A spokesperson for the Commissioner’s Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Friday strongly condemned and firmly rejected the “Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Certification Act,” which the spokesperson said was put forward by “a few anti-China U.S. congressmen.”
The act was passed by the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday and will be submitted to the full Senate for a vote.
The spokesperson for the commissioner’s office said the act wantonly smeared “One Country, Two Systems,” clamored for the abolition of the privileges and immunities of the HKETO in the U.S. and even the closure of the HKETO, and grossly interfered in China’s internal affairs.
The commissioner’s office urged the U.S. to stop advancing the act.
The spokesperson noted Hong Kong is the largest source of trade surplus in the United States and an important place for American enterprises to invest and do business.
As overseas economic and trade organizations set up by the HKSAR government, HKETOs have run smoothly, which is win-win to the economic and trade cooperation between Hong Kong and relevant countries and regions, the spokesperson added.
“Ignoring the aspirations of the Hong Kong people for stability, progress and development, and disregarding the common interests of the international community in Hong Kong, a small number of politicians in the U.S. have deliberately concocted ill-intended acts and laws involving Hong Kong, and politicized economic and trade issues to serve their own political gains, which shows the U.S.’ real intention to use Hong Kong to curb China, and exposed U.S.’ hegemonic nature,” the spokesperson pointed out.
The spokesperson also stressed that no stigma and pressure can stop the historical trend of Hong Kong’s better governance and greater prosperity, nor will it delay Hong Kong’s firm pace of integrating into the overall national development.
It will be counterproductive if U.S. politicians insist on pushing forward the act because it will damage the U.S.’ own interests and credibility, the spokesperson warned.
The spokesperson stressed China will never accept any bullying acts of threats and intimidation, and will take strong measures to safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests.
(Cover via the Commissioner’s Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region)
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