BEIJING, May 7 -- China on Wednesday demanded the United States to stop issuing orders regarding the political reform of Hong Kong or doing anything to damage its prosperity and stability.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying made the comment when asked to respond to U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel's remarks about Hong Kong's political reform and universal suffrage in the chief executive election.

"Political system development is Hong Kong's own affair and China's internal affair. Others have no right to interfere in it," Hua said at a daily news briefing.

The Chinese government firmly opposes any foreign interference in Hong Kong's political reform or other affairs, Hua said.

China resumed exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997. Universal suffrage in the chief executive election is regarded as an important development in the region's political system.

In December, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government launched a five-month-long public consultation on methods for the election of Hong Kong's next Chief Executive through universal suffrage in 2017 and for forming the Legislative Council in 2016.