Spokesperson's Remarks on OHCHR Press Briefing Note on Hong Kong, China
2019-08-13 23:12

On 13 August, the spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights made a wrongful statement on Hong Kong that contradicts the facts, interferes in what is happening in Hong Kong, which is China's domestic affairs, and sends the wrong signal to the violent criminal offenders. China expresses its deep dissatisfaction and firm opposition.

Demonstrations in Hong Kong have recently taken a violent turn as some radical mobsters deliberately perpetuated violence. Their behavior has nothing to do with peaceful demonstration. They stormed and vandalized the Legislative Council and the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR, disfigured and drowned the Chinese national flag and emblem, smashed public facilities, paralyzed the airport, obstructed public transport, and brazenly attacked police officers in extremely dangerous and cruel ways, including using lethal weapons like smoke bombs, petrol bombs, and large caliber shooting devices. These are not only serious crimes of violence, but showed a tendency of resorting to terrorism. Their violence tramples the rule of law and public order in Hong Kong, threatens the life and property of Hong Kong citizens, and challenges Hong Kong's prosperity and stability and the principle of "one country, two systems". This is not tolerable for any responsible government and will only be met with a firm hand in accordance with the law. We take note the High Commissioner condemns any form of violence or destruction of property.

The police force is the backbone of Hong Kong's public order and rule of law. For over two months, they have been honoring their duty in a lawful and dedicated way; their professionalism, restraint, and contribution in the effort to stop violence and turmoil is saluted and acclaimed by all those who cherish a peaceful life, including the overwhelming majority of citizens in Hong Kong. The Chinese central government firmly supports Chief Executive Carrie Lam and the HK SAR government in discharging their duties in compliance with the law and supports the Hong Kong police force and judicial organs in enforcing the law decisively and administering the law in a serious and principled way to bring criminal offenders to justice as soon as possible.

Hong Kong is Chinese territory; Hong Kong's issues are China's domestic affairs that are not subject to the intervention by any country, organization, or individual. At the moment, the most pressing thing to do in Hong Kong is to stop violence and turmoil and restore public order. The real question is whether the rule of law should be upheld and violence condemned; this is not a human rights issue in any sense. We urge the OHCHR to abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and act in a fair and objective way; immediately stop interfering in the affairs of Hong Kong, which is China's domestic affairs; stop making irresponsible comments on the act of justice of the Hong Kong SAR government and police force in upholding the rule of law and public order; and correct its wrongful approach which amounts to a covert indulgence and support of violence and criminal offenses.