China to foreign critics: HK law none of your business

BEIJING: China slammed international criticism yesterday over a controversial new national security law for Hong Kong, saying other countries should keep quiet.

Western governments and critics warned that the law would curb the city’s freedoms and undermine the “One Country, Two Systems” policy meant to protect freedoms unseen on the mainland.

Beijing officials rebuffed the criticism at a press conference.

“What’s this got to do with you?” said Zhang Xiaoming of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council. “It’s none of your business.”

Officials insisted that there had been wide consultation with members of Hong Kong society and hit back at criticism it was undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy.

“If what we want is one country, one system, it would have been simple,” Zhang said.

“We are completely able to impose the criminal law, the criminal procedure and the national security law and other national laws on Hong Kong. Why would we need to put so much effort into formulating a national security law tailor-made for Hong Kong?”

Zhang insisted that the law, which he said cannot be applied retrospectively, was only to target “a handful of criminals” and “not the entire opposition camp”.