Beijing hits out at US after report on human rights situation in Hong Kong
- China’s Foreign Ministry arm in city says US continues to smear situation in Hong Kong while ignoring problems within its own borders
- State Department accused Beijing of continuing to ‘dismantle’ Hong Kong’s political freedoms and autonomy in violation of Sino-British Joint Declaration and Basic Law
Beijing has accused the US of using its latest human rights report to smear the situation in Hong Kong, saying Washington should stop “lying” and meddling in local and national affairs.
The commissioner’s office of China’s Foreign Ministry arm in the city was responding on Tuesday to the report released by the US State Department on Monday, which accused Beijing of continuing to “dismantle” Hong Kong’s political freedoms and autonomy in violation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law.
The report highlighted authorities’ enforcement of the 2020 national security law, including its retroactive application and the denial of bail to activists in national security cases.
The State Department report, which assesses about 200 countries and territories based on standards enshrined in international human-rights agreements, contained an extensive catalogue of China’s alleged violations, as it has for several decades.
The commissioner’s office said it firmly opposed the report, criticising the United States for pointing fingers at other countries’ human rights situation while disregarding significant issues such as racial discrimination, widespread gun violence, police brutality and wealth disparity within its own borders.
The office said the Chinese government attached great importance to safeguarding human rights and integrating their protection into legislation.