The Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Wednesday strongly condemned former US vice-president Mike Pence for his inappropriate remarks on an ongoing national security trial in Hong Kong.
Pence’s bid to politically manipulate and interfere with Hong Kong’s Judiciary is a challenge to the city’s law enforcement and solid efforts to safeguard national security, a spokesperson for the office said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Pence, who served as vice-president during the first Trump administration, in 2017-21, visited Hong Kong last week to speak at a business summit, during which he reportedly called for the release of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying — a defendant who has been charged with national security offenses in an ongoing trial.
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The office said Pence’s move challenges the city’s legal system as well as its efforts to safeguard national security.
The office firmly supports the HKSAR government’s efforts to safeguard national security in a lawful and justified manner and to lawfully punish activities and personnel that undermine it, the statement said.
Any attempt of external forces to interfere in Hong Kong’s judicial process is destined to be in vain, the office said.
Also on Wednesday, Hong Kong Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung told local media that Pence “has a malicious intention” to interfere with the fair trial of the court, and his remarks are strongly opposed and condemned by the SAR government.
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Tang also warned some US politicians not to try to use commercial activities for political manipulation or even challenge the rule of law in Hong Kong, as it violates international law and the regular norms governing international relations.
