The Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese foreign ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Friday refuted an annual report of the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), stressing that "a lie told a thousand times remains a lie."
The CECC report, full of lies and bias, tried to exert pressure on the HKSAR government and even threatened to provide shelter for offenders from Hong Kong based on U.S. domestic law, a spokesperson of the commissioner's office said in a statement.
It is a flagrant interference in China's internal affairs in breach of international law and basic norms governing international relations, said the statement.
Despite the fact that the "one country, two systems" principle has been earnestly implemented in Hong Kong since its return to the motherland, the CECC report arbitrarily misinterpreted the principle and vilified the Chinese central authorities' just efforts including exercising its legal mandate and enacting the national security law in the HKSAR in accordance with the Constitution of China, the Basic Law of the HKSAR and other laws, the spokesperson said.
The report is intended to undermine "one country, two systems", China's sovereignty and security, as well as the interests of all Chinese people, including Hong Kong compatriots, the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said that it is right and proper for the HKSAR authorities to combat crime and uphold the rule of law, fairness and justice.
Ironically, some in the United States called those who recently stormed the Capitol Hill "rioters" and "villains" but those who committed violent crimes in Hong Kong "peaceful protesters" and "prominent democracy advocates" in yet another outright application of double standards, the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson emphasized that Hong Kong is part of China and any foreign interference of whatever form in Hong Kong affairs, which are China's internal affairs, will be firmly opposed.
Stability is being restored to Hong Kong and any attempt by the U.S. side to hamper "one country, two systems" will be futile, the spokesperson said.
