The Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Wednesday voiced its strong opposition to a human rights report on China issued by the U.S. Department of State.
The U.S. report distorted the truth, demonized the Chinese central government's Hong Kong-related policies, vilified the HKSAR government's law-based governance and police's law enforcement efforts, and openly endorsed anti-China forces sowing trouble in Hong Kong, a spokesperson of the commissioner's office said in a statement.
The U.S. report is a gross violation of international law and basic norms governing international relations and an outright interference in Hong Kong affairs, which are China's internal affairs, noted the spokesperson.
The spokesperson said that since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the central government has stayed firmly committed to "one country, two systems" under which Hong Kong people administer Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy, and acted in strict accordance with the Constitution and the HKSAR Basic Law.
As a result, the Hong Kong people enjoy unprecedented rights and freedoms, the spokesperson said.
The law on safeguarding national security in the HKSAR has ushered in a historical transition for Hong Kong from chaos to stability, and the improvement of its electoral system has provided institutional guarantees for the enduring success of "one country, two systems" and Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability by optimizing and developing the democratic system of the HKSAR, the spokesperson said.
Hong Kong sees no more black violence and "burn with us" activities and instead, stability has become the prevailing trend, and the community is united in the efforts to combat COVID-19, rekindle economy and improve livelihoods, the spokesperson said, adding that Hong Kong and its people as a whole are sailing towards a better future.
The spokesperson noted that the finger-pointing U.S. report makes a total mockery of human rights.
The United States lags behind Hong Kong in global rankings both for freedoms and the rule of law as its own human rights situation is bleak, with recurring racial discrimination and police violence and record-high gun trade and shooting incidents, the spokesperson said.
Nevertheless, the United States has turned a blind eye to the problems at home and continued to proclaim itself as a "champion of human rights," the spokesperson said.
The United States accuses the Chinese central government of eroding "one country, two systems" and Hong Kong people's rights and freedoms, smears the HKSAR government's law-based governance and police's highly restrained law enforcement actions, and glorifies the violent crimes committed by anti-China troublemakers in Hong Kong, only to expose its ulterior motive to wish for more troubles in Hong Kong, the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said it is in line with the historical trend that the central authorities set things right in Hong Kong under the Constitution and the Basic Law, and that it is the common aspiration of the Hong Kong people to lead a peaceful and happy life in a prosperous and stable Hong Kong.
Any raucous interference in Hong Kong affairs by the United States or other external forces is meaningless and miscalculated, and will only be hit back by the Chinese people, including Hong Kong compatriots, the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson reiterated that Hong Kong is part of China and that its affairs are China's internal affairs while urging the United States to face the facts and grasp the historical trend, manage its own house well, earnestly abide by international law and basic norms governing international relations, and stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs at large in whatever form.
