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)
The Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Tuesday firmly rejected misleading comments made by US State Department spokesperson Ned Price and some other politicians and groups about the SAR police’s law enforcement activities towards persons suspected of conspiring to publish seditious materials.
We urge relevant politicians to recognize the general trend, change tack, and keep hands off Hong Kong affairs and China’s internal affairs under any pretext.
Spokesperson, Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Saying that the comments waded into Hong Kong affairs and China’s internal affairs, a spokesperson for the office urged them to “immediately stop botched and boring political performances”.
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Pointing out that lawful rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents, including freedom of speech and the press, are fully protected, the spokesperson said, “That said, press freedom is never a passport for crimes. Any activities that undermine national security, the rule of law and public order in the name of ‘freedom of the press’ are an insult to genuine press freedom and will be prosecuted by law.”
“The actions taken by the Hong Kong police in accordance with law speak volumes for the legal principle cherished by Hong Kong and they brook no external interference.”
A few outside actors openly pointed a finger at the law enforcement activities of the Hong Kong police and clamored for the release of criminal suspects, which damaged the rule of law and social stability in Hong Kong, said the spokesperson.
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Green-eyed about a stable and well-governed Hong Kong, the external elements played the “Hong Kong card” time and again to meddle with China’s internal affairs, but their tricks will prove to be nothing but futile political shows, the spokesperson added.
“Some politicians and groups proclaimed that they care about the press freedom of others, but closed their eyes to the poor record of their own countries — shutting down news websites, banning journalists from participating in government public activities, suppressing media outlets and reporters in other countries, just to name a few.”
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No political grandstanding can change China’s rock-solid determination to fully and faithfully implement the principle of “one country, two systems”, nor can it hold back the historical trend of Hong Kong moving from chaos to stability and prosperity, the spokesperson stressed.
“We urge relevant politicians to recognize the general trend, change tack, and keep hands off Hong Kong affairs and China’s internal affairs under any pretext,” added the spokesperson.