This Nov 17, 2016 photo shows the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Central, Hong Kong. (PARKER ZHENG / CHINA DAILY)
HONG KONG – The Commissioner’s Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region strongly disapproved and deplored on Thursday the rhetoric of the US Consul General in Hong Kong after he slandered the rule of law and freedom in the city.
In a statement, the office also criticized US Consul General in Hong Kong Gregory May for attacking the National Security Law for Hong Kong, the legislative interpretation by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee on the NSL, and discrediting the city’s business environment during a seminar on Wednesday.
As a super connector between China and the world, Hong Kong should be a “hot land” for friendly cooperation between China and other countries, not a “frontier” for a “new cold war”, the spokesperson said
“Gregory May, as a senior diplomat representing the US government in Hong Kong, is attempting to damage a place where the interests of the US itself are at stake,” a spokesperson for the office said.
“In disregard of Hong Kong’s stability and unity, and the principle of international law and the basic norm governing international relations of non-interference, he vilified Hong Kong’s rule of law and freedom, showed support for anti-China forces in Hong Kong, and talked down Hong Kong’s development prospect, which only exposed his sinister intention of disrupting Hong Kong and containing China,” the spokesperson said.
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“We urge the relevant US officials to revisit the lessons of the past and not to be the Aunt Sally. With a terrible playbook at hand, the harder the actors play, the sooner they find themselves humiliated!” the spokesperson added.
The spokesperson said that in the 25 years since Hong Kong’s return to the motherland, the central government has stayed committed to fully, accurately and resolutely implementing the policies of “one country, two systems” and “Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy”, and strongly protected lawful rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents.
“It has been globally recognized that the practice of ‘one country, two systems’ in Hong Kong is a great success. At present, Hong Kong is in a new period moving from chaos to stability and prosperity,” the spokesperson said.
During this stage, the new-term SAR government is joining hands with all social sectors to safeguard national security, restore economic vitality, and meet people’s needs, the spokesperson said.
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“What’s more, executive and legislative branches have positive interactions with each other, the judiciary exercises power independently in accordance with law, opening a new chapter of good governance in Hong Kong. In this new era and new journey, Hong Kong enjoys a promising future and has much to contribute to the world!” the spokesperson added.
The spokesperson pointed out that the NSL plugs legal loopholes of Hong Kong in safeguarding national security, targets a very small number of criminal suspects, and protects the interests of the overwhelming majority of Hong Kong residents
The spokesperson pointed out that the NSL plugs legal loopholes of Hong Kong in safeguarding national security, targets a very small number of criminal suspects, and protects the interests of the overwhelming majority of Hong Kong residents.
On economy, since the implementation of the NSL, Hong Kong’s position as a global financial, trading and shipping center has been consolidated, and its high degree of freedom and openness as well as a world-class business climate further elevated, as shown by its rating as the freest economy in the world again in 2022, the spokesperson said.
“On the rule of law, Hong Kong has a clear cutting-edge and ranks high in the global legal index. On the freedom of the press, it is better protected under a safe, stable and law-based environment, and the number of international media agencies and journalists in Hong Kong has further increased,” the spokesperson added.
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The spokesperson said the NSL has become the “guardian” of Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability while the interpretation by the NPCSC on the NSL last month is a completely legitimate, necessary, timely and lawful act, and has been welcomed and supported by all social sectors in Hong Kong.
The spokesperson stressed that people across the world have seen through and despise the hypocrisy of the United States and the US is in no position to call itself a “beacon of democracy”, “defender of human rights”, or to lecture others in a condescending manner.
As a super connector between China and the world, Hong Kong should be a “hot land” for friendly cooperation between China and other countries, not a “frontier” for a “new cold war”, the spokesperson said.
“In front of the irreversible trend of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, anyone who tries to curb China or hinder Hong Kong’s stability and prosperity is overestimating his strength and can no way succeed,” the spokesperson added.