Commissioner's office of Chinese foreign ministry denounces external defamation of Hong Kong's LegCo election

HONG KONG, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has strongly disapproved of, firmly rejected and condemned the misleading statement made by foreign ministers of some countries about the election of the seventh-term Legislative Council (LegCo) of the HKSAR.

The foreign ministers of the United States, Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand smeared Hong Kong's new electoral system, questioned the authority of the election results, emboldened anti-China elements in Hong Kong and interfered in China's internal affairs, said a spokesperson of the office on Monday.

The white paper titled "Hong Kong: Democratic Progress Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems" released by China's State Council Information Office Monday clearly stated that the Chinese government designed, created, safeguarded and advanced Hong Kong's system of democracy, the spokesperson said.

"The electoral system improved by the central government shows that democracy in Hong Kong is advancing with the times and it lays a solid foundation for the sound long-term development of democracy in Hong Kong," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson stressed that under the new electoral system, the LegCo election embraced its original mission of choosing the able and serving the people, minimized the internal rifts and pan-politicization, and reflected Hong Kong's mainstream public opinion of seeking stability and development, kicking off a new era of quality democracy in Hong Kong.

The spokesperson pointed out that administration by patriots is a common political ethic, and ensuring a sense of national identity and political loyalty of public office-holders is an international common practice, adding the new electoral system features great inclusiveness and diversity and serves the fundamental interests of Hong Kong people.

The spokesperson stated that facts have proved the national security law in Hong Kong is an effective law that serves Hong Kong's interests, which only targets a small number of criminals who seriously endanger national security, and protects the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong people.

The spokesperson said some politicians in the relevant countries repeatedly played up the so-called "chilling effect" of the national security law in Hong Kong to create social panic of "everyone is at risk."

"However, it only laid bare their dark mentality of trying to disrupt the stable Hong Kong and made us even more determined to fully and faithfully implement 'one country, two systems' and the national security law in Hong Kong," the spokesperson noted.

The spokesperson pointed out that the Constitution and the Basic Law established the system of democracy in the HKSAR, adding the provisions relating to the British side in the Sino-British Joint Declaration were all fulfilled at the time of the return of Hong Kong and the completion of all follow-up work, and Britain has no sovereignty, jurisdiction or "right of supervision" over Hong Kong after its return to China.

The spokesperson said that as stated in the white paper, there was no democracy in Hong Kong under British colonial rule, the British colonial government maintained a repressive rule in Hong Kong, and Hong Kong people never enjoyed true democracy, human rights and freedom.

Some politicians in the United States are obsessed with undermining the democratic development and sowing social discords in Hong Kong, proclaiming to advocate "democracy" and "freedom," but in effect engage in activities of using Hong Kong to contain China, the spokesperson said.

Australia, Canada and New Zealand also have a bad track record in supporting anti-China elements and damaging democracy and the rule of law in Hong Kong, the spokesperson added.

"We urge politicians in the relevant countries to respect the historical trend of the times, abide by the principles of international law such as non-interference in others' internal affairs and the basic norms governing international relations, and stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs in any form," the spokesperson said.