HONG KONG, June 3 -- Chief Executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said Tuesday that the decision by the national legislature to establish and improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security demonstrates the commitment of the central authorities, while some foreign countries applied double standards on the matter.
Speaking at a media session on Tuesday, Lam pointed out that national security embodies a nation's sovereignty and sets up the foundation of the governance. It is the jurisdiction of the central authorities to enact laws on national security, as all other nations do, and current laws in Hong Kong are nowhere near adequate to deal with issues related to national security.
Lam said China's national security law should be applied in each part and corner of the country, and the central government had thus authorized the HKSAR to complete on national security legislation in accordance with the "one country, two systems" principle, "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy. Hong Kong however has yet to enact such laws.
Lam said there has been an increasing threat on national security in Hong Kong since last year, with some advocating "Hong Kong independence," as well as foreign interference harming the national security.
Lam, rebuffing some foreign countries' criticism on China, said the central authorities shoulder the responsibility by making the decision under the special situation.
Some foreign governments treasure so much of their own national security but look through colored spectacles when viewing China's security and Hong Kong's current situation, Lam said, blasting those foreign governments of taking double standards.
Any sanctions or removing of Hong Kong's special status would hurt the United States itself and would not benefit anyone, Lam warned.
She said that the United States, for the past over 10 years, has enjoyed its large trade surplus with Hong Kong, the non-reciprocal visa-free access and etc.
Lam said that the acts and behaviors to hit businesses and people will only make the economy and people's livelihood worse as the COVID-19 epidemic has already weakened the global economy.