US senate body condemns ‘destruction’ of Hong Kong’s democracy; Beijing fires back at ‘political fabricators’
Hong Kong Free Press
A Beijing office has criticised a US Senate committee, calling them “political fabricators” after it passed a resolution on Wednesday to condemn “Beijing’s destruction of Hong Kong’s democracy and rule of law.”
The newly passed resolution by the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations called the Beijing-implemented national security law “a vaguely defined criminal statute that includes overly broad charges and extraterritorial reach to punish people for exercising their fundamental rights and freedoms.”
The senate body urged the release of all defendants charged under the security legislation or the sedition law, including media tycoon Jimmy Lai, the founder of defunct pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily.
Lai, 75, has been detained since December 2020, and faces two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count of collusion with foreign forces under the security law. He also faces one count of sedition. His trial is scheduled to resume in September.
The committee added that the Chinese government’s “undermining of democracy in Hong Kong has ramifications for the international order, including with regard to the future of Taiwan.” It also urged the US government to “use all available tools” to respond to China’s actions in the city.
‘Slandering’
China’s Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong reacted with a statement on Thursday morning, saying the US body’s resolution was “openly slandering” Hong Kong’s national security law and the condition of human rights and rule of law in the city.
A spokesperson from the office said it “strongly condemned and resolutely opposed” the US senate committee’s support of those such as Lai who “opposed China and stirred up chaos in Hong Kong.”
“Some American and Western politicians oppose anything to do with China and criticise anything related to Hong Kong,” the spokesperson added, calling them “political fabricators.”
“They proclaim to respect the rule of law and judicial independence, but commit despicable acts that interfere with the course of justice. They claim to safeguard human rights and freedom, but tolerate criminal acts endangering others’ lives or public safety,” the statement read.
The Beijing spokesperson added that “the days when foreign forces could point fingers at Hong Kong affairs and stir up trouble were over,” urging those in question to “recognise the reality” and stop intervening or slandering the situation in Hong Kong or its One Country, Two Systems model of governance.
Support HKFP | Code of Ethics | Error/typo? | Contact Us | Newsletter | Transparency & Annual Report
