China denounces US House Speaker's remarks on Hong Kong

Beijing deplores and rejects US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s comments on Hong Kong which interfered with China’s internal affairs and judicial sovereignty, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the comments at a routine press briefing in response to Pelosi saying that Beijing had “completely abandoned” its commitment to autonomy for Hong Kong and offended religious freedom, political freedom and human rights.

The arrests of suspects including Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun were made under the law and based on evidence, Zhao said.

“The persons concerned are suspected of conspiring with foreign countries or external forces to endanger national security in violation of Article 29 of the National Security Law,” he said.

Since the implementation of the National Security Law, Hong Kong has taken on a new look, Zhao asserted.

“The US politician’s remarks constitute malicious denigration of Hong Kong’s rule of law, unwarranted attack against China’s Hong Kong policy and grave interference in China’s internal affairs and judicial sovereignty. China deplores and rejects that,” he said.

The United States was experiencing serious inflation, frequent gun violence and a COVID-19 epidemic that has killed more than 1 million people, he noted.

“The politician concerned had better spend her time and energy on these domestic issues, rather than concerning herself with Hong Kong,” Zhao said.

(Compiled by Meng Gaohan)