The Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Friday strongly condemned the irresponsible comments made by an American official posted in Hong Kong about Hong Kong affairs.
When giving an interview to several media outlets, the official openly smeared China's significant efforts to improve the electoral system of the HKSAR and to enact and implement the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR, endorsed anti-China troublemakers in Hong Kong, and even threatened with sanctions in a blatant violation of international law and basic norms governing international relations, a spokesperson of the commissioner's office said in a statement.
The spokesperson said that the improvement of the electoral system of the HKSAR by the National People's Congress and its Standing Committee is a constitutional, legitimate and reasonable step aimed at adhering to and improving the institutional framework of "one country, two systems" and fully implementing the "patriots administering Hong Kong" principle.
As a major step forward, the viable arrangement serves the overall, long-run and fundamental interests of Hong Kong society, and has gained broad support among Hong Kong people, the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson emphasized that Hong Kong is governed by the rule of law, where no one is above the law. The national security law in Hong Kong has set things right, tackling a small handful of anti-China forces sowing trouble in Hong Kong and endangering national security, while protecting the lawful rights and freedoms of the majority of Hong Kong residents.
Jimmy Lai and his ilk have posed a grave threat to Hong Kong by undermining national security, Hong Kong's prosperity and stability and its people's interests in collusion with external forces. The trials of them at Hong Kong courts in accordance with the law are not to be meddled by any external force. The American official's attempt to whitewash and justify them therefore constitutes an assault on the rule of law, the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said that the real intention of some in the U.S. citing concerns about democracy and freedoms in Hong Kong is to exploit Hong Kong issues to obstruct China's development. They have never truly cared about the well-being of the ordinary people of Hong Kong. What they have done, on the contrary, is to eagerly fan the flames and sow discord when Hong Kong is undergoing a critical transition from chaos to stability.
For all the reports it churns out, accusations in front of the media and threats with sanctions, the U.S. side has shown its true colors in flagrantly interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs as a whole. But such hegemonic behavior will never be tolerated by Chinese people, including our Hong Kong compatriots, the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said that no one cares more about the future of Hong Kong, part of China, than the central government of China. With the introduction of the national security law in Hong Kong and the new electoral system, Hong Kong will be lifted from the longstanding political infighting and confrontation, and focus on improving livelihoods and seeking development.
Hong Kong under "one country, two systems" will continue its integration into overall national development, and play a bigger role in bridging the mainland with the rest of the world. Hong Kong and its people are sailing towards a better tomorrow, the spokesperson said.
External forces who wish Hong Kong and China at large ill are doomed to be disappointed, the spokesperson said, urging them to see the trend of the times, change course as soon as possible, and do what is conducive to Hong Kong's prosperity and stability instead of otherwise.
