State Council's Hong Kong, Macao Affairs Office strongly opposes US law on Hong Kong

The top-level central government body overseeing Hong Kong affairs on Wednesday voiced strong opposition after US President Donald Trump signed into law the so-called "Hong Kong Autonomy Act", saying China will impose corresponding sanctions on the United States.

Trump put his signature on an executive order that ends Washington's preferential treatment for Hong Kong against the newly-enacted national security law for the special administrative region.

The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council said in a statement that the national security law is consistent with the principle of "one country, two systems" and the Basic Law, and the necessity and legitimacy of the legislation are widely recognized by the international community.

"The meddling of the US in Hong Kong affairs by means of domestic law is a gross interference in China's internal affairs and a wanton trampling on international law and basic norms governing international relations," the office said.

It fully exposes its true intention of using Hong Kong to infiltrate the Chinese mainland and contain China's development, it said.

Any so-called "sanctions" by the US will never shake the determination of China to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, as well as the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, it added.

The law has come into force and will be strictly enforced. Hong Kong is approaching a major turning point from chaos to governance, and the US interference will not succeed, the office said.