Fantasy to think China will cave under pressure

China will continue to protect its “national sovereignty and territorial integrity” in the face of pressure from the U.S., the vice president of a Beijing-based think tank stated today.

His remarks come in the middle of criticism from the U.S. over prepare for a brand-new Hong Kong nationwide security law that was presented recently as China’s parliament, the National People’s Congress, started its yearly session. The costs has actually currently stimulated demonstrations in Hong Kong, with some worried that it will offer Beijing more control over the city, which is an unique administrative area of China.

“China and the United States need to talk as equals on equal terms by respecting each other, rather than one country believing in imposing its will onto the other country,” Victor Gao of the Center for China and Globalization stated on Tuesday.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated the proposition would be a “death knell” for Hong Kong’s autonomy, while White House National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien stated America is most likely to enforce sanctions on China if the law is passed.

Former legislator from Democratic Party, Emily Lau, stated Hong Kong is “very anxious, angry and frightened,” and huge business are “nervous” about the relocation.

But Gabriel Wildau, senior vice president at Teneo Risk Advisory, stated the costs’s influence on big services will be restricted, and the city will still have an edge over its rivals.

“Even after this law, if enacted, Hong Kong is very likely to maintain the significant advantages it has enjoyed over the last several decades in the Asia Pacific region, compared to its would-be rivals like Singapore or Shanghai, as the main regional, business and financial hub,” he included. 

Gao informed CNBC’s “Capital Connection” that China requires to persevere on matters of concept and of sovereignty “no matter” what pressure originates from the U.S.

“I hope Washington will calm down. Hong Kong is not part of the United States, Hong Kong is not a separate independent country,” he stated.

Hong Kong is governed under the “one country, two systems” structure, which provides the area more liberties than the mainland. It is suggested to last for 50 years from 1997, when the city was gone back to China by the British.

Gao, who formerly functioned as a translator for the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, stated concerns in between the U.S. and China can be dealt with in “amicable ways,” however there was “no way” dealing with China like a “banana republic” would work. The term banana republic describes a bad and terribly ruled nation.

“There are people in Washington who need to wake up to the fact that they should not indulge in fantasies anymore, that by putting more pressure on China, China will cave in,” he stated. “China will be more resilient against such pressure.”

— CNBC’s Jasmine Kim, Weizhen Tan and Yen Nee Lee added to this report.