The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today expressed strong dissatisfaction with and firm opposition to a so-called joint statement issued by ten countries, namely the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and New Zealand in relation to the sentencing in the “conspiracy to commit collusion” case of Wong Chi-fung, which deliberately distorted facts and smeared the Hong Kong SAR.

The Government pointed out that the statement disregards facts, blatantly interferes with its judicial power and power of independent adjudication exercised in accordance with the law, and maliciously smears the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the city (the Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL)).

It strongly urges the countries concerned to immediately cease interfering in Hong Kong matters, which are purely China’s internal affairs.

The Government stated that Hong Kong is a society underpinned by the rule of law and has been consistently fulfilling its constitutional duty to safeguard national security in accordance with the law, upholding the principles that laws must be observed and strictly enforced to bring offenders to account.

Wong Chi-fung pleaded guilty to the charge of “conspiracy to commit collusion with foreign countries or with external elements to endanger national security” under the HKNSL. The court, acting in strict accordance with the law and judicial procedures, based on objective facts and sufficient evidence, has delivered a sentence independently and impartially, fully manifesting the spirit of the rule of law in Hong Kong.

The Government stressed that everyone is equal before the law. Regardless of their political stance, background or status, anyone who breaks the law must be held legally accountable. Attempting to distort criminal judgments handed down in accordance with the law into actions targeting “political expression” or “political participation” is purely political manipulation deliberately intended to confuse the public and distort right and wrong.

It pointed out that the rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents in accordance with the law are fully protected by the Constitution, the Basic Law, and the HKNSL, among others. However, all rights and freedoms must be exercised within the legal framework and cannot be used as a pretext for engaging in acts that endanger national security.

It is each and every sovereign state’s inherent right to enact laws safeguarding national security. Not only is this in accordance with international law and international relations based on the Charter of the United Nations, but is also an international practice. Many Western countries, including the UK and the US, maintain extensive and strict national security legal frameworks, and will absolutely not allow their citizens to collude with external forces to endanger their own national security.

There are numerous cases in the countries concerned where their own citizens as well as foreign nationals have been prosecuted on charges such as “foreign agent” and “foreign interference”, not to mention instances of arbitrary arrest and malicious prosecution. The groundless attacks by the countries concerned on Hong Kong’s rule of law and judicial system, or their attempts to interfere with the city's work in safeguarding national security in accordance with the law through political pressure, only demonstrate their hypocritical double standards, which are utterly ugly and despicable.

The Government urges the countries concerned to stop making irresponsible and misleading remarks, and to cease interfering in any form in the operation of judicial proceedings of the HKSAR and Hong Kong affairs, which are purely China’s internal affairs. Any attempt to shake the determination of the Hong Kong SAR Government to safeguard national security is bound to be in vain and will never succeed.