The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has condemned Taiwan's authorities over their claim that the risks of travelling to Hong Kong have increased following the implementation of national security laws in the city.
 

In a statement last night, the Hong Kong SAR Government said it strongly opposes Taiwan’s smears and slanders, adding that these amount to a malicious political manoeuvre. 

Under the pretext of raising the region’s travel alert status with regard to Hong Kong, Taiwan’s authorities say the risks of travelling to the city have increased after the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL) and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO).
 

Last night’s statement highlighted that safeguarding national security is a constitutional duty and an inherent right of all sovereign states, in accordance with international law and international practice based on the Charter of the United Nations.
 

It pointed out that many common law jurisdictions, including western countries such as the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, as well as Singapore, have enacted multiple pieces of legislation to safeguard national security. It added that Taiwan’s authorities choose to turn a blind eye to this and have revealed their own doubled standards by smearing and demonising the NSL and SNSO
 

The statement also reiterated that the legal framework for safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong SAR is fully compliant with international standards for the protection of human rights.
 

It said the NSL and the SNSO target acts endangering national security with precision, and define the elements and penalties of all offences with clarity. 

It added that the Hong Kong SAR’s law enforcement agencies take actions based on evidence and strictly in accordance with the law, and that prosecutors must prove actus reus and mens rea beyond reasonable doubt in relation to the offences defendants are accused of before they can be convicted in court. 
 

The statement stressed that ordinary travellers, including those from China’s Taiwan region, will not unwittingly violate the law and that offences under the NSL and SNSO only target an extremely small minority of people who endanger national security and the safety of Hong Kong.
 

The Hong Kong SAR Government added that safeguarding national security is fundamentally consistent with respecting and protecting human rights, and highlighted that Hong Kong’s laws protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of residents and others, while ensuring property and investments in the city are protected.