HONG KONG, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Saturday sternly denounced the "coercive measures" taken by the U.S. Department of State under the so-called "The President's Executive Order on Hong Kong Normalization" against six officials of the Chinese central government and HKSAR government.

This latest attempt of the U.S. government to intervene in the internal affairs of China and obstruct actions taken by the HKSAR authorities to safeguard national security is insane, shameless and despicable, a spokesman for the HKSAR government said.

The HKSAR chief executive Carrie Lam said that such a deplorable move is totally illegitimate and violates established principles of international law. Lam and her colleagues are discharging an honorable duty to prevent, stop and punish in accordance with the law acts and activities endangering national security and will not be intimidated, according to the spokesman.

"The HKSAR government will fully support the central government in adopting appropriate counter-measures," the spokesman quoted Lam.

Since the implementation of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR, the U.S. government has exploited every incident and excuse to make slandering remarks about the law and attack the central and the HKSAR authorities in their dutiful, faithful and lawful implementation of the law, the spokesman said.

"We could not help but suspect that the national security law in Hong Kong has touched a nerve of those foreign or external forces," the spokesman said.

With recent events that took place in the U.S. Capitol, it should be obvious to many people around the world that the U.S. acts are displaying double standards and hypocrisy, let alone blatantly breaching international laws and basic norms governing international relations, the spokesman said.

The national security law in Hong Kong, or indeed any law in the HKSAR, "applies equally to every person in Hong Kong; no one is above the law," the spokesman said, adding that arrests and prosecutions made by law enforcement agencies are strictly in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.

"We are appalled by irresponsible remarks made by overseas government officials that seemed to suggest that people with certain political beliefs should be immune to legal sanctions. We are even more alarmed by the call contained in the U.S. Department of State's statement that suspects arrested by law enforcement agencies in the HKSAR should be immediately released," the spokesman said.

Tam Yiu-chung, a member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), who was one of those "sanctioned" by the United States, said that he has acted in a just, reasonable, and lawful manner for Hong Kong's prosperity and stability.

Tam said that he has never had any assets in the United States, and although the so-called "sanction" could cause inconvenience to him, it is no big deal.

The Hong Kong Police Force's Director of National Security Frederic Choi Chin-pang, and Assistant Commissioners of Police of National Security Kan Kai-yan and Kelvin Kong Hok-lai said that safeguarding national security is the responsibility and honor of police officers.

The three officers said that they will continue to do their job well, be fearless, strictly enforce the law, and unswervingly safeguard national security.