The spokesperson of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in the HKSAR strongly disapproved and firmly rejected the irresponsible statements and remarks of the US State Department, the Canadian Foreign Minister, the Australian Foreign Minister, the British Minister of State for Asia, some politicians of the US and a few other Western countries and the UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner on the law enforcement activities of the Hong Kong police. We urge external forces to stop interfering in the law-based administration of the HKSAR Government in the name of so-called “human rights and freedom” and stop meddling with Hong Kong affairs and China’s internal affairs.
The spokesperson said that Hong Kong is a society under the rule of law where it enforces laws and regulations and prosecutes any illegal acts. The Crimes Ordinance in Hong Kong stipulates that any person who without lawful excuse has in his possession any seditious publication shall be guilty of an offense. For a long time, the relevant personnel and the media outlet have frequently published illegal publications inciting violations of the law and advocating violence, which are of a severe nature. The actions taken by the Hong Kong police and the arrest of individuals suspected of conspiring to publish seditious publications are actions of justice to safeguard national security, the rule of law and public order in Hong Kong, which has been welcomed by Hong Kong society. Only when those who damage the press freedom are held accountable in accordance with law, can the rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents be effectively protected.
The spokesperson reiterated that since the implementation of the National Security Law, Hong Kong society has restored stability and its development is back on track. The lawful rights and freedoms of Hong Kong people have been better protected, and Hong Kong residents are more confident in Hong Kong’s future. External forces repeatedly smeared Hong Kong’s judicial justice and freedom of the press under the pretext of “standing with Hong Kong”. They used the so-called “freedom” as a shield to embolden the anti-China forces in Hong Kong, in an attempt to seek extra-legal privileges for them so that they could continue to disrupt Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability. Such political manipulation is doomed to fail.
The spokesperson said that the US and some other Western countries pretend to care about the freedom of the press in Hong Kong, but turn a blind eye to their own bad record. During the protests triggered by the death of George Floyd in the US in 2020, a large number of journalists reporting the truth were attacked or arrested by the American police. Some politicians in the US and some other Western countries used freedom of the press as a political tool in a selective way. They smear and attack other countries under the guise of “the press freedom” while restricting legitimate interview activities and suppressing the voice of justice. That is typical hegemony and double standard, and how could they judge the freedom of the press in Hong Kong with condescension?
The spokesperson stressed that Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, not an arena for political grandstanding. The historical process of rectifying chaos in Hong Kong is irreversible, and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is unstoppable. We urge relevant organizations and politicians to recognize the facts, abide by international law and the basic norms governing international relations, stop hindering the law enforcement of the HKSAR, stop undermining Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability, and stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China’s internal affairs.