Hong Kong’s government said on Saturday that U.S. and Canadian authorities were distorting facts to discredit Hong Kong’s national security law after the two countries warned their citizens that the risk of traveling to Hong Kong would increase when Article 23 of the Basic Law comes into force.
Both countries this week updated their travel warnings for Hong Kong, citing the National Security Regulations passed last month. Both countries said travelers should be more cautious due to “arbitrary enforcement of local laws”.
The SAR government said these announcements were a political ploy to use alarmist rhetoric to create panic.
A government spokesman said: “The crimes endangering national security stipulated in the Regulations accurately target behaviors that endanger national security, and clearly define the constituent elements and penalties of crimes endangering national security.”
“The burden is on the prosecution to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the defendant’s criminal conduct and mens rea before the defendant can be convicted in court.”
The spokesman pointed out that the United States and Canada both have laws to safeguard national security and have extraterritorial effect on crimes covered by Hong Kong laws.
“The claims of ‘arbitrary execution’ and ‘wrongful detention’ completely ignore the facts,” the spokesman added.
“The Hong Kong SAR government strongly opposes relevant countries’ attempts to achieve their political goals through intimidation and interfere with the legitimate exchanges between citizens and the business community.”
Ordinary travelers and businessmen, including those from the United States and Canada, “will not engage in behaviors and activities that endanger national security, nor will they inadvertently violate the law, and therefore have no reason to worry,” the statement said.
“The Hong Kong National Security Law and Regulations are laws to prevent external forces from endangering our national security and strengthen the protection of our homeland,” the spokesperson added.
“Only invaders who intend to plunder and plunder would not want Hong Kong to defend the country in accordance with the law.”
Previously, the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong also condemned the United States, Canada and other countries, saying that they should “stop political manipulation in updating travel warnings for Hong Kong.”
