The actions of Julie Eadeh, the new US consul general to the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, since assuming her post a few weeks ago, are not merely intriguing but constitute a blatant continuation of a well-established pattern of interference. Her meetings with local figures linked to past anti-government campaigns, such as Anson Chan Fang On-sang and Emily Lau Wai-hing, are far from an unintentional misstep; they are a deliberate political provocation. However, today’s Hong Kong has achieved a historic transition from chaos to order under the solid protection of the Hong Kong SAR National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.

Hong Kong society is well aware of the dubious and despicable records of individuals like Chan and Lau. Their presence in Eadeh’s inaugural reception was not apolitical. Such gatherings reminded Hong Kong people of the “old script” of collusion. However, this high-profile posturing exposed strategic anxiety and, more importantly, could have violated fundamental principles of international law governing diplomatic conduct. The 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, a cornerstone of international order, explicitly mandates that diplomats have a duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of the receiving state (Article 41). Eadeh's actions blatantly contravene this fundamental obligation, reducing diplomatic norms to a sham.

Eadeh is not a novice to conduct that dangles close to the line between diplomacy and subversion. Her involvement in the 2019-20 turmoil in Hong Kong is particularly telling. Beyond her widely reported meeting with Joshua Wong Chi-fung, Nathan Law Kwun-chung and other leaders of the 2019 anti-government campaign, media investigations and reports have revealed other dubious behavior. She reportedly attended closed-door briefings with radical local groups, offering them strategies on how to leverage external pressure to force the HKSAR government to submit. She was also implicated in facilitating the flow of information and resources to those groups. This documented history reveals a consistent disregard for diplomatic norms and a clear intent to fuel disruption in Hong Kong.

Any foreign interference in the SAR will be met with resolute countermeasures and severe punishment. Foreign envoys are welcome in Hong Kong, but they should strictly abide by international law and the principle of noninterference, and respect China’s sovereignty over the Hong Kong SAR.

Since the enactment of the NSL, Lau and Chan have largely faded from public view. Their recent reemergence and meeting with US consular officials can be viewed from two perspectives. First, they might have intended to test the tolerance of the central government and the Hong Kong SAR government regarding external collusion and law enforcement boundaries, paving the way for further action by opposition forces.

Second, by attracting media attention, they could be trying to display their “continued international influence”, with the aim of rallying political radicals lurking in the dark.

But political forces that are tempted to collude with external forces are to be reminded: The NSL and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance have formed an impregnable legal bastion, ending the era of national security being “undefended” in the SAR. The legal sword hangs high, ready to deliver swift and severe justice.

Recent accolades, such as Hong Kong being ranked the world's freest economy by the Fraser Institute and maintaining its position as the third global financial center, highlight the city's successful return to stability and prosperity after the implementation of national security laws that leave no room for external infiltration and sabotage.  Any “reckless move” would be futile, much akin to a mantis trying to stop a moving chariot, and could cause a backlash.

Hong Kong is part of a big and strong country that is not subject to foreign bullying. Any foreign interference in the SAR will be met with resolute countermeasures and severe punishment. Foreign envoys are welcome in Hong Kong, but they should strictly abide by international law and the principle of noninterference, and respect China’s sovereignty over the Hong Kong SAR.

The author is a law professor, director of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, and president of the Association for the Promotion of Rule of Law, Education and Technologies.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.