Thank you.
Until recently, the British government has been very disappointing. It is a signatory and it has every legal right to say to the Chinese government, “Hey, look here”, and to ask what's happening, but it has chosen not to. I have to say that their foreign policy on Hong Kong is simply, “Give us more China trade, please.” I choose words carefully, but I'm afraid that is how they have behaved in the past.
Recently, though, Parliament did the right thing. The House of Commons select committee on foreign affairs has just come out with a long report on Hong Kong. In fact, it was referred to earlier. I would urge honourable members to take a look at it. It has actually criticized the British government in various places.
I hope the British government will do the honourable thing on Hong Kong and not just think of its China trade, because, to begin with, as I said in my opening statement, the two things are not inconsistent. They are not mutually exclusive. If Britain were to honour her obligations and duties under the joint declaration and defend the aspirations of the Hong Kong people for democracy, which was already promised to us in the basic law, there's no doubt in my mind that Beijing would respect them, instead of treating them as if they're already in their pocket.