US threats of sanctions ‘will absolutely have no effect’ on work of Hong Kong authorities, justice minister says
- Justice minister Paul Lam says US threats to impose new visa restrictions on Hong Kong officials go against ‘some very basic principles of international law’
- Lam says he is confident city and Middle East can cooperate to achieve win-win synergies as he wraps up visit to Saudi Arabia, UAE
US threats of sanctions on Hong Kong officials will “absolutely” have no effect on the work of authorities, the justice chief has said, while expressing confidence in stepping up collaboration with the Middle East.
Wrapping up a trip to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok said on Friday the process of building understanding between Hong Kong and potential Middle Eastern partners would take time and patience, but he was confident the two sides could work together to achieve win-win synergies.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier said that Washington was preparing to impose new visa restrictions on Hong Kong officials deemed “responsible for the intensifying crackdown on rights and freedoms” after the city’s domestic national security law came into effect on March 23.
Asked about the restrictions while speaking to the press at the city’s airport, Lam said such words and deeds were against “some very basic principles of international law”.
“Secondly, such actions or remarks will absolutely have no effect on my work or that of the Department of Justice, not even in the slightest bit,” Lam said.
The commissioner’s office of China’s foreign ministry in Hong Kong has also criticised the visa restriction threat, saying it is a “despicable” attempt to bully and try to damage the city’s reputation. The city government has also slammed the United States’ “untruthful remarks, slanders and smears”.
Last month, Lam suggested in an interview with the Post that he had a “very strong suspicion” that he would not be welcome to travel to the US.
The US State Department has not specified which individuals would be covered by the visa restrictions.
The justice secretary was returning to Hong Kong after a five-day Middle East visit that spanned four cities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, including Riyadh and Dubai.
He said that through the visit, he became more convinced that there was still a lot of room for cooperation between the region and Hong Kong in legal services and other aspects, given that cities such as Dubai were also prominent financial and legal hubs.
“I am very confident that the two sides can cooperate to achieve mutually beneficial and win-win synergies,” he said.
“A very important premise is that we must first get to know each other and establish a relationship of mutual trust. This is a process that requires cultivation and long-term efforts, patience and time.”
Having observed the hard work Middle Eastern cities put in ramping up their legal and other service industries, Lam also called on the legal sector in Hong Kong to remain vigilant, “work harder for better and faster delivery”, and ensure the city would not fall behind amid fierce competition.
