Current location:business >>
China hits back at West's 'double
business862People have gathered around
IntroductionThe central government and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government vigorously rep ...
The central government and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government vigorously repudiated on Wednesday the smear and slander campaigns launched by some Western governments, institutions and politicians against the unanimous passage of the Article 23 legislation in the Legislative Council (LegCo) of the HKSAR, saying that slandering the highly anticipated law while turning a blind to the fact that many Western countries have enacted multiple national security laws is a typical example of political hegemony and double standards.
At least three central government's organs, including China's Foreign Ministry, the Commissioner's Office of China's Foreign Ministry in the HKSAR, the Chinese Embassy in the UK, along with the HKSAR government and Hong Kong Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung voiced strong dissatisfaction and opposition on Wednesday against the latest remarks from Western politicians on the Article 23 legislation.
In response to comments made by countries such as the U.S., the UK, Japan and the EU bloc, Lin Jian, spokesperson of China's Foreign Ministry, said "We strongly deplore and firmly oppose individual countries and organizations' slandering and smear against the law."
The LegCo unanimously voted in favor of the passage of the bill, which further implements the SAR's constitutional responsibility of safeguarding national security, further cements the security foundation for Hong Kong's development and serves as a landmark in advancing the cause of One Country, Two Systems on our new journey in the new era, Lin noted.
On Tuesday, 89 lawmakers, after marathon meetings, passed the legislation in a unanimous vote. Lacking the law has been seen as predicament that has plagued Hong Kong for 26 years. Local lawmakers and officials described the passage as a historic moment for Hong Kong and they were proud of witnessing the moment.
Disregarding the overwhelming support in Hong Kong society for the law, some Western officials could not wait to "throw mud" at it, which is seen by some observers as similar tactics they used some four years ago to attack the National Security Law (NSL) for Hong Kong.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron issued a statement following the passage of the law, claiming that the Article 23 legislation was "rushed through the legislative process and will damage the rule of law, autonomy, and the rights and freedoms enjoyed in Hong Kong."
A U.S. State Department spokesperson said the bill could accelerate the closing of a once open society and it was analyzing the potential risks to U.S. citizens and American interests, the Guardian reported on Tuesday.
The High Representative on behalf of the EU also expressed their "concerns" over the legislation, according to a statement on its website.
Those remarks reflect a "sour grapes" mentality among some Western countries, Louis Chen, a member of the Election Committee and general secretary of the Hong Kong Legal Exchange Foundation, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
"Particularly, those politicians see that Hong Kong is closing the loopholes in national security, making it difficult for them to use the city as an entry point for subversive activities against the Chinese mainland," Chen said, noting that the more the West smears and attacks the legislation, the more it proves the urgency and necessity of it.
Rebut Western attacks
The whole legislative process of the LegCo was carried out in accordance with the procedures, including its deliberation, with lawmakers carefully reviewing the draft bill of the law, entitled the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, the HKSAR government said on Wednesday. It went through 25 meetings with nearly 50 hours of detailed deliberation during which lawmakers raised nearly 1,000 questions and comments, leading to 91 amendments.
"There won't be many doubts about the legislation from the outside world because it merely aims to prevent acts that endanger national security and to stop such situations from arising," Tam Yiu-chung, a vice-president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
Tam noted that having heard the business community's opinions, they share the same view that there is no need to worry about national security issues after the legislation. Regarding the opposition from Western countries to the law, Tam said the legislative review process was unaffected by smearing and intimidation, believing that unity and confidence can overcome difficulties.
Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, a lawmaker from the New People's Party was quoted as saying in local media reports that she is not afraid of potential sanctions imposed by some Western countries because of the passage of the law. After the implementation of the law, the city will be safer, and Ip said she cannot see why foreign countries should increase their travel advisories because of that.
Western attacks on the Article 23 legislation were expected, and it does not rule out the possibility of sanctions being imposed on Hong Kong officials, Lau Siu-kai, a consultant from the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies who is also a senior policy advisor, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
Lau believes that sanctions, however, will not target the Hong Kong financial market, as doing so would damage U.S. trade, its economy and the status of the U.S. dollar.
As Article 23 is legislated by Hong Kong itself, in contrast to the NSL for Hong Kong, which was passed by the country's top legislature, Lau said that even if Western countries impose sanctions, their intensity will not be greater than during the implementation of the NSL for Hong Kong.
Double standards displayed
The Law Society of Hong Kong said in a statement sent to the Global Times on Wednesday that it supports and welcomes the passage of the legislation, and it firmly believes that with Hong Kong's robust rule of law and independent judicial system, an appropriate balance can be struck between safeguarding national security and upholding fundamental human rights in the implementation of the legislation.
The ordinance is clear and precise, leaving no room for unjustified arguments, Chu Kar-kin, a veteran commentator based in the HKSAR and member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, told the Global Times on Wednesday. The allegations from the West are groundless and subjective, as their laws are never superior or binding to other jurisdictions, he said.
In fact, the Article 23 legislation has taken at least six countries' national security-related laws as references during the legislative process including 16 laws from the UK like the National Security Act 2023.
The definitions of crimes within the ordinance are clearer than those in the UK's National Security Act 2023, Tang, the city's Secretary for Security, noted on Wednesday. Cameron ignoring the vagueness of his own country's legislation while making unreasonable criticisms of the Article 23 legislation displays hypocritical double standards, Tang said.
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“Stellar Station news portal”。http://kenya.downmusic.org/html-74b599888.html
Related articles
Amtrak train hits pickup truck in upstate New York, 3 dead including child
businessNEW YORK (AP) — A child was among the three victims killed when a passenger train hit a pickup truck ...
【business】
Read moreNigeria labor unions protest higher electricity prices
businessABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Labor unions in Nigeria staged nationwide protests on Monday over recent incre ...
【business】
Read moreThe 5 players who won the career Grand Slam in golf. And the 11 players who missed by one leg
businessHere are the five players who completed the career Grand Slam in golf and how many tries it took the ...
【business】
Read more
Popular articles
- Red Lobster seeks bankruptcy protection after closing some restaurants
- Trump hush money trial: What to know about Michael Cohen's testimony
- A US museum curator was detained in Turkey on claims of spider smuggling. He says he has permits
- 3 men charged in the UK with assisting the Hong Kong intelligence service
- Brazil replaces injured goalkeeper Ederson in Copa America squad
- Iranian filmmaker flees to Europe after prison sentence ahead of his Cannes premiere
Latest articles
Medics remove 150 MAGGOTS from a woman's mouth after dental procedure left her with rotting tissue
3 men charged in Whitey Bulger's killing have plea deals, prosecutors say
3 men charged in Whitey Bulger's killing have plea deals, prosecutors say
US airlines suing Biden admin over rule to make certain fees easier to spot
Target to lower prices on basic goods in response to inflation
Revealed: England's 'postcode lottery' of maternity care laid bare in interactive map and table
LINKS
- Eurovision 2024: Dutch contestant Joost Klein kicked out
- I'm a psychiatrist and I do not believe Fiona Harvey was lying to Piers Morgan
- Revealed: King Charles met David Beckham privately while Prince Harry was in Britain
- Antiques Roadshow guest admits gambling wheel's true value probably 'scared his daughter to death'
- Poor Kenyans feel devastated by floods and brutalized by the government's response
- Campus protests: The history of 'outside agitators,' explained
- Bayern depleted by injuries after Real Madrid loss, implications for Germany’s Euro 2024 squad
- Hino truck owners in line for one
- Scientists watch orangutan treat its own wound with medicinal plant for the first time
- Netherlands' Joost Klein booted from Eurovision 2024