Reuters, London

China’s ambassador to London yesterday accused Britain of gross interference and making irresponsible remarks over Beijing’s imposition of new security legislation in Hong Kong that he said could damage future Chinese investment.

Britain has described the security law as a “clear and serious” violation of the 1984 Joint Declaration under which it handed back its colony to China 13 years later and said that London would offer around 3 million residents a path to British citizenship.

“The UK government keeps making irresponsible remarks on Hong Kong affairs,” Ambassador Liu Xiaoming told reporters in the strongest rebuke Beijing has issued to London since Britain criticised the security law.

On the British offer to give British National (Overseas) (BNO) passport holders in Hong Kong a path to British citizenship, he said: “This move constitutes gross interference in China’s internal affairs and openly tramples on the basic norms governing international relations.”

He said China would decide on its response after seeing how Britain proceeded with its passport offer.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also toughened his language on a provisional decision to allow China’s Huawei to be involved in the development of Britain’s 5G infrastructure, saying he would protect critical infrastructure from “hostile state vendors”.

Accusing Britain of “bouncing to the tune of the other countries,” Liu said that, although China wanted friendly relations with Britain, there might be many consequences if Britain treated Beijing as an enemy or with suspicion.