China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei on October 15, 2014, at a regular press briefing urged Britain to immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs. He said: "We have repeatedly stated that Hong Kong's affairs fall within China's internal affairs." He added "No country or individual has a right to interfere in China's internal affairs." Hong Lei's remarks were in response to a written statement submitted the previous day by Hugo Swire, a Minister of State with Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to the British parliament.