US bullying acts draw strong opposition in Hong Kong

HONG KONG - People from various sectors in Hong Kong have voiced strong opposition to and condemned recent US bullying acts aimed at messing up the situation in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of China and damaging "one country, two systems."

The US government has imposed so-called sanctions against 14 vice chairs of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, and the US House of Representatives has passed the "Hong Kong people's freedom and choice act."

As every country has the fundamental responsibility of safeguarding national security, the NPC Standing Committee enacting the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR and making the decision on the qualification of HKSAR Legislative Council (LegCo) members are constitutional, reasonable and conducive to Hong Kong's stability and the implementation of "one country, two systems," Vice Secretary-General of the Hong Kong Coalition Kennedy Wong Ying-ho said.

While the United States itself has long established a well-enforced legal system of safeguarding national security, as well as strict laws and regulations regarding the qualification and oath-taking for its Congress members, it has wantonly slandered China's rightful moves in a blatant show of double standards, said Willy Fu, vice chairman of the executive council of the Hong Kong Legal Exchange Foundation.

Instead of truly caring about Hong Kong's democracy and freedom development, the latest bill on Hong Kong passed by the US House of Representatives is intended to cover up ill-intentioned politicians and rioters in Hong Kong, in a move to jeopardize Hong Kong's judicial independence and rule of law, Fu said.

The United States has repeatedly imposed so-called sanctions over Hong Kong since social disturbances last year.

While Hong Kong has been gradually restoring peace and order since the national security law took effect, the US so-called sanctions were designed only to cause chaos in Hong Kong again and harm people's well-being, Hon Chan Han-pan, a LegCo member, said.

With its bullying acts, which are doomed to fail, the United States has attempted to turn Hong Kong into its pawn to contain China's development, Wong Shu-yui, president of Hong Kong Chiu Chow Chamber of Commerce, said.

The US bullying acts will not impact Hong Kong's economy as the local financial markets have been stable, Wong said, adding that Hong Kong still boasts advantages brought by "one country, two systems" and has a promising future.

The US political tricks will not work to undermine Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, and Hong Kong residents will see through the hypocrisy of US politicians, said Chan Yung, vice-chairperson of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong.