In an attempt to punish China for introducing a new security law for Hong Kong, Trump said on Saturday that the city no longer warranted economic privileges and some of the territory’s officials could face US sanctions.
Trump claimed the new legislation would decrease the level of autonomy in Hong Kong, and threatened to impose sanctions on Hong Kong government officials who supported the law.
Hong Kong’s Justice Minister Teresa Cheng said hours later that the premise for Trump’s move was “completely false and wrong.” Cheng also said Trump was infringing the principle of non-interference, arguing that stripping the government of its special status amounted to meddling in China’s internal affairs.
Separately, Security Minister John Lee told reporters that Hong Kong’s government could not be threatened and would push ahead with the new law.
Hong Kong’s security chief has warned about a rise in violence and acts of “terrorism” as protesters return to the streets to slam mainland China
Chinese state media also lashed out at the US president for his decision regarding Hong Kong.
China Daily said on Sunday that Trump’s decision would hurt the United States and strengthen the bond between Hong Kong and mainland China.
The state-run Global Times tabloid also wrote that the US would run afoul of Hong Kong’s citizens.
North Korea backs China’s decision
Meanwhile, North Korea said it supported China’s decision to tighten security with its new legislation, calling it a “legitimate step” to safeguard state security.
“Since Hong Kong issue is an issue pertaining thoroughly to the internal affairs of China, any country or force has no right to say this or that about the issue,” North Korea’s KCNA state news agency cited a representative of North Korea’s Foreign Ministry as saying.
Hong Kong has witnessed protests over the security law as a lockdown imposed over the coronavirus outbreak gradually loosens in the city.
Hong Kong is witnessing a renewal of protests over a newly-proposed security law as a lockdown imposed over the coronavirus outbreak gradually loosens.
The law was recently passed by the National People’s Congress (NPC). It aims to boost security measures and safeguard national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) after violent protests rocked the region for months last year.
Hong Kong’s legislature debated and passed the Beijing-proposed bill on Wednesday.
It is expected to criminalize sedition, secession, and subversion against the mainland. It would further pave the way for Chinese national security institutions to operate in the city for the first time since 1997, when Hong Kong returned from British to Chinese rule.
Beijing and Hong Kong officials have assured the people in the region that the security law will only target a small group of trouble-makers who undermine the business hub’s stability.
