Attacking American criticisms of Chinese policy in Hong Kong, Beijing on Thursday inadvertently mastered the art of irony.

It came via a gem of a quote from the state newspaper, Global Times. “The level of freedom Hong Kong society enjoys is much higher than in Western countries such as the U.S. and the U.K.,” the paper said. “Some people in Hong Kong have been politically stubborn and that has led to the current social unrest.”