Diplomatic Showdown in London 🗣️
On Monday, December 15, 2025, Chinese Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang visited the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to express strong objections over recent comments by British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. At stake: the conviction of media mogul Jimmy Lai under the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's National Security Law.
During the meeting, Zheng called Cooper's remarks "irresponsible" and accused the UK of smearing the law designed to maintain security and stability in Hong Kong. He argued that these comments:
- Interfere in China's internal affairs
- Trample on the spirit of the rule of law
- Violate basic norms of international relations
On the same day, the HKSAR High Court found Jimmy Lai guilty of two charges of conspiring to collude with external forces and one charge of conspiracy to publish seditious materials. The Chinese Embassy read-out emphasized that Lai, who played a key role in anti-China riots in Hong Kong, was not exercising peaceful freedom of expression as claimed by the British side. 🔍
Zheng reminded British officials that colonial rule in Hong Kong ended decades ago, and the UK has no right to interfere with the city's judicial processes. "Any attempt to meddle in Hong Kong's affairs will only reveal malicious intent to destabilize Hong Kong and provoke public indignation," Zheng warned, stressing that such efforts would fail.
As diplomatic tensions simmer, both sides are keeping a close eye on how this dispute will affect future UK–China relations. 🌏✌️
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
