HONG KONG - The Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Thursday expressed strong disapproval of and firm opposition against the unwarranted remarks made by certain British politicians about the National Security Law.

A spokesperson for the commissioner’s office said in a statement that over the past year since the law’s implementation, national security has been safeguarded and the rule of law and justice have been upheld in the HKSAR.

The spokesperson said Hong Kong people's rights, freedoms and safety have been earnestly protected while the city underwent a major transition from chaos to stability and “started a new chapter of greater success." 

“Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability could not be maintained without the central government's efforts to end violence and chaos and the guarantee of the National Security Law for the HKSAR,” the statement reads. 

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“We urge certain British politicians to face up to the reality, follow the trend of the times, stop indulging in colonial nostalgia, and immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs in any form. Otherwise, they would surely shoot themselves in the foot,” it added.

The spokesperson pointed out that it was not until Hong Kong returned to China that Hong Kong people started enjoying extensive rights and freedoms. 

The spokesperson added that Hong Kong has risen significantly in international rankings for freedoms, judicial system and the rule of law over the years, “in stark contrast to what happened during the over 150 years of British colonial rule here, when Hong Kong citizens had no democracy or human rights at all”.

The spokesperson noted  that the Public Order Ordinance and the Societies Ordinance during the British rule both imposed draconian restrictions on activities of assembly, procession and association. 

“So on what grounds can the UK, turning a blind eye to the success of ‘one country, two systems’ and saying nothing about its dark past, proclaim itself as a champion of human rights? Isn't absurd that the UK shall shamelessly point fingers at others instead of reflecting upon itself? Such outrageous hypocrisy is simply despicable,” the statement reads.

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The spokesperson pointed out that the legal basis for the Chinese government's governance of the HKSAR after Hong Kong's return are the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China and the Basic Law of the HKSAR, not the Sino-British Joint Declaration. 

The Joint Declaration is essentially about China's resumption of the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong and arrangements for the transitional period, the spokesperson said. 

“In all its eight paragraphs and three annexes, no single word or article confers any responsibility on the UK over Hong Kong after the city's return. The UK has no sovereignty, jurisdiction or right of supervision over Hong Kong since its return. It is purely wishful thinking for the UK to claim any historical responsibility toward Hong Kong,” the statement reads.

The spokesperson emphasized that Hong Kong is part of China, and that its affairs are China's internal affairs. 

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No external interference will ever weaken China's commitment to fully and faithfully implementing "one country, two systems" and to defending national sovereignty, security and development interests, the spokesperson added.