The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Thursday strongly disapproved of and rejected US reauthorization of sanctions provisions under its Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, as incorporated in its National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025.

In accordance with international law and international practice based on the UN Charter, each and every sovereign state has an inherent right to enact laws safeguarding national security, the government said a statement.

“With at least 21 pieces of laws safeguarding national security, the US has exposed its double standards by pointing the finger at the HKSAR's legal system and enforcement mechanism to safeguard national security,” said a SAR government spokesman.

Stressing that the Hong Kong National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance clearly stipulate that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security in the city, the government said the offenses endangering national security that are stipulated in these laws target specific acts with precision, and define the elements and penalties of the offences with clarity.

The offenses target only an extremely small minority of people without affecting the basic rights and freedoms lawfully enjoyed by Hong Kong residents, it added.

Terming US clamor for “sanctions” as a demonstration of political grandstanding “rife with ill intentions” and a despicable attempt to intimidate HKSAR officials involved in safeguarding national security, the spokesman said the SAR government would not be intimidated by such behavior and would resolutely continue to discharge its duty of safeguarding national security.

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The statement outlined that the HKSAR government fully and vigorously enforces sanctions resolutions imposed by the United Nations Security Council to fulfill its international obligations. This includes denying entry to vessels sanctioned by the Security Council and other suspicious vessels and monitoring Hong Kong-based companies to prevent them from participating in activities that might constitute evasion of UNSC sanctions, it said.

At the same time, the SAR government has been implementing a comprehensive and robust control regime over the import and export of strategic commodities and maintaining active participation in the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Arms Trade Treaty through the central government, it added.

“The effectiveness of our work has been well respected and recognized by our trading partners and internationally."

The statement added that the HKSAR government has a comprehensive and robust control regime in place with regard to the import and export of “strategic commodities” and participates in the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Arms Trade Treaty, both of which the central government is a signatory to.

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Noting that the US has substantial economic interests in the SAR, the government said the country had a trade surplus totaling about $270 billion in relation to Hong Kong over the past decade.

Pointing out that some 1,390 US companies currently operate in the city, the spokesman said the US government's actions endanger the mutually beneficial relations between Hong Kong and the US and harm the interests of US companies.

Foreign governments and legislatures should not interfere in any form in the internal affairs of the HKSAR, the spokesman added.