HONG KONG - The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has strongly opposed the passage of the "Hong Kong Autonomy Act" by the United States Congress. 

In a statement issued on Friday evening, a spokesman for the HKSAR government said Hong Kong is an inalienable part of the People’s Republic of China, and the implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle in the HKSAR is entirely the internal affairs of the PRC.

No other state or legislature has the right to intervene, directly or indirectly, in those internal affairs, the spokesman said. 

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"Some members of the US Congress claimed that the passage of the Act was in response to the enactment of the national security law in Hong Kong. This is totally misguided. National security is a matter that falls under the purview of the Central Authorities and the National Security Law enacted on June 30 2020 by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee is a national law which by virtue of relevant provisions in Article 18 of the Basic Law shall be applied in the HKSAR," the spokesman said.

We reiterate that any 'sanctions' imposed under the Act will not create an obligation for financial institutions under Hong Kong law.

Spokesman, HKSAR government

In view of the increasingly pronounced national security risks faced by the HKSAR, especially since the escalating violence and social chaos last June, the enactment of national security legislation was timely, reasonable and rational, the spokesman said.

"The National Security Law seeks to prevent, suppress and impose punishment for four types of acts and activities that seriously endanger national security. It targets an extremely small minority of people without adversely affecting the basic rights and freedoms legitimately enjoyed by Hong Kong people…  The law will not affect the high degree of autonomy, judicial independence and the rule of law in Hong Kong," the spokesman said.

The spokesman said the act and the so-called "sanctions" are "totally unacceptable" and that they would only harm the relations and common interests between Hong Kong and the US.

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"We reiterate that any 'sanctions' imposed under the Act will not create an obligation for financial institutions under Hong Kong law.  We urge the US side to act responsibly by refraining from taking measures that may potentially affect the normal operations of financial institutions and the vast number of customers they serve," the spokesman said in the statement.

The spokesman urged the US Congress to immediately stop interfering in HKSAR's internal matters, adding that countermeasures may be adopted by the central government as well as the HKSAR government as and when needed.