Legislature, political advisers lambaste US passage of HK act

China's top legislators and political advisers have strongly opposed Tuesday's passage of legislation called the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 in the United States.

The National People's Congress, China's top legislature, strongly opposed and condemned the US Senate's passage of the act, the NPC's Foreign Affairs Committee said in a statement issued on Wednesday, adding that the ratcheting up of protesters' violence in Hong Kong was closely connected to US interference.

Stopping the violence and restoring social stability are the priorities for Hong Kong, the statement said, because they are in the public's interest and will protect human rights there.

The US Senate did not condemn violent crimes, it said, but supported criminals in the name of "human rights" and "democracy", which showed the US Congress' extreme hypocrisy toward human rights and democracy, holding double standards with anti-China intentions designed to plunge Hong Kong into chaos.

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body, expressed indignation and opposition to the passage of the act, saying in a statement that it aimed to support criminals in Hong Kong, not bolster "human rights" or "democracy".

"No force should underestimate the determination of the central government to safeguard the sovereignty, security and unity of China and the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong," the statement said, asking the US to stop interfering in China's internal affairs.

"If the US holds on obstinately to the wrong beliefs and sticks to its wrong stand, we support the central government carrying out strong countermeasures," it said.