The spokesperson for the Commissioner’s Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the HKSAR deplores the so-called “six-monthly report on Hong Kong” released by the British government, which smeared the national security law and Hong Kong’s electoral system, slandered Hong Kong’s democracy, freedom, human rights and the rule of law, grossly interfered in Hong Kong affairs and China’s internal affairs, and seriously breached the principles of international law and the basic norms of international relations.

The spokesperson said that in the 25 years since Hong Kong’s return to the motherland, the Chinese Government has fully, accurately and resolutely implemented the principles of “one country, two systems” and “Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy”. The practice of “one country, two systems” in Hong Kong has been a globally recognized success. The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China has drawn a blueprint for upholding and improving “one country, two systems” in its report. What’s more, the new SAR Government has made sustained efforts to fight the epidemic, revitalize the economy, and improve people’s livelihood together with all social sectors, and it has won the great support of Hong Kong people. Hong Kong is now in a new stage from chaos to stability and prosperity, and enjoys a promising future.

The spokesperson pointed out that the national security law and the new electoral system effectively safeguard national security and social stability, and all the lawful rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents are protected. International investors now have a more safe, stable and predictable business environment, which is a fact that all fair-minded people acknowledge. However, the British report vilified the Chinese Central Government’s policies towards Hong Kong and the law-based governance of the SAR, talked down Hong Kong’s development prospect, and turned a deaf ear to the mainstream public opinion about stability and development. Also, their whitewash of anti-China forces in Hong Kong only exposes their intention to contain China by disrupting the SAR.

The spokesperson pointed out that the rule of law is the cornerstone of Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability. The executive branch of the SAR strictly enforces laws and the judiciary handles cases impartially. They both perform their statutory duties in full accordance with laws and legal procedures and effectively safeguard national security and Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability, which brooks no external interference. The British side claims to uphold the rule of law, but in practice releases a so-called Hong Kong report every six months in which it plays the “judge card”, “BNO card” and many other cards to interfere in Hong Kong affairs and damage the rule of law in Hong Kong. The world has thus seen more clearly the hypocrisy and double standards of the British side.

The spokesperson stressed that over the past quarter-century, the legal basis for the governance of the Chinese Government in the HKSAR is the Chinese Constitution and the Basic Law of Hong Kong, not the Sino-British Joint Declaration. The British side has neither sovereignty nor right of governance or supervision to Hong Kong after 1997, but it still alleges from time to time that it has so-called “historical responsibility over Hong Kong” by citing the Declaration, which is a proof of the British colonial nostalgia and its obsession with political grandstanding.

The spokesperson reiterated that Hong Kong is part of China and Hong Kong affairs are purely China’s internal affairs. No matter how grandiose the report looks, it is nothing but a piece of waste paper and can no way stop Hong Kong’s transformation from chaos to stability and prosperity. We urge the British side to put itself in the right position, ditch the double standard, abide by the principles of international law such as non-interference and the basic norms of international relations, and refrain from interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China’s internal affairs under any pretext. Enough with the political game of the UK already and the Report should be swept into the dustbin of history long ago.