China strongly opposes the article of Madam Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in a Hong Kong newspaper on November 30, which made inappropriate comments on the situation of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong SAR), China, interferes in China's internal affairs, and violates the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The Chinese side has lodged strong representations to the High Commissioner and her Office.
Since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the principle of "one country, two systems" has been fully implemented and the achievements are widely recognized by the international community. However, the continuous radical violent activities in the Hong Kong SAR seriously trample the rule of law and the public order, seriously disturb the Hong Kong SAR's prosperity and stability, and seriously challenge the bottom line of the "one country, two systems" principle.
Faced with radical violent crimes, the Hong Kong SAR police have fulfilled their duties and exercised utmost restraint with professionalism during law-enforcement actions. The Hong Kong SAR police have made tremendous efforts to restore public order, maintain public security and defend the rule of law in the Hong Kong SAR, enduring tremendous pressure and making huge sacrifices.
In the past five months, Chief Executive Carrie Lam and her team have efforts to reach out to the public in an open manner and have conducted more than 100 dialogues with local people. It was the violent radicals and anti-China forces attempting to destabilize the Hong Kong SAR that sabotaged the dialogue efforts.
What the Hong Kong SAR faces now is absolutely not about human rights or democracy. The violent radicals have, under the pretext of "five major demands", unscrupulously committed violence, trampled the rule of law and public order in Hong Kong, and challenged the bottom line of the "one country, two systems" principle. In stead of expressing grievances, they are conducting "political intimidation" and "political coercion". In fact, they seek to create chaos in the Hong Kong SAR, paralyze the Hong Kong SAR government and seize the administrative power of the Hong Kong SAR with the aim of rendering the "one country, two systems" principle defunct.
The article of the High Commissioner, which interferes in the internal affairs of China, and exerts pressure on the government and polices of the Hong Kong SAR, will only embolden the rioters to conduct more severe radical violence.
The most urgent task for the Hong Kong SAR at present is to end violence and chaos and restore order. The Central Government will continue to firmly support the Chief Executive in governing the Hong Kong SAR in accordance with law, support the Hong Kong police in strictly enforcing law, and support the Hong Kong judicial organs in bringing violent criminals to justice according to law.
We wish to emphasize that Hong Kong is a part of China and Hong Kong affairs belong to China's internal affairs where no State, organization or individual shall interfere in any form. The Chinese government is determined to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, implement the "one country, two systems" principle, and oppose any foreign interference in Hong Kong affairs. We urge the High Commissioner and her Office to strictly abide by the purpose and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, see the true colors of the violent rioters in the Hong Kong SAR, stop making irresponsible comments, and refrain from interfering by any means in the internal affairs of the Hong Kong SAR of China.