The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has said it strongly disapproves of and rejects untruthful remarks, slanders and smears against various aspects of the Hong Kong SAR as contained in the UK’s “Six-monthly report on Hong Kong: January to June 2024”.

The Hong Kong SAR Government said it condemns the UK’s misleading and irresponsible remarks, which wantonly put politics above the rule of law and attempt to interfere in Hong Kong’s law-based governance by means of despicable political manoeuvres.

It highlighted that the core essence of the Sino-British Joint Declaration is about China’s resumption of sovereignty over Hong Kong, and that the declaration did not authorise the UK to interfere in Hong Kong’s affairs following its return to the motherland.

It strongly urged the UK again to discern facts from fallacies, respect international law and basic norms governing international relations, and immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong matters, which it stressed are purely China’s internal affairs.

The Hong Kong SAR Government said it rejects the report’s absurd and false assertions with regard to the laws safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong SAR. It stressed that since the implementation of the National Security Law in Hong Kong, the UK has chosen to overlook the large-scale and incessant riots which occurred in 2019 and devastated Hong Kong’s society, economy and livelihoods.

In August this year, the UK Government took strong measures in response to protests and clashes on UK streets, which it characterised as “far-right thuggery.” Law enforcement authorities and prosecutorial agencies conducted large-scale arrests and prosecutions against those who participated in the riots, and those who published inciting remarks online. The courts operated overnight to deal with cases, remanded most defendants in custody, and passed heavy sentences on those convicted.

By contrast, the Hong Kong SAR Government highlighted, the UK Government has glorified the black-clad violence that occurred in Hong Kong as “pro-democracy protests”, vilified the HKSAR’s law enforcement, prosecutorial and judicial authorities' enactment of their duties as a “violation of human rights”, and continued to unscrupulously distort the facts in a bullying and hypocritical manner.

Last year, the UK passed its National Security Act 2023. The Hong Kong SAR Government said the UK therefore has no right or qualification to make scandalous accusations against Hong Kong’s Basic Law Article 23 legislation and other measures taken by the central authorities and the Hong Kong SAR Government to safeguard national security.

It added that the UK’s distorting remarks confound right and wrong, whilst also disregarding the constitutional duty and practical needs of the Hong Kong SAR to legislate, and the positive effects brought by the enactment of national security legislation on economic development and the protection of human rights.

The Hong Kong SAR Government iterated that with the enactment and implementation of the National Security Law, loopholes in the Hong Kong SAR’s ability to safeguard national security were plugged, allowing Hong Kong society to transition from chaos to order, and for people's livelihoods and economic activities to return to normalcy.

It added that together with the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, which took effect on March 23 this year, the National Security Law has established a comprehensive and effective legal system for safeguarding national security, a strong line of defence to maintain security and stability in the Hong Kong SAR, and solid institutional safeguards to promote good governance.

The Hong Kong SAR Government also highlighted that the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights, guarantee all defendants charged with a criminal offence the right to a fair trial by the judiciary exercising independent judicial power. The Basic Law also provides that the Hong Kong SAR courts shall exercise judicial power independently, free from any interference. The Hong Kong SAR Government stressed that it is extremely inappropriate and against the spirit of the rule of law for the UK to make unwarranted comments on criminal trials which are ongoing in the Hong Kong SAR’s courts.

It added that the laws protecting national security in the Hong Kong SAR safeguard national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, while ensuring the full and faithful implementation of the principle of “one country, two systems”, under which the people of Hong Kong administer Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy. It said they also safeguard the fundamental rights and freedoms of the residents of the Hong Kong SAR and other people in the city, including those doing business in Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong SAR Government said that the UK must immediately act reasonably and sensibly, and stop making continuous malicious attacks on the laws safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong SAR.