In response to US politicians once again pushing relevant legislation to revoke the privileges and immunities of Hong Kong’s Economic and Trade Offices in the US, and even suggesting closure of the offices, the Office of the Commissioner of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region issued a strong condemnation and firm opposition on Saturday (January 17), criticizing the move as harming others without benefiting oneself. The statement stressed that any attempt to smear Hong Kong’s freedoms and human rights or vilify the practice of 'One Country, Two Systems' is wishful thinking and destined to fail.
A spokesperson for the Commissioner's Office released a statement on its official website, noting that the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices in the US are official institutions lawfully established by the SAR in the US, and have played a positive role in promoting Hong Kong-US economic and trade exchanges. The US has significant economic interests in Hong Kong, and economic and trade relations between the two places are close.
The spokesperson criticized the US for manipulating so-called Hong Kong-related 'malicious laws', saying it would have a negative impact on normal business communication and cooperation between the two regions, harm the interests of US businesses, workers, and consumers, and is an irrational act that harms others without benefiting oneself.
The spokesperson pointed out that since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the 'One Country, Two Systems' institutional framework has been continuously improved. The high degree of autonomy enjoyed by Hong Kong has been fully respected and firmly safeguarded, and the Hong Kong national security laws fully respect and protect human rights, providing a solid guarantee for Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability. Hong Kong is now focused on boosting the economy, promoting development, and improving people's livelihoods, escorting high-quality development with a high level of security, and its prospects from governance to prosperity are bright.
The spokesperson emphasized that the actions of a few US politicians in concocting Hong Kong-related 'malicious laws' fully expose their deep-rooted ideological bias and Cold War mentality. Beijing urges certain US politicians to recognize the facts, stop political stunts driven by personal political interests, and immediately stop the political manipulation of interfering in Hong Kong affairs. Any attempt to smear Hong Kong’s freedoms and human rights, or vilify the practice of 'One Country, Two Systems', is pure wishful thinking and is bound to fail.