China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government Friday expressed strong opposition to the passage of the so-called "Hong Kong Autonomy Act" by the U.S. Congress.

A spokesman for the HKSAR government said, "Once again, we urge the U.S. Congress to immediately stop interfering in HKSAR's internal matters. The 'Hong Kong Autonomy Act' and the so-called 'sanctions' are totally unacceptable.

"The passage of successive laws targeting the HKSAR, an inalienable part of the People's Republic of China (PRC), by the U.S. legislature under the pretext of human rights, democracy and autonomy is a blatant breach of obligations and respect between nations. On national security legislation which is invariably the jurisdiction of the central government of any country, the U.S. legislature has clearly displayed double standards which is deeply regretted."

The spokesman said that for those who were still ignorant about the HKSAR's constitutional order, they should be reminded that the national Constitution and the Basic Law of the HKSAR form the constitutional basis of the HKSAR. The implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle in the HKSAR is entirely the internal affairs of the PRC. No other state or legislature has the right to intervene, directly or indirectly, in those internal affairs.

Some members of the U.S. Congress claimed that the passage of the "Hong Kong Autonomy Act" was in response to the enactment of the national security law in Hong Kong. This is totally misguided, said the spokesman, adding that national security is a matter that falls under the purview of the central authorities and the national security law enacted on June 30, 2020, by the National People's Congress Standing Committee is a national law which by virtue of relevant provisions in Article 18 of the HKSAR Basic Law shall be applied in the HKSAR.

"In view of the increasingly pronounced national security risks faced by the HKSAR, especially since the escalating violence and social chaos last June, close to three million Hong Kong people took part in a signature campaign over eight days to show their support for the enactment of national security legislation by the central authorities, which was considered timely, reasonable and rational," the spokesman said.

The national security law for the HKSAR seeks to prevent, suppress and impose punishment for four types of acts and activities that seriously endanger national security. It targets an extremely small minority of people without adversely affecting the basic rights and freedoms legitimately enjoyed by Hong Kong people. It is an important step to improve the "one country, two systems" institutional system and represents an essential and timely decision for restoring stability in Hong Kong.

The law will not affect the high degree of autonomy, judicial independence and the rule of law in Hong Kong, according to the spokesman.

The spokesman reiterated that any "sanctions" imposed under the "Hong Kong Autonomy Act" will not create an obligation for financial institutions under Hong Kong law. "We urge the U.S. side to act responsibly by refraining from taking measures that may potentially affect the normal operations of financial institutions and the vast number of customers they serve."

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