The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has said it strongly disapproves of and rejects the untruthful remarks, slanders and smears against various aspects of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region by the UK in its so-called “Six-monthly report on Hong Kong: July to December 2023”, on April 15. 

The Hong Kong SAR Government stressed that Hong Kong is an inalienable part of the People’s Republic of China, and that as a local administrative region that enjoys a high degree of autonomy under the principle of “one country, two systems”, it comes directly under the jurisdiction of the Central People’s Government.

It highlighted that the core essence of the Sino-British Joint Declaration is about China’s resumption of the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong and that it does not authorise the UK to interfere in Hong Kong’s affairs following its return to the motherland.

It said that the UK had made skewed remarks about Hong Kong that confounded right and wrong, and that its attempt to undermine the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong is doomed to fail.

It also reiterated that it will resolutely, fully and faithfully implement the Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL), the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance and other relevant laws safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong SAR, to effectively prevent, suppress and impose punishment for acts and activities endangering national security in accordance with the law, whilst maintaining the common law system, adhering to the principle of the rule of law and upholding the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong people in accordance with the law, so as to ensure the steadfast and successful implementation of the principle of “one country, two systems”.

The Hong Kong SAR Government demanded that the UK immediately stop acting against international law and the basic norms of international relations by interfering in China’s internal affairs.

Regarding the remarks in the UK’s report about Hong Kong’s improved electoral system and the 2023 District Council (DC) Ordinary Election, the Hong Kong SAR Government stressed that these are utterly untrue, adding that the improved electoral system puts in place legal safeguards to ensure the full implementation of “patriots administering Hong Kong”.

It stressed that in Hong Kong anyone who meets the requirements and criteria of being a patriot can participate in elections in accordance with the law and serve the Hong Kong public by entering into the governance structure of the Hong Kong SAR on being successfully elected.

It highlighted that in view of the chaos during the previous term, putting DCs back on the right track and reforming them is necessary and imperative. It said the current system enables people who love the country, have an affection for Hong Kong and are dedicated to serving their districts to participate in the work of DCs.

With regard to national security-related laws, the Hong Kong SAR Government said that since the implementation of the NSL in June 2020, the UK has failed to mention the large-scale and incessant riots which occurred in 2019 and devastated Hong Kong’s society, livelihoods and economy.

Instead, it said, the UK has chosen to maliciously slander the laws safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong SAR, and to blatantly attack the Hong Kong SAR’s efforts safeguarding national security, while neglecting the fact that such laws have enabled economic activity in Hong Kong to return to normalcy. It added that the UK’s bullying acts, hypocrisy and double standards are ugly and despicable.

The Hong Kong SAR Government also stressed that the laws safeguarding national security in Hong Kong are precisely intended to safeguard national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, ensure the full and faithful implementation of “one country, two systems”, and better safeguard the fundamental rights and freedoms of the residents of Hong and other people in the city, including those doing business in it.

In relation to safeguarding the administration of justice and rule of law, the Hong Kong SAR Government said the right to choose lawyers is protected by the Basic Law, and that it is well-established by case law that such a choice means the right to choose lawyers who are available and entitled to practise in Hong Kong, and not overseas lawyers who are not qualified to practise.

It stressed that in the UK there is simply no regime for ad hoc admission of overseas lawyers similar to that in Hong Kong, not to mention any regime allowing overseas lawyers who are not qualified to practise generally there to handle national security cases.

The Hong Kong SAR Government noted that the amendment to the Legal Practitioners Ordinance was introduced in 2023 with a view to addressing the potential national security risks associated with the participation in national security cases by overseas lawyers who are not qualified to practise generally in Hong Kong, and to implementing the interpretation by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of Articles 14 and 47 of the NSL.