FM Commissioner's office urges US to stop undermining HK's prosperity under pretext of human rights

The Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Thursday urged the United States to stop undermining Hong Kong's prosperity and stability under the pretext of human rights.

The call came after the U.S. State Department released the so-called 2019 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices including a section on Hong Kong.

A spokesperson for the commissioner's office expressed strong disapproval and firm opposition against the reports, saying that although the United States ranks lower than Hong Kong in terms of both freedom and the rule of law, the country has nevertheless proclaimed itself as a judge of global human rights.

The reports, for instance, have distorted the truth by glorifying extremist vandalism and violence that would be unacceptable to any law-governed society, and heaping abuse upon the HKSAR government and police who have worked strenuously to stop violence and end the chaos in accordance with the law, the spokesperson said.

"The reports are an insult to human rights and freedom and a flagrant interference in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs as a whole," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said the United States has trampled international law and basic norms governing international relations, and made unwarranted accusations against the conditions of human rights and freedom in Hong Kong, in total disregard of the extensive rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents since Hong Kong's return to China, as well as the successful practice of "one country, two systems" and "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong" with a high degree of autonomy.

"It has only again laid bare U.S. hegemonic mindset and its notorious double standards," the spokesperson said.

Stressing that Hong Kong is part of China and is governed by the rule of law, the spokesperson said that no one is above the law, and there is no place for "Hong Kong independence" within the framework of "one country, two systems."

"We urge the U.S. to stop condoning and endorsing the violent extremists, stop undermining Hong Kong's prosperity and stability under the pretext of protecting human rights, and stop meddling with Hong Kong affairs, which are purely China's internal affairs," said the spokesperson.