The US Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) has reopened China-bashing season by releasing its so-called annual report on China. But no surprises; it's virtually the same as last year and the year before that. The only fundamental change is the date.

It seems politicians in the United States have run out of ideas to fabricate new falsehoods about the Chinese mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and have simply rehashed last year's entry. It appears to be a total waste of time as a web search cannot find any press coverage of the release, except for the Hong Kong press, which covered the HKSAR government's rebuttal to its claims.

China hawk Marco Rubio, Trump's candidate for secretary of state, has contributed greatly to the fabrication of this report. Rubio is by far one of the most virulent China hawks in the US.

Not only is Rubio interfering in China’s internal affairs, including HKSAR’s affairs, but also that of American businesses. Members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, the largest AmCham outside the US, are affected by Rubio's rhetoric and Washington’s measures on Hong Kong. Because of the sanctions the US administration has imposed on Hong Kong companies and individuals, US businesses are having difficulty conducting their operations in Hong Kong.

The 70,000 Americans living in Hong Kong must shudder when hearing those false narratives peddled by the CECC report and those China-hating politicians seeking political gain through soundbites decrying China and its HKSAR.

The Hong Kong authorities must be terribly frustrated by repeatedly having to debunk these false claims designed to denigrate both Beijing and the HKSAR government. But they must continue to refute these deliberate lies to uphold the HKSAR’s reputation. An HKSAR government spokesman has rightly described the report as "smacking of despicable political manipulation with ill intentions".

Ironically, the US does not understand the meaning of “peace”. It has waged wars throughout the world, and if it cannot find a war to promote a certain political or diplomatic agenda, it will make one

The report attacks virulently the HKSAR’s national security regime and its enforcement actions against those subversives who have violated the law, glorifying them as “democratic activists” engaging in “peaceful” activities and exercising “freedoms”.

The fact is, those arrested in Hong Kong for illegal activities are no better than those arrested and charged in the January 6, 2021 storming of Capitol Hill in Washington DC. In 2019-20 Hong Kong experienced fully blown riots; they were not peaceful activities as the CECC claimed. Freedoms are not absolute in Hong Kong, Washington or anywhere else, and breaches of the peace are dealt with by the full force of the law. This law enforcement principle is universal.

Ironically, the US does not understand the meaning of “peace”. It has waged wars throughout the world, and if it cannot find a war to promote a certain political or diplomatic agenda, it will make one. President-elect Donald Trump comes across as an opponent of war, and he has said that China and the US could work together “to solve all of the problems of the world”. However, if the present trend of hostility toward China continues, he will have little chance of achieving that.

The author is a former chief information officer of the Hong Kong Government, a PR and media consultant and veteran journalist.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.