HONG KONG affairs are China’s internal affairs, and no external interference will be tolerated, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said yesterday.

Wang made the remarks in response to a question on national security legislation for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual national legislative session.

Non-interference, as a basic norm of international relations, must be observed by all countries, Wang noted.

The Central Government is responsible for upholding national security, which is the same in any country, he said.

The Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR said Friday that the ongoing national legislative session’s agenda on the HKSAR is an imperative move to close the legal loopholes in the SAR concerning national security.

The deliberation by China’s national legislature of a draft decision on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security is fundamental to ensuring that “one country, two systems” principle goes steady and far, said a spokesperson of the office.

On Saturday, the Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the HKSAR urged relevant countries to respect China’s sovereignty and security, and stop meddling with Hong Kong affairs and China’s internal affairs as a whole.

The spokesperson said that in recent years, especially since the unrest following the proposed amendment bill last year, “Hong Kong independence” and other radical separatist activities have grown increasingly rampant, and violent terrorism ramped up. Some external forces have colluded with the anti-China troublemakers in Hong Kong, openly meddled with Hong Kong affairs, and used Hong Kong to commit acts undermining China’s national security. Such attempts have posed a grave challenge to the red line of the “one country, two systems” principle and an imminent threat to China’s national security, and must be prevented, prohibited and punished in accordance with the law.

A spokesperson of the State Council Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office noted Friday that establishing and improving at the national level the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security will lay a solid institutional foundation for the steady and enduring growth of the cause of “one country, two systems.”

On the same day, HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam pointed out that introducing the national security legislation for the HKSAR helps protect the legitimate interests of both Hong Kong residents and foreign investors.

Business confidence in Hong Kong will improve as the place will be safer after its legal system and enforcement mechanisms to safeguard national security are established and improved, Lam said, stressing the interests of foreign investors will not be damaged.

The president and 41 members of the Legislative Council (LegCo) of the HKSAR on Friday also expressed support for establishing and improving at the state-level the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security.

(Xinhua)