- What is happening in Hong Kong is an internal matter and there is no moral, legal or practical basis for other countries to step in
Activists such as singer Denise Ho Wan-see and Joshua Wong Chi-fung have been travelling the world to call on the international community to intervene in Hong Kong.
That usually provokes Beijing's ire, which does itself a disservice by insisting that what's happening in Hong Kong is an internal matter.
The unrest is certainly no one else's business. But there is no need to be defensive. Beijing should simply argue that there is no moral, legal or practical basis for other countries to intervene in Hong Kong.
It's true that sovereignty is not only a privilege but also a responsibility. When a state fails in its responsibility to protect its own citizens, then it's arguable that other states may have to take up that responsibility. This is often referred to as the doctrine of "the responsibility to protect". But such situations refer almost always to instances of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.
So far as I know, even the most extreme advocates for Hong Kong independence have not claimed such instances.
Beijing to Hong Kong protesters: West can't solve your problems
The only one who has ever cited this as possible reason for international intervention is the influential online commentator, Stephen Shiu Yeuk-yuen, and even he did it only in passing.
The usual argument from activists such as Ho, Wong and the Civic Party is that Beijing has breached both the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law, the mini-constitution of Hong Kong.
Any competent lawyer would tell you any piece of legislation or treaty is subject to interpretation. I would argue those Hong Kong people who refuse to acknowledge China's sovereignty over their city are the ones undermining the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law.
I would also argue Beijing shouldn't say Britain has no responsibility for Hong Kong after 1997, but that China has at all times adhered to the Joint Declaration, even today " as indeed it has.
It's conceivable that the British government may conclude China has breached both the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law, but that won't happen on the say-so of people such as former Hong Kong governor Chris Patten or his former No 2 Anson Chan Fang On-sang.
If the international community has to intervene every time a country or city suffers prolonged civil unrest or a constitutional crisis, it will be very busy indeed. Perhaps they should have intervened in Paris!
Copyright (c) 2019. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.