The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government said it strongly disapproves of and firmly rejects the groundless attacks, slanders and smears targeting the Hong Kong SAR’s safeguarding of national security, human rights, etc, in the so-called annual report about Hong Kong by the European Commission.

The same stance is also held against remarks about the city by the High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs & Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission.

In a statement, the Hong Kong SAR Government made it clear that it steadfastly safeguards national sovereignty, security and development interests, and fully and faithfully lives up to this top priority of the “one country, two systems” principle.

It strongly urges the EU to discern facts from fallacies, respect the international law and basic norms governing international relations, and immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong matters, which are purely China’s internal affairs.

The Hong Kong SAR Government stressed that national security is a matter within the purview of the central authorities and it is the responsibility and right of every country to safeguard its national security.

It underlined that it firmly opposes the EU's malicious slanders against the National Security Law (NSL) again by the so-called report, and strongly disapproves of the EU turning a blind eye to the fact that the NSL's implementation has enabled the livelihood and economic activities of the Hong Kong community at large to resume as normal and the business environment to be restored.

All law enforcement actions taken by the Hong Kong SAR law enforcement agencies under the NSL, or indeed any local laws, are based on evidence, strictly according to the law and for the acts of the people, institutions or organisations concerned, and have nothing to do with their political stance, background or occupation.

As regards the sedition offence under the Crimes Ordinance, the statement said that the Hong Kong SAR courts have ruled in different cases that the provisions relating to sedition are consistent with the relevant provisions of the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights on the protection of human rights, and that a proportionate and reasonable balance has been struck between safeguarding national security and protection of the freedom of speech.

On safeguarding rights and freedoms, the statement pointed out that since the NSL’s implementation, the media landscape in Hong Kong has remained vibrant.

As always, the media can exercise their freedom of the press in accordance with the law. Their freedom of commenting on and criticising government policies remains uninhibited as long as this is not in violation of the law.

Concerning the baseless remarks that smear the Personal Data (Privacy) (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 and Copyright (Amendment) Ordinance 2022 as laws threatening internet freedom, the Hong Kong SAR Government reiterated that the only objective of the former ordinance is to combat doxxing acts that intrude into personal data privacy. Every arrest is supported by reasonable and solid evidence, with a sole aim of protecting personal data privacy.

It explained that the copyright ordinance aims to update Hong Kong’s copyright regime to strengthen copyright protection in the digital environment, safeguarding the business environment for Hong Kong’s creative and technology industries.

The Hong Kong SAR Government emphasised that any attempt by foreign countries or external forces to undermine Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability by slandering the city’s situation, will only expose their own weakness and faulty arguments and be doomed to fail.

It added that it will continue to discharge its duty to steadfastly ensure the successful implementation of the principles of "one country, two systems”, “Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong” and a high degree of autonomy.