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Question: A UK official tweeted recently that the “arrests of members of the ‘Hong Kong Alliance’ are another chilling demonstration of how the National Security Law is being used to dismantle civil society and stifle political dissent in Hong Kong.” What is your comment on this?
Embassy Spokesperson: The relevant members of the “Hong Kong Alliance” were arrested by the Hong Kong police in accordance with the Implementation Rules of the Law on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong SAR. The facts are clear and the evidence is concrete. The arrests are lawful and necessary steps to safeguard the authority of the Law on Safeguarding National Security and to uphold the rule of law in Hong Kong. The UK official’s remarks have no regard for facts, confuse right and wrong and constitute a blatant interference in Hong Kong affairs. The Chinese side is gravely concerned and strongly opposes this.
Since the Law on Safeguarding National Security came into force, Hong Kong has witnessed the return of social stability, rule of law and justice. The lawful rights and freedoms of the Hong Kong residents and foreign citizens in Hong Kong have been truly safeguarded. The repeated slandering remarks of UK officials targeting this Law are proof enough of the UK’s attempts to disrupt the rule of law in Hong Kong and its reluctance to see the exit of chaos and return of stability.
Hong Kong has long returned to China and its affairs are purely China’s internal affairs. The Chinese side once again urges the UK side to respect the facts and stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs, which are China’s internal affairs, so as to avoid inflicting new damages to the China-UK relationship.
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