Hong Kong national security law: government says Western nations guilty of ‘double standards’ by criticising mass arrests
- Safeguarding national security through legislation is in line with international practice, spokesman says
- Foreign ministers of US, Canada, Britain and Australia issued joint statement condemning last week’s crackdown on more than 50 opposition activists
In response to a joint statement by the foreign ministers of the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia, a government spokesman said the security law applied to every person in the city and no one was above the law.
“We are appalled by remarks made by some overseas government officials that seemed to suggest that people with certain political beliefs should be immune to legal sanctions,” he said.
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Arrests were made based on evidence and in strict accordance with the laws, he added.
The office of Beijing’s foreign ministry commissioner in Hong Kong also expressed “strong condemnation and resolute opposition” to the joint statement, saying it defied international laws and basic norms of global relations and was a brazen interference in Hong Kong affairs and Chinese domestic affairs.
The office also accused some Western politicians of smearing the national security law, while disregarding the fact their countries enjoyed “airtight” national security legislation. “It is a typical double standard,” a spokesman said.
“[The West’s reactions] have shown clear that the Hong Kong national security law has plugged the loopholes that could be abused by foreign forces to collude with anti-China elements to harm Hong Kong’s stability and prosperity.”
The former opposition lawmakers and activists were arrested on Wednesday on subversion charges with authorities accusing them of a plot to “overthrow” the government.
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“It is clear that the national security law is being used to eliminate dissent and opposing political views,” the foreign ministers said in the joint statement issued by Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne on Sunday. “We call on the Hong Kong and Chinese central authorities to respect the legally guaranteed rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong without fear of arrest and detention.”
The city’s government called the remarks “slander”, and accused those nations of “double standards”.
“Safeguarding national security through legislation is in line with international practice,” the spokesman said.
On Thursday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington might sanction those involved in the arrests and would send the American ambassador to the United Nations to visit Taiwan.
According to Hong Kong officials, the opposition’s “35-plus” plan to take control of the 70-member Legco ran afoul of the national security law as it was part of a wider strategy to paralyse the government, provoke Beijing into ending the “one country, two systems” policy under which Hong Kong is governed, and trigger international sanctions against the country.
