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BEIJING, June 3-- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Wednesday urged Britain to stop meddling in affairs of Hong Kong which is a special administrative region of China. Britain should recognize and respect the fact that Hong Kong has returned to China, and should not use the Sino-British Joint Declaration as an excuse to make irresponsible remarks, spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a press briefing. Zhao made the comments in response to British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab's remarks that the "authoritarian" national security legislation in Hong Kong was in breach of the "one country, two systems" and "this is a moment for China to step back from the brink" and respect Hong Kong's autonomy and its own international obligations. Britain's historical link with Hong Kong arises from the period of invasion, colonialism and unequal treaties. Authoritarian is "precisely the word to describe its colonial rule in Hong Kong," Zhao said, adding that it is after the return of Hong Kong that the residents came to enjoy uNPRecedented rights and freedoms. "To quote its own words, we urge the UK to 'step back', reject the Cold-War mindset and the colonial mentality, recognize and respect the fact that Hong Kong has already returned to China as a special administrative region," he said. The National People's Congress's decision on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to safeguard national security is part of China's internal affairs that allows no external interference, Zhao said. | 
