Non-intervention by nations in the internal affairs of others is fundamental international law.
In Nicaragua v. United States (1986), the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled against Washington for breaching international law and violating Nicaraguan sovereignty by supporting Contra death squads in the country, along with mining its waters and operating illegally in its airspace.
Unilaterally imposed sanctions by nations on others breach the principle of non-intervention and the UN Charter — giving the Security Council exclusive authority to take this action.
UN Charter Article 2 (4) states: “All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.”
Time and again, the US breaches the letter and spirt of international and its own constitution — operating exclusively by its own rules, making them up to serve its interests.
Last month, House members unanimously passed the so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 by voice vote.
On Tuesday, Senate members unanimously adopted its version of the same measure — violating the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of other countries.
Among 535 congressional members, not a single profile in courage opposed the hostile, interventionist measure, breaching international and constitutional law.
It has nothing to do with promoting democracy, a notion the US abhors and tolerates nowhere, especially not at home.
It has nothing to do with supporting human rights in Hong Kong — US dirty hands all over months of violence and chaos in the city, aiming to destabilize China by attacking its soft underbelly.
On Wednesday, Xinhua reported the following:
“The Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the top legislature of China…firmly opposed…and strongly condemned the passing of the so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 by the US Senate.”
“The US Senate passed the bill on Tuesday local time despite stern representations and strong opposition from China.”
“The move ‘grossly interfered in China’s internal affairs,’ ” the NPC stated, adding: Adopting the measure is all about “US intervention in Hong Kong affairs and China’s internal affairs.”
China’s Foreign Ministry condemned the measure’s adoption, saying:
It “disregards the facts, confuses right and wrong, violates the axioms, plays with double standards, openly intervenes in Hong Kong affairs, interferes in China’s internal affairs, and seriously violates the basic norms of international law and international relations. The Chinese side strongly condemns and resolutely opposes this,” adding:
“In the past five months, the persistent violent criminal acts in Hong Kong have seriously jeopardized the safety of the public’s life and property, seriously trampled on the rule of law and social order, seriously undermined Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability, and seriously challenged the bottom line of the ‘one country, two systems’ principle.”
“(W)hat Hong Kong faces is not the so-called human rights and democracy issues, but the issue of ending the storms, maintaining the rule of law and restoring order as soon as possible.”
“The Chinese central government will continue to firmly support the Hong Kong SAR Government in its administration of the law, firmly support the Hong Kong police in law enforcement, and firmly support the Hong Kong Judiciary in punishing violent criminals in accordance with the law, protecting the lives and property of Hong Kong residents and maintaining Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability.”
“(A)ttacks on the police and other criminal acts (have nothing to do with) the pursuit of ‘human rights’ and ‘democracy.’ ”
They have everything to do with “support(ing) the extremist forces and violent elements in the anti-China chaos and to undermine Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability.”
“This bad behavior of the United States not only harms China’s interests, but also undermines the important interests of the United States itself in Hong Kong.”
“Any attempt by the US to intervene in China’s internal affairs and hinder China’s development will not succeed.”
“Hong Kong is China’s Hong Kong, and Hong Kong affairs are purely China’s internal affairs.”
“If the US (continues its hostile actions), China will surely take effective measures to resolutely counteract and firmly safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests.”
The unacceptable measure calls for annual reviews of Hong Kong’s special status. It challenges China’s “one country, two systems” status.
Congressional adoption supports CIA orchestrated violence and chaos in the city.
On Wednesday, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) said Beijing summoned the US embassy Minister Counsellor for Political Affairs William Klein, China’s Foreign Ministry saying:
Its ruling authorities “will take strong opposing measures, and the US has to bear all the consequences.”
“If the US sticks to its course, China will surely take forceful measures to resolutely oppose it to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interest.”
House and Senate reconciliation of differences in the measures passed will follow. Given unanimous adoption by both houses negates Trump’s veto power if he opposes the legislation.
The measure amends the 1992 Hong Kong Policy Act. It “directs various departments to assess whether political developments in Hong Kong justify changing Hong Kong’s unique treatment under US law.”
It requires annual certification by the secretary of state on whether US special treatment should be afforded to Hong Kong.
It requires the president to identify persons involved in committing human rights abuses in the city — freezing their assets, denying them entry into the US.
It requires the president to determine whether to revise the US/Hong Kong extradition agreement and State Department’s travel advisory for the city.
It requires the commerce secretary to issue annual assessments on whether Hong Kong authorities are enforcing US regulations regarding certain dual-use items and sanctions it (unlawfully) imposed on various nations, notably Iran, North Korea and Venezuela.
Months of violence and chaos in Hong Kong, followed by unacceptable congressional legislation certain to become US law, are all about illegally meddling in China’s internal affairs by the Trump regime and Congress.
Unacceptable US actions aim to undermine China’s economic, financial, technological, and military development — what its ruling authorities won’t tolerate.
A Final Comment
Last Sunday, Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the following:
“Every time we emphasize that Moscow and Beijing fully share stance that any foreign meddling in domestic affairs of all countries, and in particular Russia and China, is unacceptable. It is also unacceptable to impose any system of values on other countries.”
Illegally meddling in the internal affairs of other countries is longstanding US policy.
It’s all about seeking control over their sovereignty, resources and populations — preemptive wars, color revolutions, economic terrorism, and other hostile actions its favored strategies.
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Award-winning author Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected]. He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG)
His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
