P. Dolden's letter [‘Leave Hong Kong to the Chinese', Weekend Sun, July 10] requires response as, having spent the past 40-odd years doing business in Asia, I struggle to find anything factual in the comments re Hong Kong and China.

Although of the same ethnic origin, there is little else that the Hong Kong Chinese and the Beijing Chinese have in common. They have a different physical appearance and their native spoken languages are totally different.

One has lived the past 70 years under a repressive and centrally controlled communist regime while the other has lived under all of the freedoms that we in New Zealand take for granted.

The agreement between Beijing and London to terminate the British lease of Hong Kong in 1997 (not 1996) contained the "one country two systems" clause that guaranteed no interference by Beijing in Hong Kong affairs for 50 years, post 1997.

Beijing is in breach of that agreement and is in the process of imposing draconian laws, central control, and the communist system on a population that has enjoyed a democratic political system, and the freedoms that go with it, for more than 70 years. This is what is causing the riots (not just "unrest" as P Dolden states) in the streets of Hong Kong.

The rest of the world would be remiss if they ignored Beijing's actions and did not come to Hong Kong's defence in whatever way is possible

R Tomson, Hairini