SARs reject US report as biased interference
HONG KONG — The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Saturday strongly disapproved of and opposed the socalled “2023 Annual Report” issued by the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China, which made biased, slandering and smearing remarks against the situation in the HKSAR.
A spokesperson for the HKSAR government said that the so-called “sanctions” as mentioned in the report smacks of despicable political manipulation to intimidate the HKSAR officials safeguarding national security. The spokesperson condemned the acts as gross interference in China’s internal affairs, and said the acts violated international law and the basic norms governing international relations.
The HKSAR is not intimidated by such despicable behavior, and will steadfastly safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, and fully and faithfully live up to the highest principle of
“one country, two systems”.
The HKSAR government will uphold the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong people in accordance with the law, the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson demanded the US immediately stop acting against international law and basic norms of international relations and interfering in China’s internal affairs.
The Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong SAR also expressed strong dissatisfaction with and firm opposition to the US report, saying it is “full of ignorance, lies and prejudice and distorts the facts”.
A spokesperson of the office said that since Hong Kong’s return to the motherland 27 years ago, the principles of “one country, two systems”, “Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong” and a high degree of autonomy have been effectively implemented; the rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents in accordance with the law have been fully protected; and the achievements in economic and social development have been recognized by all.
The spokesperson said that intervention and sanctions will not shake China’s firm resolve to safeguard national sovereignty, security, development interests and Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability, nor will it stop the city’s progress from stability to prosperity in Hong Kong and the great cause of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
On Sunday, the Macao SAR government expressed strong opposition to the unsubstantiated accusations made by the United States, making reference to the United Nations Human Rights Council’s latest review of Macao and amendments introduced to the city’s Law on Safeguarding National Security.
The Macao SAR government underlined that the recently released US report adopts a selective approach to the Human Rights Council’s concluding observations, in a “typical practice of quoting parts of the report out of context that does not gain popularity.”
The Commissioner’s Office of the Foreign Ministry in the Macao SAR also strongly opposed the US’ so-called annual report on Sunday.
A spokesperson for the office said that the amendment and implementation of the Macao SAR’s national security law further strengthened the institutional foundation of national security and provided stronger protection for the legitimate rights and freedoms of Macao residents, which is in line with internationally accepted practices and has received general support from all sectors of the community.
The spokesperson pointed out that the US should reflect on its own brutal law enforcement and human rights violations and immediately stop interfering in Macao’s affairs and China’s internal affairs at large.