Chinese mission slams European Parliament's resolution on Hong Kong

BRUSSELS -- The Chinese mission to the European Union (EU) on Friday said it is gravely concerned about and firmly opposed to a European Parliament resolution which makes unwarranted criticism against the formulation of the national security legislation in Hong Kong by China's National People's Congress (NPC).

The mission has lodged stern representations with the EU, a spokesperson of the Chinese mission said, adding that Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China and the legislation for safeguarding national security in Hong Kong is entirely China's internal affair.

The spokesperson said safeguarding national security is an essential prerequisite for a country's survival and development and it is the core element of national sovereignty.

No countries in the world, including those in Europe, would allow for any legal gaps in terms of national security, nor would any country allow any acts that endanger national security on its own territory, the spokesperson said.

The NPC decision is a necessary step taken to close the legal loopholes regarding national security in Hong Kong. It is fully constitutional, legal, justifiable and reasonable, the spokesperson stressed.

"The European Parliament is apparently applying double standards by adopting the resolution, which we would never accept," the spokesperson said.

The national security legislation will not change Hong Kong's capitalist system, its high degree of autonomy under the Basic Law, or Hong Kong residents' lifestyle, the spokesperson said, adding the legislation will only improve Hong Kong's legal system, bring more social stability in the long run and contribute to the sound implementation of the "one country, two systems."

The spokesperson said the Sino-British Joint Declaration is essentially about the resumption of exercise of sovereignty by China over Hong Kong. With the return of Hong Kong in 1997, UK-related obligations under the declaration had all been fulfilled, while the legal basis for the governance of Hong Kong by the Chinese government is the Constitution of China and the Basic Law of Hong Kong, the spokesperson said.

None of the paragraphs in the declaration give any country or organization any right to interfere in Hong Kong affairs, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said the legislation only targets acts of separatism, subversion, and terrorism that seriously undermine national security as well as foreign and external interference in Hong Kong affairs.

It will not impinge on and would rather better protect the legitimate rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents, the spokesperson said.