UK tells China: step back from the brink on Hong Kong

The United Kingdom on Tuesday called on China to step back from the brink over a national security law in Hong Kong that it said was a breach of Beijing's international commitments to the "one country, two systems" principle agreement on the former colony. "To be very clear and specific about this, the imposition of national security legislation on Hong Kong by the government in Beijing rather than through Hong Kong's own institutions lies in direct conflict with Article 23 of China's own basic law," British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told parliament.

"And it lies in direct conflict with China's international obligations freely assumed under the Joint Declaration." He added: "There is time for China to reconsider, there is a moment for China to step back from the brink and respect Hong Kong's autonomy and respect China's own international obligations.

"If China continues down this current path, if it enacts this national security law, we will consider what further response we make, working with those international partners and others," he said.