Q：The Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Tuesday passed the safeguarding national security ordinance. The Principal Deputy Spokesperson from the US Department of State criticized the ordinance during a briefing. What is your comment?

Embassy spokesperson: We strongly criticize and firmly oppose the US side's slandering and smear against the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance of Hong Kong.

The Legislative Council of the HKSAR unanimously voted in favor of the passage of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, which represents the effective implementation by the HKSAR of the constitutional responsibility stipulated under Article 23 of the HKSAR Basic Law, consolidating the foundation for Hong Kong's long-term peace, prosperity and stability. It serves as a landmark in advancing the cause of One Country, Two Systems on our new journey in the new era.

The Ordinance is targeted at a tiny minority of individuals that are involved in offences seriously jeopardizing national security, and it aims to protect the great majority of law-abiding Hong Kong residents. Foreign institutions, enterprises and personnel's normal activities will be fully protected. The provisions of relevant crimes are clear, the boundaries between crimes and non-crimes are distinct, the penalties are reasonable, and the regulatory measures are appropriate. The "external interference" is defined with full consideration of HKSAR's realities and the common practices of various countries. The legislation is legitimate, lawful and beyond reproach. In a public consultation conducted by the HKSAR government earlier this year, people from all walks of life actively expressed opinions and offered suggestions, among whom 98.6 percent showed support and made positive comments.

The Ordinance will promote security and development of Hong Kong. It will strike a balance between national security, rights and freedoms and economic development in Hong Kong. In the turmoil after the proposed legislative amendments in Hong Kong in 2019, "black-clad violence" "Hong Kong independence" and rioters clamoring for "mutual destruction" impeded local economic growth and resulted in social unrest. When people's livelihoods are not even secure, there is no foundation to boost Hong Kong's economy and expand its openness to the world. The Ordinance is conducive to stronger economic and social development of the HKSAR. It will help ensure high-quality development with high-level security. It will enable Hong Kong to further harness its unique advantages in closer cooperation with other parts of the world.

The passage of the Ordinance will not affect Hong Kong's original capitalist system and lifestyle. It will not in any way affect the residents' normal lives and their lawful rights and freedoms, nor will it affect normal business activities and international exchanges and cooperation. The advantages of "two systems" will get further enhanced.

The Ordinance is in line with legislation practice of countries across the world in safeguarding national security. It is consistent with Hong Kong's common law system. It draws on similar legislative experiences of various countries, especially those common law countries, and is in line with internationally accepted practices and norms. Statistics show that the US has at least 21 laws to safeguard its national security. The sheer number, as well as the frequency of making amendments and updates, are rarely seen in other parts of the world. That, however, doesn't stop the US from slandering China's legitimate, well-justified legislation efforts. Isn't this unfair?

Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong. Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs, which no country is in the position to point fingers at or interfere in. We urge the US side to respect China's sovereignty, adhere to the principles guiding the international law and the basic norms governing international relations, and immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs which are China's internal affairs. In the end, the attacks and smears against the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance will go nowhere.