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The Commissioner's Office of Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the HKSAR government voiced opposition against a latest resolution adopted by European Parliament on Thursday local time on the prosecution of anti-government instigator and secessionist Jimmy Lai. 

Recently, the European Parliament adopted the so-called "resolution on the Jimmy Lai case" as well as reports related to foreign and security policy. These documents disregard facts, distort right and wrong, and smear Hong Kong's "One Country, Two Systems" and the Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL). They openly interfere in the adjudication of Hong Kong national security cases, malign the state of democracy and the rule of law in the HKSAR, and clamor for sanctions against Hong Kong, a spokesperson from the commissioner's office said on Friday. 

In response, the spokesperson expressed strong condemnation and firm opposition, emphasizing that the adjudication of Hong Kong national security cases is an internal matter of the HKSAR, and Hong Kong's judiciary must not be interfered with. Hong Kong is a society governed by the rule of law, and no one enjoys privileges above the law. 

Jimmy Lai is a principal instigator and participant in anti-China and disruptive activities in Hong Kong, acting as an "agent" and "foot soldier" for external anti-China forces. The facts of his crimes endangering national security are clear, the evidence is conclusive, his offenses are blatant, and the harm caused is grave. The trial process is open and transparent, and the HKSAR judicial authorities have delivered a fair judgment based on ample and solid factual evidence, leaving no room for criticism, the spokesperson said. 

No matter how many so-called "resolutions" or "reports" the European Parliament produces regarding Hong Kong, they are nothing more than worthless scraps of paper, the spokesperson added. 

The HKSAR government also strongly opposed on late Thursday the so-called resolution adopted by the European Parliament against Hong Kong, condemning the Parliament for using the Lai Chee-ying case to make baseless allegations about Hong Kong and smear the Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL) and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO).

The European Parliament has made sweepingly generalized and grandstanding comments, completely disregarding the profound historical significance of the HKNSL and its undeniable positive impact on the HKSAR, the HKSAR government's spokesperson said, according to a statement in English released on early Friday. 

It has rather distorted the facts and smeared the HKSAR and the HKNSL as well as other laws safeguarding national security in Hong Kong. On the contrary, they never utter a word about the strict enforcement of national security laws by other governments against activities that endanger their national security, the spokesperson said. 

This is an entirely despicable political manipulation, and we must sternly denounce wrongdoing of the European Parliament to set the record straight and to expose its shameless 'double standards' to the world, the spokesperson added. 

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution on Thursday claiming that the so-called "arbitrary prosecution" of anti-government rioter Jimmy Lai in the HKSAR could result in life imprisonment,the Brussels Times reported. The MEPs claimed that the EU member states should suspend extradition treaties with the Chinese mainland and the HKSAR and claim that sanctions to be imposed on the HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee and other officials, the Brussels Times said. 

The European Parliament has entirely no respect for the HKSAR court's independent judgment of the Lai's case, which had been made on the basis of facts and evidence, the HKSAR government's spokesperson said. 

They also refused to acknowledge the evidence set out in the reasons for verdict, and refused to understand the court's considerations and the reasons for verdict. Instead, they wantonly launched attacks, slandered and attacked the HKSAR Government. With the European Parliament distorting facts and confounding right and wrong, its malicious intentions are clearly revealed, the spokesperson added. 

The HKSAR's High Court on December 15, 2025 ruled Jimmy Lai, an instigator of anti-China riots in Hong Kong, guilty on two charges of conspiring to collude with external forces and a charge of conspiracy to publish seditious materials. 

At the opening ceremony of the Legal Year 2026 in the HKSAR on Monday, the Chief Justice Andrew Cheung of Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal also addressed the prosecution of Lai. 

Sentencing remains pending, and appeals may or may not be forthcoming. As expected, the outcome of this high-profile trial has attracted significant international attention and commentary. Also as expected, given the prevailing geopolitical tensions, some of these responses have been critical not only of the prosecution and verdicts, but also of the courts and the rule of law in Hong Kong generally, Cheung said. 

Hong Kong's Basic Law and general laws, along with the national security laws, all guarantee the independence and impartiality of the courts, and the right to a fair trial. They require that court decisions be based on the evidence and legal arguments presented, and not on extraneous considerations or public pressure, Cheung said. 

"I have every confidence that the Court of Appeal and ultimately the Court of Final Appeal will, as always, act with integrity and professionalism in handling any appeals or reviews," he added. 

Hong Kong is a place adopting the rule of law. The European Parliament's act by applying external pressure attempting to intervene Hong Kong's affairs should be condemned, Chu Kar-kin, a veteran commentator based in the HKSAR and member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, told the Global Times on Friday. 

"The convicted should be punished for what he has done which had hurt Hong Kong for decades. Jimmy was treated fairly and in good health conditions under the Hong Kong Correction Service's custody and his healthy should not be an excuse for any mitigation for sentencing," Chu said. 

The European Parliament's resolution is based on a misinterpretation of and interference in China's internal affairs, and does not conform to international law or the basic norms governing international relations, Willy Fu, a law professor who is also the director of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong & Macao Studies, told the Global Times on Friday. 

The Basic Law and the HKNSL ensure that the human rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents, as well as judicial independence, are fully respected and protected, Fu said.