The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Wednesday night strongly condemned the absurd and unfounded remarks made by Consul General of the United States of America to Hong Kong Gregory May on Hong Kong's situation, particularly on safeguarding national security and protecting human rights.

An HKSAR government spokesman said in a statement that May’s remarks in a media interview on the so-called "chilling effect" are purely malicious smears on the National Security Law for Hong Kong and the city's Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.

“The HKSAR government strongly demands the Consul General of the US to immediately stop the malicious smears of and interference in Hong Kong matters which are purely China's internal affairs," the spokesman said.

He said that since the implementation of the NSL in June 2020, the US has ignored the large-scale and incessant riots that occurred in 2019 that devastated society and the economy of Hong Kong.

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“Instead, it piled up false stories and fabricated narratives to maliciously slander laws relevant to safeguarding national security in the HKSAR, and blatantly attacked the HKSAR in safeguarding national security dutifully, faithfully and in accordance with the law,” the spokesman said.

“The US has also deliberately neglected the fact that the NSL has enabled the livelihood and economic activities of the Hong Kong community as well the business environment to return to normalcy, exposing its hypocrisy with double standards,” he added.

The spokesman said the HKSAR is an inalienable part of the People's Republic of China that enjoys a high degree of autonomy under "one country, two systems" and comes directly under the central government.

"Since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, human rights in the city have always been robustly guaranteed constitutionally by both the Constitution and the Basic Law. The legal framework in safeguarding national security in the HKSAR is in line with relevant international human rights standards,” the spokesman said.

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He said the NSL and the SNSO clearly stipulate that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security although some of them may be subject to restrictions as prescribed by law that are necessary to protect national security and public safety.    

"As a matter of fact, it is each and every sovereign state's inherent right to enact laws safeguarding national security, and it is also an international practice. The US has at least 21 pieces of laws safeguarding national security,” the spokesman said.

“It is therefore in no position to point its finger at the HKSAR's legal system and enforcement mechanisms to safeguard national security," he added.

The spokesman also said that offenses endangering national security stipulated by the NSL and the SNSO target acts endangering national security "with precision, and define the elements and penalties of the offenses with clarity".

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“The HKSAR law enforcement agencies have been taking law enforcement actions based on evidence and strictly in accordance with the law in respect of the acts of the persons concerned,” the spokesman said. “Law-abiding persons will not unwittingly violate the law.”