This Nov 17, 2016 photo shows the Commissioner's Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region at Central. (PARKER ZHENG / CHINA DAILY)
The Commissioner’s Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the HKSAR government on Thursday forcefully condemned the slanderous comments and blatant interference by four former United States consul generals to Hong Kong on Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s case.
The quartet previously issued a joint statement urging the Hong Kong government to release Lai, founder of the now-shuttered Apply Daily who was tried on charges under the National Security Law for Hong Kong.
A spokesperson for the commissioner’s office pointed out that Lai’s case has entered the judicial process and no external forces have the right to issue random comments. Some foreign forces have excused, harbored and embellished Lai, denigrated and pressurized the SAR government, and blatantly interfered with the administration of justice in the SAR, which seriously violated the spirit of the rule of law, the principles of international law and the basic principles of international relations.
This type of behavior demonstrated blatant political manipulation and double standards, said the spokesperson.
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Lai’s trial began on Dec 18 and is expected to span about 80 days
The office urged the US to respect the spirit of the rule of law and immediately stop interfering with the administration of justice in the SAR and China’s internal affairs.
The spokesperson also said that the central government firmly and accurately implements the principle of “one country, two systems” and fully supports the HKSAR in punishing crimes endangering national security in accordance with the law.
People who genuinely support “one country, two systems” are always welcome to contribute to the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, while any foreign forces meddling in the SAR's affairs under the pretext of “caring about Hong Kong” are unacceptable.
In another statement by the HKSAR government, a spokesperson said, “Any attempt by any country, organization, or individual to interfere with the judicial proceedings in the HKSAR by means of political power, media or any other means, thereby resulting in a defendant not being able to have a fair trial that one should receive, is a reprehensible act undermining the rule of law of Hong Kong.”
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The spokesman said that any statement with the intention to interfere with or obstruct the course of justice, or behaviors with the same intent, is likely to constitute the offence of criminal contempt of court or the offence of perverting the course of justice.
The HKSAR government urged the US and the former consuls general to discern facts, and stop interfering in the Hong Kong's internal affairs and the HKSAR courts’ independent exercise of judicial power immediately.
Lai’s trial began on Dec 18 and is expected to span about 80 days. He faces one count of conspiracy to print, publish, sell, offer for sale, distribute, display or reproduce seditious publications, and two counts of conspiracy to collude with external forces to endanger national security. The sedition charge and one of the collusion charges were also brought against three Apple Daily-related companies. Another collusion charge against Lai has been left on the court file at the prosecution’s request.
