21-3-2024 (HONG KONG) China has urged the UK to cease making “unfounded accusations” regarding Hong Kong’s new national security law, condemning countries that seek to “smear” the legislation which critics argue further imperils freedoms in the former British colony.
The law was unanimously passed by Hong Kong lawmakers on Tuesday (March 19), swiftly enacting measures to address perceived threats and clamp down on dissent following the 2019 pro-democracy protests that rocked the territory.
In response to British Foreign Secretary David Cameron’s remarks asserting that the law will have significant repercussions and exacerbate the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, the Chinese Embassy in Britain stated on Wednesday that Hong Kong affairs are “solely China’s internal affairs,” dismissing the UK’s authority to make baseless comments.
Similarly, the United States voiced concerns over the potential for the new law to hasten the closure of Hong Kong’s once-open society.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian addressed criticism of the legislation during a regular daily press briefing, expressing China’s strong opposition to countries and institutions that cast aspersions on the law.
Lin reiterated China’s unwavering resolve to resist any external interference in Hong Kong affairs, asserting that attacks on national security protections amount to unwarranted defamation. He emphasised that such attempts would ultimately fail.
Following Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule, the preservation of its freedoms, including freedom of speech, was guaranteed under the “one country, two systems” framework. However, critics argue that the enactment of the 2020 national security law has rapidly eroded these freedoms.
