HONG KONG, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Friday refuted the fallacious remarks made by Paul Harris, chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association, and stressed the authority of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) cannot be challenged and Hong Kong's constitutional order must be safeguarded.

Harris, elected as the new chairman of the association last week, questioned the authority of the NPC Standing Committee, clamored for modification of the national security law in the HKSAR, and blatantly defended those advocating "Hong Kong independence," a spokesperson of the liaison office said in a statement.

His remarks completely deviated from professional ethics, lost the spirit of the rule of law, and exposed the arrogance and ignorance of himself, the spokesperson said.

The NPC and its Standing Committee have the indisputable power to put national laws into Annex III to the HKSAR Basic Law for their implementation, the spokesperson said, stressing that Harris, as a senior counsel, cannot be ignorant of such legal knowledge.

As national security falls within the purview of the central authorities, the national security legislation by the NPC Standing Committee is completely just and necessary and its authority cannot be challenged, the spokesperson said.

With street violence contained and social order restored, the national security law in the HKSAR, effective for more than half a year, has proven to be the guarantee of Hong Kong's overall interests and its residents' well-being, the spokesperson said.

Harris has taken advantage of his position to mislead the public in basic facts and legal principles and challenge the constitutional order of the HKSAR, as well as the national sovereignty and the bottom line of "one country, two systems," the spokesperson said.

The association should uphold and safeguard the spirit of the rule of law and justice in Hong Kong, but it failed repeatedly to be fair and rational on "one country, two systems" and major constitutional issues in the past three years, the spokesperson said, condemning the association for turning a blind eye to extreme criminal activities and descending into a violence-inciting political tool.

The spokesperson doubted if the association, after wantonly trampling on the rule of law, can still shoulder its responsibility.

No one will be allowed to destabilize Hong Kong in the disguise of "professionalism," the spokesperson said.

Hong Kong's constitutional order established by the Constitution and the HKSAR Basic Law must be firmly safeguarded, the national security law in the HKSAR must be strictly implemented, and the prosperity and long-term stability of Hong Kong must be guaranteed, the spokesperson said.