Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu delivers his maiden Policy Address at the Legislative Council on Oct 19, 2022. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Friday strongly condemned US lawmakers who seek to sanction 49 Hong Kong officials, judges and prosecutors who are responsible for safeguarding national security, pointing out that the move is a “shoddy political trick with despicable intentions”.

Recently, a group of US lawmakers introduced the Hong Kong Sanctions Act, calling for sanctions on 49 Hong Kong people, including Paul Lam Ting-kwok, the HKSAR’s secretary for justice, Sonny Au Chi-kwong, secretary general of the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR, Raymond Siu Chak-yee, the police commissioner, and Andrew Cheung Kui-nung, chief justice of the Court of Final Appeal.

Since the implementation of the NSL over three years ago, the spokesman said, the HKSAR government has been discharging its duty to safeguard national security in accordance with the law 

A spokesman for the HKSAR government pointed out that protecting national security is an internal matter for sovereign jurisdictions, and the implementation of the National Security Law in Hong Kong is not subject to any form of interference.

READ MORE: Enforcing NSL does no harm to city’s advantages 

The spokesman also said that the riots that took place in 2019 had seriously jeopardized the peace and tranquility of Hong Kong society, and the implementation of the NSL has enabled Hong Kong residents to quickly return to normal, both in their lives and economic activities; the business environment has also been restored. 

The spokesman criticized the group of US politicians for having persistently turned a deaf ear to the relevant facts, and for clamoring to impose sanctions on SAR officials who have been performing their duties with utmost diligence.

Since the implementation of the NSL over three years ago, the spokesman said, the HKSAR government has been discharging its duty to safeguard national security in accordance with the law.

When discharging duties under the NSL, the HKSAR law enforcement agencies have always taken law enforcement actions based on evidence and strictly in accordance with the law, against people, institutions or organizations that have endangered national security, the spokesman said. 

The Department of Justice of the HKSAR is in charge of criminal prosecutions under Article 63 of the Basic Law, with all prosecution decisions made based on an objective analysis of all admissible evidence and applicable laws, he added.

“The SAR government strongly urges the US politicians concerned to discern facts from fallacies, and immediately stop acting against the international law and basic norms of international relations and interfering in Hong Kong matters, which are purely China's internal affairs,” the spokesman said.

READ MORE: Hong Kong youth: NSL brings opportunities to development

The spokesman reiterated that the HKSAR is fully and faithfully committed to this top priority under the principle of “one country, two systems”. He added that the government will resolutely, fully and faithfully implement the NSL and further strengthen the SAR’s legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security to effectively prevent, suppress and punish, in accordance with the law, acts and activities that endanger national security.

The historical trajectory of the steady implementation of the “one country, two systems” principle and Hong Kong’s journey towards prosperity remains unchanged

In a statement released on Friday, a spokesperson for the Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong SAR expressed strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to the proposed sanctions.

Over the past three years, under the implementation of the National Security Law for Hong Kong and the new electoral system, Hong Kong has made significant efforts to protect national security and has restored security and stability, entering a new phase from chaos to order and from order to prosperity, said the spokesperson.

The endeavors made by various sectors in the SAR to safeguard national security are not only natural and justified but also supported by Hong Kong residents and the entire Chinese population. External forces have no grounds to criticize these efforts, the spokesperson said.

The historical trajectory of the steady implementation of the “one country, two systems” principle and Hong Kong’s journey towards prosperity remains unchanged, and no sanctions can impede its progress, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson underlined that the Chinese people, including Hong Kong residents, possess an unwavering determination to safeguard the city’s sovereignty, security, and development interests.

READ MORE: National security risks remain as NSL enters its third year 

Any attempts at sanctions or intimidation will not deter the Chinese people; instead, they will only strengthen their unity and inspire them to move forward with greater confidence and resolve, the spokesperson said. 

The spokesman said that some unscrupulous politicians in the United States have willfully disregarded the reality of Hong Kong's return to the right track and the adherence to basic norms of international relations. 

These politicians have shown a lack of respect for the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary, repeatedly attempting to impose unwarranted unilateral sanctions on Hong Kong, the spokesman said. 

Their blatant calls for sanctions against judges and other personnel fulfilling their duties in the SAR expose their hegemonic behavior with no bottom line and their malicious intention to disrupt and harm Hong Kong.

The spokesman advised these politicians to confront the truth, cease interfering in Hong Kong's affairs, refrain from meddling in China's internal matters, and abandon their misguided notion of using Hong Kong as a tool to constrain China. 

Continuing on misguided path will only lead them to face one defeat after another, the spokesman said.