Commentary: Washington's vicious scheme to disrupt Hong Kong bound to fail

BEIJING, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- The United States has tried once again to manipulate facts concerning Hong Kong and meddle in China's internal affairs. However, Washington's hypocrisy will become ever more apparent in the eyes of the world and its sinister intentions will only go under.

In a statement posted on U.S. State Department's twitter account on Thursday, Washington made some ridiculous remarks regarding freedom in Hong Kong and a national security law, and urged Beijing to "abide by its treaty obligations in the Sino-British Joint Declaration."

By attacking the national security law for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Washington is seeking to confuse the general public. The law as well as other effective measures have effectively plugged the systemic loopholes for the HKSAR government to safeguard national security, and removed the obstacles and threats that undermined the city's development. As a result, Hong Kong residents can now enjoy their legitimate rights and freedoms in a safe and peaceful environment.

Since its enactment over a year ago, the law has brought to justice a handful of anti-China rioters in Hong Kong and returned stability to the city. These are irrefutable facts. Also, the national security law has won the heartfelt support from the local people.

According to a report on Hong Kong's business environment released by the HKSAR government last month, the city has retained its sound business environment and unique advantages under "one country, two systems," and the financial hub is still attractive to businesses and investors around the world.

Hong Kong is a society under the rule of law. No organization or individual has any privilege above the law. By taking legal actions against those anti-China rioters, the HKSAR government has responded to the wishes of the people and effectively safeguarded the sanctity of the rule of law.

Under the pretext of so-called democracy and human rights, some U.S. politicians have turned a blind eye to the basic facts in Hong Kong and the expectations of the people there, and stood with those rioters. They could not care less about the long-term stability and security in the Chinese metropolis. What they seek is to create more disruptions in Hong Kong and to contain China's development.

In fact, Washington is intentionally distorting the Sino-British Joint Declaration. The core of the document is on Hong Kong's return to China and relevant arrangements during the transitional period. There is not a single word nor clause that granted the British side the right to intervene in Hong Kong affairs. Britain has no sovereignty, jurisdiction or "right of supervision" over Hong Kong after the city returns to China.

As China has resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong and completed relative follow-up work, the historic mission of the document has been accomplished.

However, those U.S. politicians choose to disregard international rules and continue to make irresponsible remarks about the declaration. Their true color of a hegemony featuring hypocrisy and double standards is too clear to miss.

The United States is in no place to point fingers at others over human rights and freedom given its own record on this front.

Inside America today, the systemic racial discrimination has grown ever worse and more than 700,000 people lost their lives during COVID-19 due to Washington's botched anti-pandemic efforts. And in many parts of the world, the United States has caused massive civilian casualties in the armed conflicts and wars it launched.

As a consequence, Washington's myth as "a defender of human rights" has already collapsed.

The U.S. politicians' sinister scheme to destabilize Hong Kong and undermine lasting peace and prosperity that Hong Kong people have longed for will go nowhere. They should immediately stop meddling in China's internal affairs and take care of their own mess back home.