Allegations at US congressional hearing ‘unfounded’

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has expressed deep regret over remarks made by some Hong Kong people at a US Congressional-Executive Commission on China hearing.

These people made serious and unfounded allegations on recent violent protests in Hong Kong and requested the US Congress to pass the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act at the hearing, the HKSAR government said in a statement issued on Sept 18.

It expressed deep regret over their actions and reiterated that foreign legislatures should not interfere in the city’s internal affairs.

Since Hong Kong’s return to the motherland, it has been exercising “Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong” and a high degree of autonomy in strict accordance with the Basic Law, according to the statement.

The “one country, two systems” principle has been fully and successfully implemented, while human rights and freedoms in Hong Kong are fully protected by the Basic Law, the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance and other legislation, the statement read.

It added that there has been a series of protests in Hong Kong with continuous escalation of violence in the past few months during which protesters committed extensive destructive acts, such as hurling gasoline bombs, setting fires and paralyzing traffic.

Police have been exercising a high level of restraint and have been carrying out enforcement actions in strict accordance with the law, the statement noted.

Regarding the use of force, it said police officers give prior warning and use necessary, minimum and appropriate force.

The HKSAR government stressed that police enforcement actions aim to restore public order as soon as possible and to protect the lives and properties of members of the public, and reiterated that it fully supports police to strictly enforce the law and bring offenders to justice.

It also respects the public’s freedoms and rights of assembly, procession and expression.