China expresses strong condemnation against US Senate's passing of Hong Kong-related legislation
China on Wednesday expressed strong condemnation against and firm opposition to the US Senate's passing of the so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act 2019, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said in a press statement. The following is the full text of statement:
On November 19, the US Senate passed the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. This act neglects facts and truth, applies double standards and blatantly interferes in Hong Kong affairs and China's other internal affairs. It is in serious violation of international law and basic norms governing international relations. China condemns and firmly opposes it.
Over the past five months or so, radical, violent and criminal practices have severely threatened people's safety and property, disrupted rule of law and social order, undermined prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and challenged the bottom line of "one country, two systems". The issue Hong Kong faces is not about human rights or democracy, but about stopping violence and chaos, upholding rule of law and restoring order as soon as possible. The central government will continue to firmly support the SAR government in lawfully administering Hong Kong, support the police in enforcing law, and support the judicial organs in punishing violent criminals, protecting the life and property of citizens and safeguarding prosperity and stability in Hong Kong.
Since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the practice of "one country, two systems" has been proven to be a universally recognized success. Citizens now enjoy democratic rights at an unprecedented level and lawfully practice their freedoms. The act passed by the US Senate remains blind on facts and Hong Kong people's wellbeing. Out of hidden political agenda, this act paints criminal moves as pursuit of human rights and democracy when the truth is violent criminals rampantly smashed facilities, set fire, bullied and attacked innocent civilians, forcibly occupied university campuses, mobbed young students, and assaulted police officers in a premeditated way. The aim is to bolster anti-China, extremist and violent radicals who attempt to disrupt Hong Kong, damage Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, so that they can contain China by making a fuss out of the Hong Kong issue, which is exactly the malicious intention of certain people. Such a move will not only undermine China's interests but also the US interests in Hong Kong, too. In fact, all those attempts to interfere in or impede China's development will be in vain.
I'd like to stress once again that Hong Kong is part of China, and Hong Kong affairs are China's internal affairs. We urge the US to grasp the situation, stop its wrongdoing before it's too late, and immediately take measures to prevent this act from becoming law. The US should immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China's other internal affairs, or the negative consequences will boomerang on itself. China will have to take strong countermeasures to defend our national sovereignty, security and development interests if the US insists on making the wrong decisions.
Serious protest
A spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of China's State Council on Wednesday made serious protest to and strongly condemned the passing of the act.
The move grossly interfered in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs, seriously violated international laws and the basic norms governing international relations and blatantly bolstered the opposition and radical violent criminals in Hong Kong, which once again laid bare in front of the whole world the overbearing nature of some US politicians and their evil attempt to contain China's development, said spokesperson Yang Guang.
The continuous violent criminal activities in Hong Kong have seriously trampled the rule of law and social order, disturbed Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, challenged the bottom line of the "one country, two systems" principle, Yang said, adding that some of the violent behaviors were inhumane and appalling.
Facts have proved that the biggest risk facing Hong Kong now is rampant violence, not the so-called issue of democracy and human rights, Yang said, adding that the behaviors of some US politicians have completely confused right and wrong and confounded black and white, and are double standards with total disregard to principles.
Yang underscored the Chinese government's unswerving determination to protect national sovereignty, security and development interests, implement the "one country, two systems" policy and oppose any external force in interfering in Hong Kong's affairs.
"Nothing can stop the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," he said, noting that Hong Kong will maintain long-term prosperity and stability with the strong support of the motherland and the law-based rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents will be fully protected.
"We advise some US politicians to immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs, and abandon those foolish moves that benefit nobody but instead hurt themselves," he said.
The Liaison Office of the Chinese Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region also expressed strong indignation and condemnation against the passage of the act.
"Plenty of facts have shown that the collusion between anti-China elements in the United States and the extreme radical forces in Hong Kong is the main driving force behind the prolonged violence and chaos in Hong Kong," the office said in a statement.
While the Hong Kong society is calling for ending violence and chaos and restoring order, the US Congress and some politicians are bolstering up rioters and the forces that are anti-China and creating chaos in Hong Kong, said the statement, adding that these acts have fully exposed their hypocrisy as well as their evil intentions to further push Hong Kong into turmoil and contain China's peaceful development.
"The fully escalating violence and recurring, appalling criminal acts by radicals that struck Hong Kong recently, have caused deaths of innocent civilians, store vandalism, severe traffic disruption and suspension of classes at schools, inflicted severe damage on the fundamental rights and freedoms of residents, which is intolerable in any civilization or society with the rule of law," the statement said.
At this critical moment, however, some Americans are intentionally whitewashing the violent crimes and terror activities, and blatantly betraying the shared belief of justice and conscience of the world, said the statement.
All the Chinese people, including Hong Kong compatriots, resolutely oppose the so-called act, the statement said, adding that a prosperous and stable Hong Kong will also be in the interests of people of the United States and other countries of the world.
China will take strong countermeasures in response to the wrong decision of the United States, resolutely uphold its sovereignty, security and development interests, as well as the "one country, two systems," and firmly oppose any external force in interfering in Hong Kong affairs, the statement said.
The statement urged the US side to immediately stop playing with fire, terminate the follow-up procedures related to the so-called act, and refrain from going further on the wrong path.