The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and the Commissioner's Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong SAR have strongly opposed “untrue and biased” remarks by the G7 about the city’s lawful act to pursue wanted fugitives endangering national security.

In separate statements on Saturday, they said it is the responsibility of the SAR government to pursue, in accordance with the law, those who are suspected to have committed offenses endangering national security and absconded overseas.

The statements came a day after the United States and Group of Seven Rapid Response Mechanism (G7 RRM) members and associate members criticized the new bounties announced by the city authorities on 16 overseas activists for their involvement in the so-called “Hong Kong Parliament” group.

READ MORE: HK police issue warrants, bounties for 19 subversive group members

The other G7 RRM members are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the European Union.

The Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL) and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance clearly stipulate that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security, said a spokesman for the HKSAR government.

The rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents under the Basic Law and under the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as applicable to the Hong Kong SAR, are protected in accordance with the law, the spokesman added.

“Legislation that safeguards national security only targets a very small number of organizations and individuals that endanger national security.”

On July 25, the National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force announced that 16 absconders, along with three individuals – Yuan Gong-yi, Fok Ka-chi, and Choi Ming-da – who were specified as absconders in June and December 2024, had been placed on the wanted list.

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“These 19 absconders are suspected of having committed offenses under the Hong Kong National Security Law by organizing, establishing, or participating in, outside the HKSAR, a subversive organization named the 'Hong Kong Parliament',” the spokesman said, adding that arrest warrants against the 19 absconding persons were issued in response to applications by police.

On Aug 4, the secretary for security specified the above-mentioned group of 16 persons as absconders and issued notices in the Government Gazette regarding measures to be applied against them.

“Those absconders hiding outside Hong Kong are wanted and subject to arrest warrants issued by the court, not because they 'exercised freedom of expression', but because they continue to blatantly engage in activities endangering national security there,” reads the statement.

Pointing out that the “Hong Kong Parliament” is an organization aiming to subvert state power, the HKSAR government spokesman said the group’s objectives include promoting “self-determination”, promulgating the so-called “Hong Kong Constitution”, and overthrowing or undermining the People's Republic of China’s basic system and central power, or the authorities of the Hong Kong SAR, by unlawful means.

Stressing that endangering national security is a very serious offense which can bring very serious consequences, the spokesman said it is a demonstration of hypocrisy by any external forces to attack the HKSAR’s efforts to dutifully and faithfully safeguard national security in accordance with the law.

READ MORE: Bounties on fugitives: HKSAR govt slams EU's slanderous remarks

The Constitution and the Basic Law steadfastly safeguard the rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents, said the spokesman.

“Any attempt by foreign countries or external forces to undermine Hong Kong's situation will only expose their own weakness and faulty arguments and be doomed to fail,” the statement said, adding that the HKSAR government will continue to unwaveringly discharge its duty in safeguarding national security.

‘Blatant smears’

In a separate statement, the commissioner’s office said the joint statement by the US and the G7 RRM blatantly smeared and vilified the law enforcement actions of the Hong Kong police.

Anti-China disruptors like Yuen Gong-yi have committed egregious acts suspected of seriously violating the HKNSL and attempting to subvert state power, and they must be severely punished, said a spokesperson for the office.

Police’s lawful act of issuing wanted notices for these anti-China disruptors are lawful, justified, well-grounded, in line with public opinion, and both legitimate and necessary for upholding the rule of law in Hong Kong and safeguarding national sovereignty and security, said the spokesperson.

Terming the Western accusation of so-called "transnational repression" by Hong Kong police as completely baseless, the spokesperson said the extraterritorial application of the HKNSL fully aligns with principles of international law, international practice, and the common practices of various countries and regions.

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Emphasizing that Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs and brook no interference from any external forces, the commissioner’s office said any smearing or interference cannot shake the strong determination of the central government and the HKSAR government to safeguard national sovereignty and security, nor can it stop the steadfast implementation of "one country, two systems".

China strongly urges the relevant countries to reflect on themselves, earnestly abide by the basic norms of international relations, genuinely respect the rule of law in the HKSAR, and immediately stop interfering in the city’s affairs and China's internal affairs under any pretext, the office added.