The Government today condemned acts advocating Hong Kong independence and desecrating the national flag.

It made the statement in response to some rally participants’ acts of waving flags and making speeches advocating Hong Kong independence, as well as removing the national flag from a flagpole and placing it on the ground in the afternoon.

Those who break the law will face criminal liability, the Government said, adding that advocating Hong Kong independence is inconsistent with the constitutional and legal status of Hong Kong as stipulated in the Basic Law.

It is also not conducive to the overall and long-term interest of Hong Kong society and contrary to the established basic policies of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) regarding Hong Kong.

It said the constitutional and legal status of Hong Kong is very clear.

Article 1 of the Basic Law points out that Hong Kong is an inalienable part of the PRC, while Article 12 states that the city shall be a local administrative region of the PRC, which shall enjoy a high degree of autonomy and come directly under the Central People’s Government.

“One country, two systems”, “Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong” and a high degree of autonomy are the established basic policies of the PRC regarding Hong Kong, it said.

The Government also stressed that the national flag is the symbol and sign of the country.

Anyone who desecrates the national flag or emblem by publicly and wilfully burning, mutilating, scrawling on, defiling or trampling on it is liable to a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for three years, it said.