His comments, posted on social media platform X, were a reference to Hong Kong’s largest and longest-running national security trial, in which 14 opposition figures were found guilty on Thursday of plotting to overthrow state power and two were acquitted of an election conspiracy charge to paralyze the city’s government.
The 16 are part of a group of 47 politicians and activists charged under the national security law in 2021, six months after they held informal “primary elections” for the upcoming Legislative Council elections.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron also commented on the ruling on his X account on Friday, saying “this is the exact opposite of one country, two systems,” referring to the governing principles underpinned by Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, the Basic Law.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Hong Kong office hit back at around 11pm, saying “political show is futile and the spirit of the rule of law must not be violated.”
“They have attacked ‘one country, two systems’, slandered the Hong Kong National Security Law, denigrated the situation of human rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, interfered in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s judiciary, and even threatened to impose new sanctions,” the office said.
The court condemned the “baseless accusations” against the National Security Tribunal’s verdict and maintained that the high court had dealt with the case impartially and without interference.
The office called on US and British politicians to abide by the principles of international law and basic norms of international relations, seriously respect the spirit of the rule of law, and immediately stop political manipulation and interference in Hong Kong affairs.
The Hong Kong government also strongly opposed the move, also condemning the move to impose visa restrictions in a statement issued late at night.
“[The measures] “This is flagrant interference in China’s internal affairs and Hong Kong’s affairs… The HKSAR despises such threats and will not succumb to such despicable acts. The HKSAR will continue to resolutely fulfill its duty to safeguard national security,” the statement said.
City officials said the court’s decision clearly stated its reasons and that such criminal acts “have nothing to do with the so-called fight for democracy and human rights.”
“The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government strongly urges the US government to immediately stop interfering in China’s internal affairs and Hong Kong’s affairs, and stop malicious smearing the judgments of relevant cases,” the statement said.
This was the city government’s second “rebuttal” statement in less than 12 hours defending the subversion verdict – the first was issued on Friday afternoon to reject criticism of the verdict by foreign governments and NGOs.
