This file photo taken on April 1, 2022 shows the Central Government Offices in Hong Kong. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Thursday strongly condemned the United States House Foreign Affairs Committee for its malicious slander against the just and legitimate objective of the implementation of the National Security Law for Hong Kong (NSL).

In a strongly-worded statement, the HKSAR government condemned the committee for passing the so-called Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification Act, saying it was “factually wrong” and politically-oriented.

The act smeared and attacked the work of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (ETOs) in the US — which promote mutually beneficial economic and trade relations and cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and the US — by proposing the removal of the privileges, exemptions and immunities enjoyed by  the ETOs and even their closure, the statement read.

The HKSAR government stressed that if the US insists on undermining the mutually beneficial relations between Hong Kong and the US through the so-called Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification Act, it will ultimately harm the interests of the US and its companies

The HKSAR government condemned such attempts to damage trade relations owing to individual political interests, and sternly urged the US not to violate the basic norms governing international relations and to cease making political smears and attacks on the HKSAR and interfering in Hong Kong matters.

The committee completely disregarded the status of the HKSAR under “one country, two systems”, and committed a malicious slander against the just and legitimate objective of the implementation of the NSL, and ignored the fact that human rights and the rule of law are properly protected in accordance with the law by the HKSAR government. This amounted to a gross interference in the affairs of Hong Kong, the government said.

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The HKSAR government has been establishing and maintaining economic and trade relations with places around the world in accordance with the “one country, two systems” principle and has, pursuant to Article 156 of the Basic Law and legislation of the host countries, set up 14 overseas ETOs as the official representatives of the HKSAR, including the three ETOs in the US — located in Washington, New York and San Francisco.

The smooth operation of the ETOs in the US contributes to strengthening cooperation between Hong Kong and the US, and is mutually beneficial to both places.

The HKSAR government stressed that if the US insists on undermining the mutually beneficial relations between Hong Kong and the US through the so-called Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification Act, it will ultimately harm the interests of the US and its companies.

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The HKSAR is an inalienable part of the People’s Republic of China. The enactment of the NSL aims to improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security, as well as maintain prosperity and stability of the HKSAR. The HKSAR government emphasized that it will continue to resolutely, fully and faithfully implement the NSL to prevent, suppress and punish in accordance with the law acts and activities that endanger national security.