Foreign Ministry expressed firm opposition on Wednesday to certain countries flagrantly discrediting and smearing the legitimate law enforcement actions of the Hong Kong police force.
Chris Tang Ping-Keung, secretary for security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, on Tuesday, exercised the powers conferred by the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance to specify seven absconders and the measures to be applied against them by notices published in the gazette.
The seven relevant absconders are Hui Chi-fung, Kwok Fung-yee, Yuan Gong-yi, Kwok Wing-hang, Yam Kevin, Hui Wing-ting and Siu Joey.
The Hong Kong police force also put six other individuals on the wanted list on suspicion of violating the national security law in Hong Kong.
The law enforcement actions by the Hong Kong police force are based on the Hong Kong national security law and Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a daily news briefing.
The acts uphold the rule of law and respond to public opinion in Hong Kong, she said.
Mao pointed out that those individuals who fled overseas have long engaged in anti-China activities to disrupt Hong Kong, attempting to undermine the development and social stability of the special administrative region.
Those acts have seriously endangered national security, harmed the fundamental interests of Hong Kong, and seriously undermined the bottom line of "one country, two systems," Mao said.
She emphasized that measures taken by the Hong Kong police force are necessary to defend China's sovereignty and security, and legitimate to safeguard the long-term stability of Hong Kong, which are also in line with international law and international practices.
Mao reiterated that Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs that brook no external interference. "Any attempt by external forces to meddle in Hong Kong affairs under the guise of 'human rights and freedom' is doomed to fail".
