China urges EU to stop Hong Kong interference

People walk in the Hennessy Road in south China's Hong Kong, July 16, 2020. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaochu)

The European Union (EU) should respect China's position and actions on safeguarding national security in Hong Kong and stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said here on Wednesday.

The spokesperson made the remarks in response to media report that the EU issued a series of measures Tuesday against China's national security legislation for Hong Kong, including restrictions on the export of sensitive technology and equipment to Hong Kong.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a news briefing that Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, and Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs, which no foreign country or organization has the right to interfere with.

The relevant measures adopted by the EU violated the basic principle of non-interference in other countries' domestic affairs in international relations. China is firmly opposed to this and has lodged an official complaint with the EU, Wang said.

He said the formulation and implementation of the law on safeguarding national security in the HKSAR was to make up for the long-term legal loopholes in safeguarding national security in Hong Kong. It aims to improve the rule of law in Hong Kong, ensure the steady and sustained implementation of "one country, two systems" on the track of the rule of law.

  

Aerial photo taken on July 16, 2020 shows the Wan Chai of south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai)

"It is fully consistent with the relevant provisions of the Chinese Constitution and the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR, and it is conducive to not only the long-term stability and prosperity of Hong Kong but also safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of all foreign enterprises and personnel in Hong Kong," Wang said.

He said as the EU claimed to have interests and concerns in Hong Kong and hoped to see its prosperity and stability, it should work in this direction with practical actions, rather than unilaterally introducing the so-called countermeasures to affect Hong Kong's prosperity and stability.

"We urge Europe to earnestly respect China's position and actions on national security issues in Hong Kong, stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs in any way, do more to support the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, and focus on maintaining the healthy development of China-EU relations," the spokesperson said.