Some Western countries are applying double standards to the Hong Kong and Catalonia problems, despite the common threads of the two cases, according to a commentary published by the Russian Gazette on Sunday. 

Titled "Western World Applying Double Standards to Violence Happening in Hong Kong and Catalonia", the commentary pointed out what has happened in Spain's Catalonia recently has made the city "a second Hong Kong", as some Catalan activist groups have mimicked the violent techniques of Hong Kong protesters -- cutting off major roads and airports, setting fires and clashing with police. Certain people in the West, including those from the United States and the United Kingdom, the commentary mentioned, called the large demonstrations in Hong Kong "democracy movement". But for Catalonia, the protests have led a counter charge to those people who hypocritically preach democracy and freedom. 

Over the last few months, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held meetings with the Hong Kong opposition several times and backed the demonstrations. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called directly the Chief Executive of Hong Kong to put pressure over China's internal affairs. Now, facing protests in Catalonia which echo those in Hong Kong, the Western countries have taken a sharp turn on their attitudes and don't even utter the word "democracy movement", according to the commentary. 

Such irony is a slap in the face of certain countries as it shows the "democracy and freedom" claimed by certain countries are only political jockeyings they use to purse their own interests, the commentary charged. The commentary further pointed out that the application of double standards applied by Western countries has also been reflected by their media reports. It has been over a week since huge pro-independence demonstrations started in the Spanish region, leaving at least 500 people injured and over 100 protesters arrested. But it's quite difficult to even find the word "Catalonia," on the website of the UK public service broadcaster. 

In contrast, if you look at their media coverage on Hong Kong, it seems the BBC regularly devotes many pages to tracking its every twist and turn. This hasn't escaped the notice of Scottish National Party MP Gavin Newlands. He once questioned a British news agency why it didn't report on the events of Catalonia, but had tons of pieces on Hong Kong. Meanwhile, in Germany, a leading business newspaper called for the Spanish government to take decisive actions in Catalonia to suppress the violence. But when dealing with Hong Kong's demonstrations, the daily hasn't shown the same kind of attitude. 

The commentary said it is obvious that certain Western countries, especially the U.S. and the UK, are applying double standards in their foreign policies and interfering in the internal affairs of other countries for their own interests. The fact has proven that their policies are not only useless, but will also backfire to the detriment of themselves, it said.