HONG KONG - The Commissioner’s Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) firmly opposed the US announcement of visa restrictions on Chinese officials, urging the US to immediately correct its mistakes and stop interfering with Hong Kong affairs and China’s internal affairs as a whole.

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In a statement issued on Saturday, a spokesperson for the office said accusations by the US that the central government of China has undermined the high degree of autonomy of the HKSAR is completely groundless. 

The national security legislation for the HKSAR is a major measure to reaffirm commitment to and improve the 'one country, two systems' policy, and a fundamental step to end the chaos in Hong Kong and preserve its peace and stability.

Spokesperson, Commissioner’s Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the HKSAR

"No one is more earnest and determined than the Chinese government to fully and faithfully implement 'one country, two systems', and no one cares more than the Chinese government about Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability and its people’s well-being. The national security legislation for the HKSAR is a major measure to reaffirm commitment to and improve the 'one country, two systems' policy, and a fundamental step to end the chaos in Hong Kong and preserve its peace and stability," the spokesperson said.

Nearly 3 million Hong Kong citizens have signed a petition endorsing the legislation, and over 1.28 million signed an ongoing online petition opposing the interference by the US and other external forces. 

The spokesperson emphasized that the Chinese government is "rock-firm" in advancing the national security legislation for the HKSAR in safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests.

The spokesperson reiterated that China firmly opposes the US interference in Hong Kong affairs under the pretext of the Sino-British Joint Declaration. 

"The instrument is essentially about China’s resumption of the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong. Hong Kong already returned to its motherland on 1 July 1997, and foreign countries, the US and the UK included, have no sovereignty, jurisdiction or right to supervise Hong Kong, China," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson urged the US to bear in mind that Hong Kong is part of China and its affairs are China’s internal affairs. 

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"The US side should immediately stop interfering with Hong Kong affairs and China’s internal affairs as a whole in any possible way. Otherwise, it will be firmly hit back by the Chinese side," the spokesperson said.