This photo dated April 21, 2021 shows the Central Government Offices at Tamar, Hong Kong. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

HONG KONG – The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has condemned a resolution adopted by the European Parliament on Thursday that made malicious allegations against the rule of law and National Security Law in Hong Kong.

In a statement issued on Friday, a spokesman for the HKSAR government said that the National Security Law has stopped chaos and restored order in Hong Kong, ensuring the smooth and continuous implementation of the “one country, two systems” principle and the long-term prosperity and stability of the city.

No country or region in the world will ever allow political power to fall into the hands of forces or individuals who do not love, or even sell out or betray, their own country.

 Spokesman, HKSAR government

The HKSAR government will continue to guard against any acts endangering national security and will bring those violating the law to justice regardless of background, the spokesman added.

The spokesman said that all law enforcement actions taken by the law enforcement agencies are based on evidence, and have nothing to do with anyone’s political stance or background.

The spokesman also said the European Parliament's remarks on the chief executive election held after the improvement of the SAR's electoral system were made arbitrarily. The remarks were oblivious of the fact that democracy has taken a quantum leap forward in Hong Kong since its return to the motherland in July 1997.  

After the electoral system was improved, the sixth-term chief executive election was successfully held on May 8 in strict accordance with the election laws which ensured the poll was carried out in an open, fair and honest manner, the statement read.

The eligibility of candidates for the Chief Executive is determined by a statutory Candidate Eligibility Review Committee to ensure they comply with the requirement in Article 104 of the Basic Law that they would uphold the Basic Law and swear allegiance to the HKSAR of the People's Republic of China.

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This institutional mechanism puts in place legal safeguards to ensure full application of “patriots administering Hong Kong”, the statement read, noting that keeping political power in the hands of patriots is a political rule commonly practiced in the world.

“No country or region in the world will ever allow political power to fall into the hands of forces or individuals who do not love, or even sell out or betray, their own country,” the spokesman added. 

Improving the electoral system, ensuring “patriots administering Hong Kong” and safeguarding the overall interests of the society are conducive to the stable development of Hong Kong's democracy, the spokesman said.

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 district, Hong Kong. (PARKER ZHENG / CHINA DAILY)

The Commissioner’s Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region expressed a similar sentiment in a separate statement on Friday.

The office said it strongly rejected the Hong Kong-related resolution adopted by the European Parliament that slandered Hong Kong police’s legitimate law enforcement actions against personnel of the 612 Fund. 

In the statement issued on Friday, a spokesperson for the office said the resolution, which waded into Hong Kong’s rule of law and clamored for sanctions against SAR government officials, interfered in Hong Kong affairs and China’s internal affairs.

Trying to whitewash the suspects, the resolution of the European Parliament once again revealed some European politicians’ dark mentality of not wanting to see a stable and well-governed Hong Kong and fully exposed their same sinister stance with anti-China, destabilizing forces in Hong Kong.

Spokesperson, Commissioner’s Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the HKSAR

“The resolution seriously violated the principles of international law and the basic norms of international relations,” the spokesperson said.

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The spokesperson said that the relevant personnel of the 612 Fund are suspected of colluding with foreign countries or overseas forces to endanger national security. The law enforcement action taken by the SAR police against them is an action of justice to safeguard national security and the rule of law in Hong Kong.

The law-based action is completely legitimate, and brooks no external intervention, the spokesperson said.

“Trying to whitewash the suspects, the resolution of the European Parliament once again revealed some European politicians’ dark mentality of not wanting to see a stable and well-governed Hong Kong and fully exposed their same sinister stance with anti-China, destabilizing forces in Hong Kong,” according to the statement. 

The spokesperson pointed out that since the implementation of the National Security Law, Hong Kong has embarked on a new journey and the principle of “one country, two systems” has shown new vitality in a more secure, stable and law-based environment. 

“Hong Kong is in a new stage of moving from chaos to stability and then to greater prosperity,” the spokesperson said. “However, the European Parliament turned a blind eye to the mainstream public opinion of Hong Kong people seeking stability and development, kept mute on its own problems of refugee, racial discrimination and the chasm between the rich and the poor.”

It is double-standard and hypocrisy to point a finger at Hong Kong, smear the central government’s policies towards Hong Kong and interfere with the law-based administration of the SAR government under the guise of “rights” and “freedom”, the spokesperson added.

The spokesperson added that the EU parliament’s resolution is “just a piece of waste paper,” warning that the European side will only shoot itself in the foot if it “wields the sanction stick”.