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Tuesday, August 13, 2019, 16:37
HK: US lawmakers urged to make a clean break with radicals
By ​China Daily
Tuesday, August 13, 2019, 16:37 By ​China Daily

This Nov 17, 2016 photo shows the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in Central. (PARKER ZHENG / CHINA DAILY)

HONG KONG - China strongly urged American politicians to abide by international law and basic norms governing international relations and make a clean break with violent extremists so as not meddle in Hong Kong affairs.

The Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) condemned a report that US Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and some others had claimed that "Beijing tries to encroach on their (Hong Kong people's) autonomy and freedom" and that "Any violent crackdown would be completely unacceptable". 

In the statement, the spokesman pointed out that while the US showed no mercy towards those who assaulted police on its soil, it selectively turned a blind eye when it came to Hong Kong

In a press statement, a spokesperson for the Commissioner's Office said such remarks distorted the truth and sought to level groundless accusations against the Central and the SAR governments, sending out a gravely wrong signal to violent extremists. 

The spokesperson said that a handful of radical protesters in Hong Kong had ramped up extremist and violent actions, and kept assaulting police in a highly dangerous and brutal manner. 

Such acts not only grossly trampled upon the rule of law and social order of Hong Kong but also posed a grave threat to the security of the citizens, seriously challenging Hong Kong's prosperity and stability and testing the red line of "One Country, Two Systems"

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In the statement, the spokesman pointed out that while the US showed no mercy towards those who assaulted police on its soil, it selectively turned a blind eye when it came to Hong Kong. 

Instead, it described Hong Kong police's efforts to enforce the law in a civilized manner - despite provocations - as a "crackdown" on peaceful protests. 

This "fully reveals the entrenched prejudice, hypocrisy, indifference, selfishness and hegemonic thinking of some American politicians," reads the statement. 

The spokesperson stressed that since the return of Hong Kong to the motherland 22 years ago, the principle of "One Country, Two Systems", the concept of "the people of Hong Kong governing Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy in the SAR have been faithfully implemented. 

"Hong Kong compatriots are now their own masters with unprecedented rights and freedoms in accordance with law" reads the statement. 

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The spokesperson called on the US to respect the just aspiration of the majority of Hong Kong citizens to oppose violence, uphold the rule of law and support police.

The Commissioner's Office reminded the US that Hong Kong ranked globally 16th for its rule of law in 2018 - higher than that of the US - while it ranked below 60th in 1996. 

The spokesperson emphasized in the statement that Hong Kong was part of China, and its affairs were entirely China's domestic affairs, which brooked no interference from any foreign country, organization or individual in any form. 

READ MORE: China urges US to stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs

"No one should ever underestimate China's determination to uphold national sovereignty and security and Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, or expect China to yield to the intimidation and pressure from foreign interfering forces," reads the statement. 

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