HKSAR govt, commissioner's office slam US' 'safe haven' offer

HONG KONG – The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Friday expressed strong opposition to a decision by the US government relating to the deferment of deportation of Hong Kong residents.

The response came after US President Joe Biden on Thursday signed an order that allows Hong Kong residents already in the US to stay for up to 18 months. He claimed the order would provide a temporary "safe haven" for Hong Kong people in response to the city's National Security Law and the so-called crackdown" on the city's opposition camp.

In a statement, a spokesman for the HKSAR government slammed the US move, saying that the smears made against the National Security Law were baseless and politically oriented.

"Since the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law on June 30, 2020, the US Government has been exploiting different incidents and making up excuses to slander the Hong Kong National Security Law and attack the authorities of the People's Republic of China and the HKSAR in their dutiful, faithful and lawful implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law. The accusations are baseless and have simply twisted the facts," the spokesman said.

"The US has prolific laws on national security but chooses to smear the Hong Kong National Security Law out of political motivation. This is clear hypocrisy and demonstrates double standards," said the spokesman.

He noted that actions taken by Hong Kong's law enforcement agencies are based on evidence and have nothing to do with their political stance.

Endangering national security "is a very serious crime," the spokesman said, adding that it was only right for law enforcement officials to take actions to safeguard the city against such a risk.

'Despicable act'

Expressing a similar sentiment, a spokesperson for the Commissioner's Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the HKSAR on the same day voiced "strong condemnation" and "firm opposition" to the US move.

In a separate statement, the spokesperson said the act was blatantly interfering in China's domestic affairs and Hong Kong affairs, and trampling upon international law and the basic norms of international relations.

The spokesperson said that the US decision reflected its hypocrisy as it turned a blind eye to the facts and mainstream opinion in Hong Kong.

These facts included a more stable society and lower crime rate brought by the National Security Law and electoral system improvements. They had further optimized the rule of law and protect the legitimate rights of people living in the city, the spokesperson noted.

Far from "caring" for Hong Kong, the despicable act of the US was a gross intervention in Hong Kong's affairs, the spokesperson said.

Instead of "standing with Hong Kong people", the US stood only with "a handful of anti-China forces to disrupt Hong Kong" and endanger China's national security, the spokesperson continued.

The spokesperson stressed that the US' shameful political manipulation is doomed to failure under the resolute counterattack of more than 1.4 billion Chinese people, including compatriots in Hong Kong.

"No country or person can stop Hong Kong's march back to glory... There is absolutely no way out by stirring up Hong Kong against China," the spokesperson said.