SAR slams US lawmakers’ annual report
The SAR government on Saturday condemned a report by the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China. In a statement, the administration said the commission’s “so-called ‘2023 Annual Report’ ... made biased, slandering and smearing remarks against the situation in the HKSAR”. The SAR government rejected the report’s comments on safeguarding national security; the administration of justice and rule of law; safeguarding of rights and freedoms and reform of the district councils.  A government spokesperson said: “The US is once again overriding the rule of law with politics and making unfounded and fact-twisting remarks. Such attempt to undermine the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and interfere in Hong Kong's law-based governance is doomed to fail.” On calls in the report for sanctions on SAR officials, judges and prosecutors, the spokesperson added: “The so-called 'sanctions' as mentioned in the US' so-called report is a smack of despicable political manipulation to intimidate the HKSAR officials safeguarding national security. “These grossly interfere in China's internal affairs and Hong Kong affairs, and violate the international law and the basic norms governing international relations.” On calls for the SAR’s economic and trade offices in the US to lose their certification, the spokesperson added: “The HKSAR Government despised the hypocrisy and barbaric act of US politicians driven only by their own political gains, fabricating groundless excuses, and attacking the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices' legitimate and rational economic and trade promotion activities.” The statement says the SAR government will “steadfastly safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, and fully and faithfully lives up to the highest principle of 'one country, two systems'.”