China condemns U.S. proposed sanctions on Hong Kong officials

The spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council strongly condemned the proposed sanctions on Hong Kong government officials and judicial personnel by U.S. politicians on Sunday.

The statement came in response to a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers introducing legislation calling on the Biden administration to impose sanctions on 49 top Hong Kong justice officials and judges.

The spokesperson characterized the actions of these U.S. politicians as reflecting their ugly arrogance and weakness in resorting to desperate measures. They emphasized that the rule of law in Hong Kong has received international acclaim.

The spokesperson said that it is entirely justifiable for Hong Kong government officials and judicial personnel to exercise their law enforcement, prosecution, and judicial powers in safeguarding national security and upholding the rule of law.

Furthermore, the spokesperson criticized the U.S. politicians for their disregard of the spirit of the rule of law and international justice in threatening to sanction Hong Kong officials and said their tactics were "futile and pointless."

The spokesperson said that their desperate attempts aimed to "save their agents in Hong Kong" and that this openly revealed their relationship with individuals like Jimmy Lai, who have "endangered China's national security."

The spokesperson added that external interference cannot stop Hong Kong's progress from "chaos to stability and prosperity."