Beijing and Hong Kong authorities condemn G7 and EU statement over Article 23 legislation, national security law
- Commissioner’s office of China’s Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong says ‘double standards’ over security laws ‘are extremely hypocritical’
- Response triggered by statement from G7 foreign ministers and the EU expressing concerns about ‘deterioration of pluralism and civil and political rights’ in city
Beijing’s foreign ministry arm in Hong Kong and the local administration have condemned a statement made by G7 foreign ministers and the European Union raising concerns about the city’s national security laws.
The commissioner’s office of China’s Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong issued a strongly worded statement on Saturday urging external forces to stop interfering in the country’s internal affairs.
“It is really puzzling that some Western countries are uneasy about the legitimate measures taken by [Hong Kong] to safeguard national security,” an office spokesman said.
“Such double standards are extremely hypocritical and fully expose their true purpose of using Hong Kong to contain China.”
The spokesman said the US and Western countries had the world’s most stringent national security laws, with the former introducing more than 20 related laws, while Britain also passed a new bill last year defining “foreign interference” as a criminal offence.
Hong Kong’s domestic national security law had plugged loopholes in protecting the city’s safety, which was a turning point in driving it from chaos to order, he said.
