The so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, recently passed by the US, sets a bad precedent for dealing with issues associated with other countries' sovereignty, officials from South Africa said in an interview on Thursday.

Njabulo Nzuza, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of South Africa, showed concern over the current situation in China’s Hong Kong, noting that no country has the right to interfere in another country's affairs.

Njabulo Nzuza, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of South Africa. (Photo/Liu Ying)

His remarks came after US President Donald Trump signed into law the so called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 on Nov. 27 despite strong opposition from China, drawing a furious response from Chinese people. China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said such an act was hegemonic, which "is a severe interference in Hong Kong affairs, which are China's internal affairs."

Echoing Hua, Nzuza noted that the passage of the bill had signaled that countries have a right to interfere in the affairs of other countries. "It means if we have a situation at home, another country then has a right to say what must happen in that particular country," he said. 

Boitumelo Moloi, Deputy Minister in the Department of Employment and Labour of the Republic of South Africa. (Photo/Liu Ying)

Boitumelo Moloi, Deputy Minister in the Department of Employment and Labour of the Republic of South Africa, also stressed the importance of respect for other countries' sovereignty. Taking the China-SA relationship as an example, she said South Africa and China have respected each other's independence and freedoms since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations.

"We do everything together in terms of set agreements, memorandum of understandings, and respect for each other. Therefore, we believe that the African National Congress will leave the situation of Hong Kong to the government of China," noted Moloi.

In her view, no outside voices should force themselves into the Hong Kong situation, further noting that other countries should give China the chance, time and space to deal with its internal affairs.

"We think China has the capacity to deal with this situation. We have confidence in the leadership of the CPC (Communist Party of China)," she added.