This photo dated Nov 17, 2016 shows the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Central, Hong Kong. (PARKER ZHENG / CHINA DAILY)

HONG KONG - The Commissioner's Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Wednesday expressed strong disapproval and firm rejection to the irresponsible comments by the US State Department and a small number of US and British politicians on some judicial cases in the HKSAR.

They showed support to anti-China force Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and slandered the National Security Law for Hong Kong, a spokesperson for the office said, urging external forces to immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs.

The office urged a few politicians from the United States and some other Western countries to respect the spirit of the rule of law, stop their futile efforts to whitewash criminals, and stop undermining the judicial system of the HKSAR

The spokesperson said that the core essence of the rule of law is to abide by the law, enforce the law, and hold law-breakers accountable.

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As a planner and instigator of the anti-China disruptive activities in Hong Kong, and as an "agent" and "pawn" of the anti-China forces of the United States and some other Western countries, Lai took pride in foreign interference, tried to undermine the political system, spread separatist remarks, and begged for foreign sanctions at the cost of the fundamental interests of more than 7 million Hong Kong residents, the spokesperson said.

Noting that Lai's crime of collusion with foreign forces is clear, the spokesperson said the HKSAR government's law enforcement towards Lai and others in accordance with the law is a necessary move to guard against risks endangering national security, protect the authority of the national security law in Hong Kong, and safeguard Hong Kong's prosperity and stability.

The spokesperson pointed out that the Basic Law of the HKSAR and the national security law in Hong Kong protect the wide range of lawful rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents, including freedom of speech and the press.

However, rights and freedoms are not excuses for crimes, and no one has the privilege to be above the law, the spokesperson said.

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The spokesperson noted that a few countries speak out every once in a while to whitewash Lai, an agent they cultivated but in fact the culprit who organized, planned and participated in the Hong Kong version of the "color revolution," as a "democracy fighter," and sugarcoated his remarks inciting independence and subversion as "freedom movement" speeches.

"It fully exposes their sinister intentions to collude with anti-China forces in Hong Kong to undermine Hong Kong's prosperity and stability and use Hong Kong to contain China," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson stressed that anyone who violates the red line of the law will not walk away without punishment, any act that threatens national sovereignty, security and development interests will not succeed, and any attempt to interfere will be futile.

The likes of Jimmy Lai have long been firmly nailed to the pillar of humiliation for betraying the motherland and the people, and must be duly punished under the rule of law, the spokesperson said.

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The office urged a few politicians from the United States and some other Western countries to respect the spirit of the rule of law, stop their futile efforts to whitewash criminals, and stop undermining the judicial system of the HKSAR.