This photo taken on June 29, 2020 shows a billboard promoting the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in the Central district in Hong Kong. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Monday blasted the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom James Cleverly for his “untruthful and biased” attack on the Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL) and his misleading remarks concerning rights and freedoms in the HKSAR.
In a statement, a spokesman for the HKSAR government said Cleverly's untruthful and unfounded remarks about the implementation of the NSL in the HKSAR amount to political smearing and fact twisting.
Since the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law, the city’s media landscape has been as vibrant as ever, with the freedom to comment on and criticize government policies being practiced as a matter of routine, said a spokesperson for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government
"National security is a matter within the purview of the central authorities. It is the responsibility and right of every country to safeguard its national security.
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“The UK has many laws on national security, but the government official concerned chooses to continue to wantonly smear the NSL and deliberately ignore the fact that the implementation of the NSL has enabled the livelihood and economic activities of the Hong Kong community at large to resume as normal, and the business environment to be restored. Clearly, this is hypocrisy out of political motivation with double standards, and a despicable maneuver with politics prevailing over the law," the spokesman said.
The spokesman said all law enforcement actions taken by Hong Kong law enforcement agencies are based on evidence, and are taken in strict accordance with the law and with regard to the acts of the people, institutions or organizations concerned, and have nothing to do with anyone’s political stance, background or occupation.
The spokesman added that it was appalling that Cleverly had seemed to suggest that persons from certain backgrounds are above the law — something which would be totally contrary to the spirit of the rule of law.
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Calling Cleverly’s remarks on rights and freedom “political manipulation in disregard of facts”, the spokesman said the NSL clearly stipulates that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security in the HKSAR.
Since the implementation of the NSL, the city’s media landscape has been as vibrant as ever, with the freedom to comment on and criticize government policies being practiced as a matter of routine. The media remain uninhibited as long as they are not in violation of the law, he noted.
The spokesman added that the HKSAR government strongly urges the UK to immediately stop acting against international law and the basic norms of international relations, and to stop interfering in the affairs of the HKSAR.
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"The HKSAR government steadfastly safeguards national sovereignty, security and development interests, and upholds the authority of the NSL. It resolutely carries out its duties and obligations to safeguard national security in accordance with the law, and to ensure the steadfast and successful implementation of 'one country, two systems',” the spokesman added.