The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government strongly disapproves of and opposes a report by the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), which made biased, slandering and smearing remarks about the situation in Hong Kong.

In a statement, the Hong Kong SAR Government said it disapproves of the CECC's repeated tactics to interfere in the affairs of Hong Kong through the so-called annual report, and strongly opposes the report’s absurd and untrue content regarding legislation safeguarding national security in Hong Kong.

In accordance with international law and international practice based on the Charter of the United Nations, safeguarding national security is an inherent right of all sovereign states, and many common law jurisdictions including the US, the UK, Australia and Canada have enacted legislation and implemented measures to safeguard national security, the statement said.

Regarding the offences related to seditious intention, the Hong Kong courts have ruled in different cases that the provisions on sedition are consistent with those 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, the statement said.

The offence is not meant to silence the expression of any opinion that is only genuine criticism of the Government based on objective facts, it added.

Regarding the custodial arrangements for Jimmy [Lai] Chee-ying mentioned in the report, the Hong KSAR Government has stated on numerous occasions that the medical services provided to him in custody are adequate and comprehensive.

The Correctional Services Department attaches great importance to the safety and health of persons-in-custody (PICs), the statement said, adding that irrespective of the PICs’ identities, ages and nationalities, the department is committed to ensuring the custodial environment is secure, safe, humane, appropriate and healthy.

The Hong Kong KSAR Government emphasised that all judicial cases are handled strictly on the basis of evidence and in accordance with the law, and that all defendants will receive a fair trial strictly in accordance with laws applicable to Hong Kong, including the National Security Law (NSL) and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO) as protected by the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights.

The US report specifically mentioned cases on offences endangering national security involving Lai Chee-ying, wantonly smearing the law enforcement, prosecution and judicial organs of Hong Kong regarding the handling of the relevant cases, the statement said.

Their ulterior motives are obvious - to interfere with the judicial proceedings in the city by means of political power so as to procure a defendant's evasion of the criminal justice process, the statement said, adding that the Hong Kong SAR Government strongly condemns such blatant attempts to undermine the rule of law of Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong SAR Government said it steadfastly safeguards the rights and freedoms enjoyed by the Hong Kong people as protected under the law, noting that since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the human rights in the city have always been robustly guaranteed constitutionally by both the Constitution and the Basic Law.

The statement said that since the implementation of the NSL and the SNSO, the media landscape in Hong Kong has remained vibrant, but the US report deliberately fabricated facts about freedom of the press and speech in the city.

The statement said that the US Government itself does not hesitate to take action against misleading and biased news reporting, adding that it has recently set up a webpage to list misleading and biased media reporting, some of which is described as subversive.

The US CECC's smearing of Hong Kong using double-standards is a shameful political maneuver, the statement said.

The report's claim that women in Hong Kong face discrimination and harassment in the workplace is another absurd accusation, as the Sex Discrimination Ordinance protects women from discrimination, sexual harassment and victimisation in the prescribed area of employment, the statement added.