anti-democracy.”

John Lee, Hong Kong’s No 2 official.


Chen Dong, deputy director of the liaison office, hit out at the “Five Eyes” intelligence alliance led by the US for weighing in on the city’s Legco election, at which the pro-establishment bloc swept to victory in all seats bar one amid record low turnout of 30.2 per cent.

The alliance – also comprising Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – expressed “grave concern” at what it called the erosion of democratic elements in the city.

Chen also blasted Washington’s two-day democracy summit, which involved more than 100 countries, as well as the United Kingdom’s latest six-monthly report covering Hong Kong.

“They [the Five Eyes] issued a statement to vilify the national security law and electoral system,” Chen said.

Liu Guangyuan, commissioner of Beijing’s foreign affairs office in Hong Kong, accused the US of being a “black hand” – using a Chinese term for mastermind – and exploiting the city as a pawn to hinder national growth.

He blamed the US for disregarding Beijing sovereignty over Hong Kong, funding political agents to incite chaos, and interfering with the city’s judicial independence, as well as forcefully imposing America-style democracy.

A day earlier, Liu had spoken in a similarly ballistic manner at a briefing session for consul generals, foreign business chambers and selected media.

Beijing dedicated much of its latest white paper, titled “Hong Kong Democratic Progress Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems”, to detailing the lack of democracy in Hong Kong when it was under British rule.

That theme was consistently laid out by speakers at the forum, who included heavyweight pro-Beijing figures such as Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai and newly elected lawmakers such as Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee.

Ip, a government official under British rule, said the then colonial government only sped up progress towards democracy in the years before Hong Kong’s return to China in 1997.

Chen on Thursday accused the city’s British rulers of discriminatory policies and “sowing troubles for stability for Hong Kong’s future”. Liu said the white paper set out why Beijing was the “pioneer” of the city’s democracy.

Beijing and Hong Kong authorities over the past few days have already issued a slew of statements in response to foreign government criticism of the “patriots-only” shake-up of the local electoral system.

On Wednesday, a spokesman for Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong accused the US and Britain of depicting themselves as “teachers” in the classroom of democracy and smearing the Legco election.

US-based scholar Hung Ho-fung, from Johns Hopkins University, said it was apparent that Beijing’s discourse had shifted from defensive to offensive by arguing that China’s political system was a better form of democracy than the West’s.

“In the past they did talk about China’s standard of human rights (such as the right of development, the right of being well-fed). Now they extend it to China’s standard of democracy,” he said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
×