A spokesperson for the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Monday voiced resolute opposition to the U.S. interference in Hong Kong affairs and urged the U.S. side to correct the wrongdoing.
The spokesperson made the remarks in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's finger-pointing at China's national security legislation for the HKSAR and his threats to revoke preferential trade treatment for Hong Kong.
The U.S. side's hegemonic act on Hong Kong will not benefit the United States itself, nor will it stop the prevailing trend for Hong Kong to embrace greater development, the spokesperson noted.
Noting that safeguarding national security is a reasonable measure by all sovereign states in the world, the spokesperson said national security legislation for the HKSAR is purely China's internal affairs and brooks no foreign interference.
Stressing Hong Kong's important role in the international economic landscape as a global financial, trading and shipping center, the spokesperson said Hong Kong's status as a separate customs territory is recognized by the World Trade Organization.
The status is not given by any specific country, nor will it be changed by the unilateral action of any one country, said the spokesperson.
The threat of so-called sanctions over national security legislation for the HKSAR has demonstrated that the United States was never concerned about democracy and freedom in Hong Kong, nor its stability and prosperity. Instead, the United States just sees Hong Kong as a pawn to contain China's development, which has proved the urgency and imperative for the legislation to oppose external interference, the spokesperson added.
Hong Kong's achievements were made by generations of hard-working Hong Kong residents with the strong support of the motherland, not given by any foreign country, said the spokesperson, adding that the motherland will always be a powerful backing force for Hong Kong.
With joint efforts from all walks of life, Hong Kong will surely overcome difficulties to embrace better development, the spokesperson added.
