US urged to stop making false remarks

The Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region yesterday urged the United States to stop disseminating false remarks over the HKSAR government’s proposal to amend the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance.

“We deplore and firmly oppose the US disregard of international law and the basic norms governing international relations and its interference in Hong Kong affairs, which are China’s domestic affairs,” a spokesperson of the commissioner’s office said.

The statement was in response to remarks by a spokesperson of the US State Department over the legal amendments.

Since Hong Kong’s return to the motherland, the principle of “one country, two systems” has been strictly implemented, the level of human rights protection and rule of law in Hong Kong has been remarkably upgraded, and Hong Kong’s status as an international financial, trade and shipping center has been continuously consolidated, the spokesperson said.

The HKSAR government has repeatedly emphasized that the amendments of the two ordinances are aimed to plug legal loopholes and uphold social justice and are in accordance with international law and common practice, the spokesperson said.

“We urge the United States to stop disseminating irresponsible and false remarks, stop intervening in HKSAR’s normal legislative process, and stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and other domestic affairs of China,” the spokesperson said.