Hong Kong file photo

 In a report sent annually to US Congress released on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said he has certified to Congress that "Hong Kong does not warrant differential treatment under US law in the same manner as US laws were applied to Hong Kong before July 1, 1997." 

Blinken added that he is committed to continuing to "work with Congress and our allies and partners around the world to stand with people in Hong Kong against the PRC's policies," and the US will "impose consequence" for actions by officials of the Chinese central government and Hong Kong.

The current US administration has apparently continued the Hong Kong policy from the Trump administration. It reiterated that the administration will maintain the sanctions imposed by Trump toward Hong Kong - revoking Hong Kong's status as a separate custom territory, treating Hong Kong the same as the Chinese mainland, as well as imposing sanctions on Hong Kong officials. 

The US has not announced a plan to take further action. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said on Tuesday that China had breached the 1984 Joint Declaration by enacting changes to Hong Kong's electoral system, according to Reuters. Nor did the UK mention what kind of actions it will take.

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, voted unanimously on Tuesday to adopt the amended Annex I and Annex II to the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). 

The purpose is to improve Hong Kong's electoral system and exclude anti-China forces from Hong Kong's governing structure. But the NPC has made no amendment to the HKSAR Basic Law. The basic principles such as "one country, two systems," "Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong" and "a high degree of autonomy" have been maintained. Hong Kong will maintain its own distinct differences from the Chinese mainland in terms of governance and social outlook. Whether it is "one country, two systems" is not to be decided by Washington or London, but it is defined and determined by the HKSAR Basic Law, while conforming to the social practices by Chinese mainland and Hong Kong.

"One country" and "two systems" are an integral whole. Elections in Hong Kong are regional elections of China, not national elections. This fundamental nature cannot be tampered with. 

Some forces from the US and the West are misleading Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy toward absolute independence from any governance of the central government and instigating Hong Kong to confront the central government in Beijing. Some Hongkongers have been deluded by them. Such overt deception must be completely swept. 

From the enactment of the National Security Law for Hong Kong in June 2020 to the amendment of Annex I and Annex II to the Basic Law, tranquility , order and decency have returned to Hong Kong and impact from the US and the West has been largely weakened. It is hard for the US and the West to continue deeply manipulating the radical forces in Hong Kong, and the majority of the sanctions they can easily use have been exploited. 

These countries have attempted to gang up to impose pressure on China, but they cannot expand their mobilization beyond a cluster in the West. The confrontation of the US and the West with China has reached a stalemate. Countries including the US and the UK seem to be waning in force, and, China has shown amounting leverage in governing Hong Kong and has a set of legal rules to follow.

There are identical signs on a larger picture. In terms of Xinjiang, the regional situation has been stabilized and Washington's sanctioning measures have largely hit the brick wall. The political mobilization of the US and the West can only work in their small circles but they cannot sway developing countries, including many Islamic countries. 

And, although their opinion wars were vigorously launched, but due to a lack of effectiveness, after their noises peaked, they won't collect any echoes or responses.

As long as China ensures the situation in Hong Kong and Xinjiang continues to positively change for the better, and also become irreversible, we will grasp the key to winning the ideological tussle. Meanwhile, we are winning more supports in the world, as the developing countries and the international community get to understand our policy, and support Chinese central government's effective governance in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. So, we can catch another key to defeating Washington's encirclement.

And, China should seek to engage with the West, too. The country should separate the West's completely ideological opposition to the affairs of Hong Kong and Xinjiang from their geopolitical posturing. We have noticed that some voices that respect facts and oppose blatant lies in the West have emerged, regardless of US obstruction and suppression. We believe the volume of such voices will increase and that no lie can stand the test of time.

The US strategy of ganging up with its allies against China is unsustainable. Due to its lack of substance, it's doomed to lose momentum. There is little to be feared. The affairs of Hong Kong and Xinjiang can only be decided by our Chinese people. It is an irrefutable and unstoppable trend.