BEIJING, April 1 (Xinhua) -- China firmly rejects and strongly condemns a so-called U.S. report on Hong Kong and urges the United States to stop interfering in China's domestic affairs including Hong Kong affairs in any form, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a daily news briefing that the so-called U.S. "Hong Kong Policy Act Report" is composed of falsehoods and disinformation.
It is a vicious attack on China's "one country, two systems," the Law on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, said Guo.
He added that the report seeks to smear Hong Kong's democracy, rule of law, exercise of freedoms, and human rights conditions, and it interferes in Hong Kong's handling of national security cases and mischaracterizes the extraterritorial application of the law.
The announced U.S. unilateral sanctions on officials representing the central government in Hong Kong and officials of the HKSAR government are groundless and unjustified. The sanctions and the report constitute grave interference in China's internal affairs including Hong Kong affairs, said Guo, noting that China firmly rejects and strongly condemns this.
Guo pointed out that since the return of Hong Kong, the Chinese government has fully, faithfully and firmly implemented the "one country, two systems," Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong and a high degree of autonomy.
The central government adopted and put into force the Law on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR and the HKSAR government formulated and implemented the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance. The aim is to put in place a stronger legal system of upholding national security, better safeguard the rights and freedoms legally enjoyed by Hong Kong residents, and ensure the steady and sustained implementation of "one country, two systems," Guo said.
This move also fully reflects the shared aspiration of all Chinese people, including Hong Kong compatriots, Guo said.
The HKSAR police took measures in accordance with the law against anti-China rioters who have fled Hong Kong, and the HKSAR judicial authorities handle national security cases in accordance with the law and in an independent and just manner, he said, noting that such practice is in line with international law and common practice and brooks no interference from the U.S. side.
The United States on the one hand keeps overstretching and abusing the concept of national security, stepping up illegal unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction, yet on the other deliberately smearing and attacking the efforts of China's central government and the HKSAR government in upholding national security in Hong Kong in accordance with the law, and abusing sanctions, which once again exposes the U.S. hypocritical double standard and domineering nature, Guo said.
Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong and Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs, Guo said, stressing that the Chinese government has unwavering resolve in upholding national sovereignty, security and development interests, implementing the "one country, two systems," and opposing interference in Hong Kong affairs by any external forces.
"We urge the United States to abide by the principles of international law and basic norms governing international relations, and stop interfering in China's domestic affairs including Hong Kong affairs in any form. We will take resolute countermeasures in response to the U.S. erroneous practice," the spokesperson said. Enditem
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