GENEVA (Reuters) – Britain said on Tuesday that China’s plan to impose national security legislation on Hong Kong would undermine the autonomy of its former colony and could threaten rights and freedoms there.

“The imposition of the proposed law lies in direct conflict with China’s international obligations under the Joint Declaration, a treaty agreed by the UK and China and registered with the United Nations,” Julian Braithwaite, Britain’s ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, told the Human Rights Council.

He urged China to engage with Hong Kong’s people, institutions, and judiciary to “ensure it maintains Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy and rights and freedoms”.

A diplomat from North Korea then took the floor to voice concern at “certain countries’ attempt to use Hong Kong-related issues to interfere in China’s domestic affairs”. Hong Kong was “an inseparable part” where China’s sovereignty is exercised and its constitution is applied, he said.

Beijing last month moved to directly impose the legislation on Hong Kong in a bid to tackle secession, subversion and foreign interference in the city.