HONG KONG – Officials from the central and Hong Kong governments have castigated the European Parliament’s resolution which smeared Hong Kong’s efforts to safeguard national security, and the United States’ maintenance of a travel alert on Hong Kong.

Adopted by the parliament, the resolution advocates revoking Hong Kong’s special trade privileges and calls for targeted sanctions against Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and other officials.

Meanwhile, the US Department of State remained a “Level 2” alert for those intending to travel to Hong Kong, warning that travelers should “exercise increased caution”.

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In response, the Commissioner’s Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong said that the European Parliament’s resolution is an attempt to interfere in the judicial proceedings of Hong Kong’s national security cases, tarnishes Hong Kong’s national security laws and regulations, and constitutes an affront to the principles of the rule of law.

The office strongly urged the US to rescind its so-called travel advisory, and emphasized that Hong Kong is one of the safest and most livable cities in the world. The enactment and implementation of the National Security Law for Hong Kong (NSL) and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance respect and defend human rights, and brought a more stable and secure environment to the HKSAR, said the office.

On Thursday, a spokesman for the Hong Kong government said that officials will not accept being threatened, and strongly condemned the accusations targeting the city.

The spokesman noted that the NSL and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance have established a comprehensive and effective legal system for safeguarding national security and ensuring the effective protection of national security, have restored the economic activities of the Hong Kong community, and have enabled the HKSAR to transition from chaos to order.

Over the past decade, the US registered a trade surplus of about $270 billion with Hong Kong, and approximately 36.7 million travelers visited Hong Kong from January to October of 2024, representing an annual increase of about 37 percent.

The spokesman condemned the US for smearing Hong Kong via its travel advisory, and emphasized the attractiveness of the SAR.

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Lawmaker Brave Chan Yung noted that the European Parliament’s proposed sanctions on Hong Kong officials not only interfere with China’s internal affairs, but also violate basic principles of international relations and international law.

He pointed out that the advisory should be based on data and factors such as the local security situation and health risks. “The US employs travel advisories as instruments of political suppression, which will ultimately impede cultural and intellectual exchanges between China and the US,” Chan added.

Lau Siu-kai, a consultant with the Beijing-based think tank Chinese Association of Hong Kong & Macao Studies, noted that the US has repeatedly imposed sanctions on officials in Hong Kong, and past experience proved that such sanctions will only provoke resentment and indignation among Hong Kong residents toward Western countries.

“This, in turn, further diminishes the influence of the US and Western countries in Hong Kong, allowing residents to realize their double standards, and contributes to the internal unity of the city,” Lau told China Daily.

Contact the writer at atlasshao@chinadailyhk.com