U.S. affronts democracy by inviting fugitive criminal suspect to ‘Summit for Democracy’

Nathan Law Kwun-chung, one of the anti-China troublemakers in Hong Kong who have fled to escape punishment, recently claimed that the U.S. had invited him to the so-called “Summit for Democracy,” which is another irrefutable evidence that there is nothing democratic about the summit.

Offering a stage for the activist who blatantly preaches “Hong Kong independence,” the U.S. government has further exposed its true intention of turning democracy into a tool and weapon by holding this summit.

Being suspected of inciting secession and colluding with foreign forces or external elements to endanger national security, Law is a criminal suspect wanted by the Hong Kong police.

After learning that Law was going to the U.S. again to put on a political show, the Security Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) condemned him for his shameful act of willingly serving as a puppet of foreign government and politicians for political dividends. It stated unequivocally that the HKSAR Government would hold him criminally responsible according to law, which is the attitude any government that respects the rule of law should have toward such cases.

In recent years, the U.S. has frequently posed as a “guardian” of Hong Kong’s democracy, attempting to plunge the region into chaos under the guise of “democracy”.

Through a series of political maneuvers, including passing Hong Kong-related bills, brazenly imposing sanctions on Chinese officials, making unfounded charges against HKSAR affairs, harboring and endorsing anti-China troublemakers in Hong Kong, and colluding with some countries to exert pressure on China, the U.S. has wantonly interfered in China’s internal affairs and undermined democracy in Hong Kong.

Considering Law’s betrayal of Hong Kong and his motherland as “unique value,” U.S. politicians calling for containing China used him frequently as a marionette. They disguised him as a fighter for democracy, met with him during his visit to the U.S., offered platforms to him for peddling the idea of “Hong Kong independence,” spreading political lies, and defaming the national security law in Hong Kong and the Chinese central government’s policy toward the HKSAR. These are ironclad proof of the U.S. interfering in Hong Kong affairs and backing the anti-China troublemakers in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is an integral part of China. No interference of the U.S. can ever alter the prevailing historical trend toward the steady and continued success of China’s “one country, two systems” policy.

With the formulation and implementation of the national security law in the HKSAR and improvements to Hong Kong’s electoral system, the situation in Hong Kong made a major turn from chaos to order.

Hong Kong citizens generally believe that blind pursuit of American democracy never brings true democracy to Hong Kong, but only social division, ferocious battle, social disorder, economic imbalance, and governance failure.

The new electoral system is bringing elections in Hong Kong back on the track of benign competition, and the democracy system of the region begins to seek benefits for and serve the wellbeing of Hong Kong citizens once again.

Such positive changes in Hong Kong society have fully proven the attempt of U.S. politicians to meddle in the affairs of Hong Kong on the pretext of “democracy” a complete failure.

Likewise, the attempt of the U.S. side to support and pep up particular fugitive anti-China troublemakers in Hong Kong is doomed to failure and will end up in vain.

By inviting a criminal suspect on the run to the so-called “Summit for Democracy,” the U.S. has made itself a great laughingstock of the world and exposed its true intention of acting against democracy under the guise of “democracy”.

In accordance with its own standards, the U.S. classifies some countries as democracies and others not, which is in essence against the democratic spirit and a typical example of privatizing, politicizing, and putting labels on democracy.

When the world needs to strengthen solidarity and cooperation to tackle mounting global challenges, the U.S. is trying to advance its geostrategic agenda, suppress dissidents, and sow division and confrontation around the world. Its Cold War mentality and hegemonic acts going against the general trend of history will never succeed.

Democracy is a common value shared by all humanity, rather than a political tool willfully manipulated by the U.S.

The attempt of the U.S. to safeguard its hegemony under the guise of “democracy” has aroused strong opposition from the international community. The misdeeds and evil plots of U.S. politicians who have colluded with anti-China troublemakers in Hong Kong and shielded and connived at offenders will only be despised and end up in failure.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)