Carrie Lam expresses strong opposition to external interference in Hong Kong affairs

Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said Saturday that the HKSAR government firmly supports the central government and strongly opposes any external interference in Hong Kong affairs.

Lam made the remarks after the Chinese Foreign Ministry released Friday a fact sheet on U.S. interference in Hong Kong affairs and support for anti-China, destabilizing forces.

Over the past two years, the external forces including the United States used social unrest and other events as excuses to support anti-China elements in obstructing the HKSAR government's administration, advocating "Hong Kong independence" and "self-determination," and seriously endangering national security, Lam said.

Those external forces continuously slandered China, vilified the HKSAR government and smeared the national security law in the HKSAR through diplomatic and other domestic political means, Lam said.

Lam noted that the U.S. interfering acts listed in the fact sheet are indisputable.

The international community and Hong Kong people will grasp clearly the U.S. hegemony acts that wantonly interfere in Hong Kong affairs through the fact sheet, she said.

A number of representatives of different countries spoke in support of China at the United Nations Human Rights Council session held recently and opposed to interference in Hong Kong affairs, Lam said.

The implementation of the national security law in the HKSAR and the improvement to Hong Kong's electoral system are proper, reasonable and necessary, Lam said.

Following the implementation of the national security law, stability has been restored in Hong Kong society, actions have been taken against offenders, and anti-China forces have significantly diminished, she said.

The improvement to the electoral system ensures the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong," and prevents anti-China elements from entering the political system of the HKSAR through elections, Lam said.

The actions of the central authorities have helped the HKSAR guard against the interference of external forces, which are crucial to safeguarding national security and the long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong, Lam said.

Hong Kong continues to be a free and open international city, where the business environment remains intact and the rights of the overseas enterprises in Hong Kong are even better protected than before, Lam said.

As Hong Kong is better positioned to integrate into the overall development of the nation, overseas enterprises in Hong Kong will be presented with more opportunities than before, she said, adding that Hong Kong continues to welcome foreign enterprises.