The world’s second largest economy just threatened Britain.

Beijing told London to butt out of its business when it comes to Hong Kong or else there will be consequences.

That is not particularly surprising. China is not a country known for taking any form of criticism well.

What will be interesting is how the United Kingdom reacts beyond summoning the Chinese ambassador to the foreign office as happened on Wednesday evening.

Will Britain – as it would have done in the past – stand up for its beliefs in terms of protecting the rights and freedoms enjoyed by the people of Hong Kong under a joint declaration signed with Beijing before the British colony was returned to Chinese control?

Or will it ultimately place protecting its economic and trading relationship with China first at a time of significant change at home with Brexit on the horizon and a new prime minister due to take over from Theresa May within weeks?

The initial signs indicate the UK is ready for a fight despite the high stakes.

Sir Simon McDonald, the permanent secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office , told Liu Xioming, China’s ambassador, his comments on UK policy towards Hong Kong were “unacceptable and inaccurate”. This is strong language in diplomatic terms.

But the language from Beijing’s side has been even more aggressive, warning the UK that relations between the two side have already been damaged, mutual trust weakened and that this will only worsen further should London fail to heed the warning to stop – as China sees it – “interfering” in Hong Kong’s affairs.

Mr Liu, who delivered the message in a rare press conference, drew on a visit to the UK last month by Chinese Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua as an example of the hard-won economic and financial relationship the two countries enjoy that is now at stake.

He also mentioned the 350,000 British citizens who live in Hong Kong, saying further turbulence caused by the protesters in the territory would be bad for everyone, including them.

Hong Kong has long been a point of intense friction between Beijing and London. That had eased following the 1984 agreement to hand back control of the city to China in 1997.

However this latest rift looks set to be one of the first big foreign policy challenges for the incoming prime minister, whoever should win the contest.

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