Photo: IC

Passage of the so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act 2019 by two US congressional committees showed endorsement to violent protesters and would further stoke violence in Hong Kong, said local residents and organizations.

The Friends of Hong Kong Association issued a statement, saying that the Act was blatant interference in China's domestic affairs and violation of the international law and basic principles in international relations.

"Hong Kong is one of the major trading partners of the United States," said the statement. "The long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong is not only good for its residents, but also in the interests of all countries in the world, including the United States."

Lo Man-tuen, executive director of Hong Kong Association for Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China, shared the same view.

"The United States has enormous economic interests in Hong Kong," he said. "By continuing to create turmoil in Hong Kong, the United States is damaging its own interests as well. It is time for Washington to come back from the brink."

Lam Tai-fai, former member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council for the industrial functional constituency, blasted the US politicians' ill intention to mess up Hong Kong and try to use it to contain China.

He also said a handful of people in Hong Kong, who are willing to trade the interests of Hong Kong and China for their own interests, are cooperating with foreign forces to meddle in China's internal affairs.

"China used to be poor and backward, but the Chinese people managed to make it a prosperous one," said Tu Huilong, chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Guangdong Community Organizations. "There is no reason why we could not properly handle our domestic affairs including the issue of Hong Kong. We don't need others to point fingers at us."

He said that foreign forces are behind the Hong Kong unrest, which greatly damaged the economy, reputation, people's livelihood and the rule of law.

"But the United States, one of the culprits, now jumped out and distorted facts, in a bid to continue messing up Hong Kong and thus split China," he said. "Its sinister intentions are clear."

Chiu Tat-cheong, chairman of Far East Consortium International, a property developer and investor, said by manipulating the Act, the United States is staging a political show.

"The United States is playing the Hong Kong card against the background of trade friction with China under the banner of protecting Hong Kong's democracy and freedom," he said.