U.S. has no right to interfere in Hong Kong affairs: commissioner's office of Chinese foreign ministry

Hong Kong (China) Apr 3: The U.S. blatant interference in Hong Kong affairs has once again exposed its notorious "double standards" and arrogant bullying mentality, the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) said on Friday.
A spokesperson of the commissioner's office made the remarks in a statement in response to an article published by the head of the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong in the South China Morning Post, a local newspaper, on April 2. The article confused right and wrong, maliciously slandered the national security law in Hong Kong, and wantonly attacked the central government's lawful act of improving the electoral system of the HKSAR, the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said that both the introduction of the national security law in Hong Kong and the improvement of the electoral system of the HKSAR are aimed at preventing the "one country, two systems" principle from being distorted, as well as safeguarding Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability.
The national security law in Hong Kong plugs the loopholes in safeguarding national security in Hong Kong, while the improvement of the HKSAR's electoral system ensures the implementation of the "patriots administering Hong Kong" principle.
If these facts had made Hong Kong a place that some people in the U.S. side claimed they no longer know, then it becomes clear that their understanding of "one country, two systems" is wrong and biased. This is why it is timely and necessary for the central government to exercise the powers conferred by the Constitution and the HKSAR Basic Law to get the fundamentals of "one country, two systems" right.
The spokesperson pointed out that safeguarding national security through legislation is a country's sovereign affairs and a common international practice, and the principle of "administration by patriots" has long been a common practice in all countries around the world. The United States, while having the most impenetrable national security law in the world, interfered in China's implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong for no reason, said the spokesperson.
Some people in the United States plausibly stated that "patriotism cannot be legislated," but the U.S. laws clearly stipulate that the principle of the basic responsibility of government personnel is to be loyal to the U.S. Constitution and laws. The U.S. criminal law clearly stipulates that people who commit riots, treason and other crimes are not allowed to hold public office.
The spokesperson said that during the social unrest in Hong Kong in 2019, street violence and advocation of "Hong Kong independence" and "mutual destruction" were rampant. Rioters stormed the Legislative Council building and violently attacked police officers and ordinary people. However, some U.S. politicians glorified such acts as a "peaceful demonstration."
In contrast, in January this year, when the similar situation appeared in the United States, the U.S. side denounced the uprising as a "riot" and branded the demonstrators as rioters and extremists, clearly showing the "double standards" of the U.S. side, the spokesperson said.
The U.S. side said it would stand with the people of Hong Kong and ask the HKSAR government to respond to public opinion, but in fact, the vast majority of Hong Kong residents are eager to maintain the rule of law and social stability, and to oppose violence, "mutual destruction" and external interference, said the spokesperson.
Last year, more than 2.92 million people in Hong Kong signed to show support for the national security law in Hong Kong. Recently, over 2.38 million signatures were collected to support the decision of the National People's Congress on improving the electoral system of the HKSAR, the spokesperson noted.
The spokesperson said that under the pretext of human rights and freedoms, the U.S. government and Congress passed Hong Kong-related bills and introduced various so-called "sanctions," which seriously endangered China's sovereign security, trampled on Hong Kong's the rule of law and undermined Hong Kong's prosperity and stability. Therefore, it is fair enough to say that they are interfering in Hong Kong affairs.
The spokesperson stressed that with the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong and the new electoral system in place, the institutional foundation of "one country, two systems" will be more solid, the rights and freedom enjoyed by Hong Kong residents according to law will be better protected, and the lifestyle that Hong Kong residents are accustomed to will not change.
It is for sure that the days, when foreign forces regarded Hong Kong as an "undefended city," acted recklessly and even regarded Hong Kong as an independent or semi-independent political entity, are gone forever, the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said that any intervention, pressure and so-called "sanctions" by external forces cannot stop the Chinese government's determination to comprehensively and accurately implement "one country, two systems," nor can they shake the firm will of the Chinese government and people to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests.
The spokesperson urged the United States to face up to its own problems, mind its own business, abide by international laws and basic norms governing international relations, and stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs under the guise of human rights, freedom and democracy.
Source: Xinhua