The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has strongly condemned the US government for wantonly smearing the city’s work in preventing, suppressing, and imposing punishment for activities endangering national security in line with the law under the pretext of extending the so-called "national emergency”.

The US has blatantly and repeatedly breached international law and the basic norms underpinning international relations, and vainly interfered with the internal affairs of the People's Republic of China and Hong Kong matters by extending again the so-called “national emergency with respect to Hong Kong, the SAR government said in a statement issued on Friday night.

Terming the act as arbitrary and unreasonable, a government spokesman said the US has time and again made skewed remarks about Hong Kong's situation and imposed the so-called “sanctions” on the SAR, in an attempt to interfere with its law-based governance and undermine the city's rule of law as well as its prosperity and stability.

“Their despicable plots are doomed to fail.”

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Pointing out that endangering national security is a very serious offence, the spokesman said no country will watch with folded arms on acts and activities that endanger national security.

“With at least 21 pieces of laws safeguarding national security in the US, the US exposed their double standards as they pointed fingers at Hong Kong's legal system and enforcement mechanisms to safeguard national security, while totally disregarding the constitutional duty and practical needs of the city to legislate, and the positive effects brought by the enactment of the national security legislation on economic development and the protection of human rights."

Since the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL) more than five years ago, the city’s law enforcement agencies have been taking law enforcement actions based on evidence and strictly in accordance with the law in respect of the acts of the persons or entities concerned and this has nothing to do with their political stance, background or occupation, said the spokesperson.

The Department of Justice is in charge of criminal prosecutions under Article 63 of the Basic Law, with all its prosecutorial decisions made on an objective analysis of all admissible evidence and applicable laws.

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“Everyone charged with a criminal offence will receive fair trial strictly in accordance with laws applicable to Hong Kong (including the HKNSL and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance) and as protected by the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights.”

Since the city’s return to the motherland, human rights have been robustly guaranteed constitutionally by both the Constitution and the Basic Law, the spokesman said, adding that the legal framework in safeguarding national security in the SAR is in line with relevant international human rights standards.

The NSL and the SNSO clearly stipulate that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security. The rights and freedoms enjoyed by the residents under the Basic Law and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as applied to Hong Kong are protected in accordance with the law, the spokesman added.

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The HKSAR government will resolutely and fully implement the HKNSL, the SNSO and relevant laws safeguarding national security in the city to prevent, suppress and impose punishment for acts and activities endangering national security while upholding the people’s rights and freedoms in accordance with the law to ensure the steadfast and successful implementation of the “one country, two systems” principle, said the spokesman.

“The HKSAR government strongly demands the US to immediately stop acting against international law and basic norms of international relations and interfering in Hong Kong matters, which are purely China's internal affairs,” added the spokesman.