The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Saturday vehemently criticized the so-called sanctions by the U.S. government against 11 officials of the Central People's government and the HKSAR government as shameless and despicable.
A spokesman for the HKSAR government expressed much regret about the so-called sanctions, saying it will undermine Hong Kong-U.S. relations and the HKSAR government will fully support the Central government in adopting counter-measures.
"Imposed under the so-called Office of Foreign Assets Control's Specially Designated Nationals List of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the latest U.S. government measure represents blatant and barbaric interference in the internal affairs of the People's Republic of China (PRC), using Hong Kong as a pawn in its ploy to create troubles in China-U.S. relationship, out of self-serving interests of some U.S. politicians," the spokesman said.
Taking advantage of the social unrest in Hong Kong since June last year, "the U.S. Congress and the White House have passed successive laws and pronounced executive order targeting the HKSAR under the pretext of human rights, democracy and autonomy. It should be obvious to and resented by many people, locally and around the world, that the U.S. acts are displaying double standards and hypocrisy, let alone blatantly breaching international laws and basic norms governing international relations," said the spokesman.
"Hong Kong is an inalienable part of the PRC. Upholding and implementing the principle of 'one country, two systems' meets the interests of Hong Kong people and represents the shared aspiration of all Chinese people," said the spokesman.
He said that the HKSAR government has reminded the U.S. repeatedly that the HKSAR is a local administrative region of the PRC, which shall enjoy a high degree of autonomy and come directly under the Central People's government. "Unfortunately, all these have fallen on deaf ears."
The U.S. government's claim that the imposition of the so-called sanctions was in response to the enactment of the Law of the PRC on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR is a lame excuse that could hardly stand up to challenge, the spokesperson said, adding that national security is a matter of utmost importance to any state and laws governing national security are matters for the central government, regardless of whether it is a unitary or federal system of government.
In recognition of the HKSAR's special status, the HKSAR government has been authorised to be the main enforcement party. The national security law in HKSAR specifies that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security in the HKSAR. However, these legal provisions are clearly ignored by relevant U.S. officials who have chosen to make unsubstantiated comments to serve their own interest, the spokesman said.
The spokesman severely condemned the U.S. government for deliberately making public the personal information of the HKSAR government officials, adding that such a deplorable move is a serious breach of privacy and personal safety and the HKSAR government reserves the right to take any necessary legal action.
