The Chinese national flags and the regional flags of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region are seen in the Central district of Hong Kong, south China, Oct. 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaochu)

Both the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government and the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong on Thursday, strongly condemned and opposed the unfounded allegations made by the United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), saying any attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of China through Hong Kong will not succeed. 

The Commissioner's Office called the report as a pack of lies and far-fetched analogies, tramples on the principle of international law and the basic norms governing international relations, interferes in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs, and will be consigned to the dustbin of history.

The report made irresponsible comments on Hong Kong affairs, vilified the Chinese central government's policy on Hong Kong, attacked the National Security Law for the HKSAR and Hong Kong's improved electoral system, smeared Hong Kong's judicial independence and tried to hamper the law-based administration of the HKSAR government, the office said.

In a statement in response to a report released by the USCC, a Hong Kong government spokesman urged the US to respect the international law and basic norms governing international relations. The spokesperson also said any attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of China through Hong Kong will not succeed. 

Following the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL), chaos has been stopped and stability restored in Hong Kong. The four categories of offences endangering national security clearly stipulated under the Hong Kong National Security Law are narrowly defined. There is no question of law-abiding persons inadvertently violating the law, said the HKSAR spokesman.

It also attempts to whitewash the treasonous and "black-terror" criminal acts of anti-China, destabilizing forces in Hong Kong, fully exposing US hypocrisy, double-standard, and sinister motive to disrupt Hong Kong, the Commissioner's Office said.

The HKSAR government also strongly opposes the USCC's recommendation concerning reporting on Hong Kong's compliance with WTO rules. "As a separate customs territory, our rights as a WTO member in the name of 'Hong Kong, China' are not subject to unilateral determination by any country."

The USCC report's allegations against the improvement to the electoral system are unfounded, the spokesperson pointed out. To ensure that the electoral system of the HKSAR accords with the principle of "one country, two systems" and the actual situation of the HKSAR, and that the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong" can be fully implemented, the improvement to the electoral system of the HKSAR is both timely and necessary.

The allegation made in the USCC report regarding a HKSAR Government Circular on national security education directed at the universities is false. The relevant circular is only applicable to secondary and primary schools as well as kindergartens, the spokesperson said. 

In addition, the spokesperson also said no one should interfere with independent prosecutorial decisions which are carried out strictly in accordance with the law.

The Commissioner's Office further urged some institutions and politicians in the US Congress to respect the overarching trend, change course, stop scapegoating others and interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs, and follow the spirit of the virtual meeting between the presidents of China and the US, so as to create favorable conditions for mutual respect, peaceful co-existence and win-win cooperation between China and the US.

Global Times