This undated photo shows the Central Government Offices in Tamar, Hong Kong. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

HONG KONG — The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Thursday expressed strong disapproval and firm rejection of the baseless remarks, slanders and smears by the United Kingdom and other countries through a so-called "media freedom in Hong Kong" event against the situation of human rights and freedom in the HKSAR.

In a statement, a spokesman for the HKSAR government said such remarks amount to political manipulation that disregards and even twists facts. The political maneuver of the countries concerned, with an ill intent to interfere with Hong Kong's law-based governance and undermine the city's rule of law as well as its prosperity and stability, is “distinctly despicable and doomed to fail”. 

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"The HKSAR Government strongly urges the countries concerned to discern facts from fallacies, respect the international law and basic norms governing international relations, and immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong matters, which are purely China's internal affairs," the spokesman said.

The spokesman reiterated that the HKSAR government will keep resolutely, fully and faithfully implementing the NSL and further strengthen the HKSAR's legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security to prevent, suppress and punish in accordance with the law acts and activities that endanger national security

The spokesman stressed that since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the city’s residents have been enjoying the rights and freedoms under the Basic Law, the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance and other relevant laws. 

In fact, since the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL) in 2020, people's rights and freedoms have been better protected and the media landscape in Hong Kong has remained vibrant, the spokesman added. 

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“As always, the media can exercise their freedom of the press in accordance with the law. Their freedom of commenting on and criticizing government policies remains uninhibited as long as this is not in violation of the law."

The spokesman said Hong Kong is a society underpinned by the rule of law and has always adhered to the principle that laws must be obeyed and lawbreakers be held accountable. Any suggestion that people, institutions and organizations from certain backgrounds or occupations be immune from legal sanctions for their illegal acts and activities is equal to granting privileges to them to break the law. 

“It is totally contrary to the spirit of the rule of law and nonsensical,” the spokesman was quoted as saying in the statement.

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The spokesman reiterated that the HKSAR government will keep resolutely, fully and faithfully implementing the NSL and further strengthen the HKSAR's legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security to prevent, suppress and punish in accordance with the law acts and activities that endanger national security. 

At the same time, the government shall safeguard the rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong people in accordance with the law. Its overarching goal is to ensure the steadfast and successful implementation of “one country, two systems”.