China uses Margaret Thatcher’s private secretary to attack Hong Kong protests
Beijing’s official news agency uses interview with Charles Powell to belittle pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong – but fails to report his views on the right to “peaceful protest”
Xinhua did not report Lord Powell’s comments on the right to peaceful protest Photo: David Rose/TELEGRAPh
By Tom Phillips, Shanghai 1:17PM BST 06 Oct 2014
Baroness Thatcher’s former private secretary has been drawn into China’s propaganda war against pro-democracy protestors in Hong Kong, with state media using an interview with Lord Powell of Bayswater to attack the former colony’s “Umbrella Revolution”.
Xinhua, China’s official news agency, quoted Lord Powell in an article belittling the demonstrations entitled: “Overseas politicians show disapproval of Hong Kong's Occupy Central movement.”
Observers have described the protests, which began on September 26 and at their peak attracted at least 100,000 people, as the most significant challenge to Beijing’s rule since the 1989 Tiananmen Square demonstrations.
However, Lord Powell said they were “unrealistic,” according to the Xinhua report, based on a BBC interview with the former Downing Street official.
“Hong Kong has always been part of China," Lord Powell, who served Margaret Thatcher between 1983 and 1990, is quoted as saying.
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But Xinhua did not report Lord Powell’s comments on the right to peaceful protest – something that is almost universally outlawed by China’s criticism-allergic Communist leaders.
“People have a right to peaceful protest and by and large the protests have been peaceful but they are also unrealistic,” the former diplomat also told the BBC.
“Demonstrating is a right but it is better to demonstrate when you’ve got an achievable objective.”
Xinhua did not reproduce those comments in mainland China, where demonstrating is not a right and where dozens of activists and lawyers have been detained or jailed as part of an ongoing crackdown on dissent being waged by Xi Jinping, president since last year.
Pro-democracy protesters sit in front of a barricade in the Mongkok district of Hong Kong (AFP/Getty Images)
Coverage of the “Umbrella Revolution” in China’s heavily controlled state media has been universally negative and the People’s Daily, Beijing’s official mouthpiece, has dismissed the protests as “illegal behavior”.
In comments likely to upset the tens of thousands of protestors who have taken to Hong Kong’s streets, Lord Powell suggested its youth should “focus on making the most of the very wide degree of freedom and autonomy” they already enjoyed.
“It is a pity that there is perhaps this small black cloud there but that is life. It has been there a long time I don’t believe it is going to change.”
He said: “I’m not saying they shouldn’t demonstrate – of course they are free to demonstrate and to express their views. I’m talking about the realism of what is a likely outcome.”
Lord Powell also hit out at Lord Patten, Hong Kong’s governor until its return to Chinese control in 1997, who has criticised Beijing’s stance towards the former colony.
“I think it is unhelpful to raise expectations in Hong Kong which are not going to be satisfied,” said former Number 10 official, who also served under John Major.
“Hong Kong has very extensive autonomy - far greater than we believed actually could be achieved when the Hong Kong joint declaration with China was negotiated. They have had far better conditions – including political conditions - than any other city in China. But the bottom line is they are a city in China.”
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