"Hong Kong affairs are China's domestic affairs, and foreign governments should not make random comments about them," foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said in a statement posted on the ministry's website.

The remark was in response to the British government's release Tuesday of a six-monthly report arguing that Hong Kong had made "little or no visible progress" towards democratic reforms.

Liu countered this by saying China supported an "orderly and gradual" progress towards democracy in Hong Kong, based on the Basic Law, the city's mini-constitution.

"The people of Hong Kong are enjoying unprecedented democratic rights legally granted to them," Liu said.

Hong Kong's last governor, Chris Patten, during a visit to the city this month also criticized its slow democratic development.

He urged Beijing to give a clear timeline when Hong Kong will be given the right to choose its own leaders, currently selected by a 800-member committee mostly loyal to Beijing. Half of the 60-seat legislature is directly elected.

Although democratic reforms are enshrined in the Basic Law which came into force when it reverted to Chinese rule in 1997, the government has refused to set a timetable for universal suffrage.

Beijing ruled out a transition to full democracy by 2008, fearing sudden change would destabilize its richest city and encourage pro-democracy groups on the mainland.

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