HONG KONG, March 30 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Wednesday expressed vehement opposition to the British parliament making up unfounded allegations against the national security law and the legal system in Hong Kong.
A spokesperson for the HKSAR government said, "We take strong exception to the absurd and misleading accusations against the national security law and our legal system. Every country around the world would take threats to its national security extremely seriously. China is no different."
"The promulgation of the national security law is in line with the international practice of safeguarding national security and the exercise of the sovereign rights of our country. It is appalling to see that some politicians have deliberately vilified it by applying double standards and making baseless allegations," the spokesperson noted.
The spokesperson said that extraterritorial application vested with the national security law is in line with the well-recognized international law principle of protective jurisdiction.
"Extraterritoriality is in fact a common feature of national security laws in many countries. The extraterritorial effect provided for in the national security law aligns with the principles of international law and international practice. Criticisms levied against our application of extraterritoriality are clearly tainted with double standards," the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said Hong Kong is a society governed by the rule of law where laws must be observed and lawbreakers held to account. No one person or institution is above the law.
"Judicial independence in Hong Kong after the implementation of the national security law remains robust as ever," said the spokesperson.
"Any attempt to undermine our judicial independence through baseless allegations is futile. These spokesmen usually do not provide any substantiation for there is none," the spokesperson added.
As the Chinese Foreign Ministry has stressed time and again, the Sino-British Joint Declaration stipulated the resumption of the exercise of sovereignty by China over Hong Kong and relevant arrangements during the transition period. With the resumption of the exercise of sovereignty by China over Hong Kong and the completion of follow-up matters, all Britain-related provisions have been fulfilled. Thereafter, the system to be adopted in the HKSAR, as well as how to implement China's basic policies regarding Hong Kong, is purely within the ambit of the sovereignty of China and a matter of China's internal affairs, the spokesperson noted.
"Hong Kong is a part of China, and Hong Kong matters are purely our country's internal affairs. We strongly urge foreign politicians to respect the exercise of sovereign rights by China and immediately stop breaching international laws based on their misconceptions, if not biased political interests," the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the office of the commissioner of the Chinese foreign ministry in the HKSAR on Wednesday expressed strong dissatisfaction over and firm opposition to the British side smearing the national security law in Hong Kong, slandering the rule of law in Hong Kong and grossly interfering in Hong Kong affairs under the pretext of "recalling" British non-permanent members of the Court of Final Appeal.
The spokesperson pointed out that national security legislation is a common international practice. The national security law in Hong Kong has worked to effectively plug legal loopholes in safeguarding national security in the HKSAR, crack down on a small group of criminals who engage in activities endangering national security, and protect the freedom and rights of the majority of Hong Kong residents.
The spokesperson said that since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, "one country, two systems" and the HKSAR Basic Law have been fully and accurately implemented, and the rule of law in Hong Kong has developed continuously under the framework of "one country, two systems".
Ignoring the successful practice of "one country, two systems" and the rule of law in Hong Kong, the British side continues its political manipulation and attempts to make use of "recalling" British non-permanent members of the Court of Final Appeal to discredit the Chinese government's policy towards Hong Kong and smear the development of the rule of law in Hong Kong, the spokesperson said, adding the move exposes its sinister intentions of undermining the practice of "one country, two systems" and disrupting the rule of law and order in Hong Kong.
The spokesperson stressed that Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong and it is governed by the rule of law. No external intervention can shake the foundation of, and the confidence of the international community in the rule of law in Hong Kong.
The office urged the British side to recognize the reality and immediately stop its absurd political performance. ■
