China criticizes US passing of HK bill

The government and people of China firmly oppose the signing of the so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act by the United States, the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday, calling the move bullying.

Signing the bill into law severely meddles in Hong Kong affairs, severely interferes in China's internal matters and seriously violates international laws and basic norms governing international relations, the ministry said in a statement released on its website.

The intention of the US side is very vicious by bolstering violent criminals who smashed facilities, attacked innocent residents, trampled on the rule of law and social order, the ministry said.

The ministry said that the fundamental purpose of the US side is to destroy Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, undermine the great practice of "one country, two systems" and barricading the historical process of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

The government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) also  expressed strong opposition to and extreme regret at US President Donald Trump's move to sign two HK-related bills into law.

In a press release, the HKSAR government said the two bills obviously interfered in Hong Kong's internal affairs, and were neither necessary nor justified. The government said it would harm the relations and interests between Hong Kong and the US.

"The two bills are unreasonable," a government spokesman was quoted as saying in the press release.

The HKSAR government hopes that the US government will adopt a pragmatic approach, taking into account what's mutually beneficial.