The Telegraph published an article entitled WHO has shown 'yawning silence' to China's harassment of Hong Kong doctors, says leading medic on its website on 22 August. The spokesperson of Chinese Embassy has written a letter to the editor to elaborate China’s position and refute the groundless comments and accusations in the above article. The full text is as follows:

On 22 August, The Telegraph published an article entitled WHO has shown 'yawning silence' to China's harassment of Hong Kong doctors, says leading medic on its website, falsely claiming that Hong Kong police harassed medical workers in handling of violent demonstrations last year, and maliciously attacking the National Security Law for HKSAR as a threat to medical workers. China strongly opposes to it. I want to emphasize two points:

First, Hong Kong police punishes violent criminals in accordance with the law, which is justified and understandable. The violent demonstrations in Hong Kong severely trampled on the rule of law and social order, severely undermined the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, and severely challenged the principled bottom line of "one country, two systems". It is common sense that anyone or any behavior that violates the law should be punished in accordance with the law. The Hong Kong police all along acted in a restrained, civil and highly professional manner, making important contributions to the restoration of the rule of law and social order. It is unjustified for some people with hidden agenda to criticize the police for defending the rule of law instead of condemning the violence committed by criminals.

Second, the National Security Law fully protects the rights and freedoms of law-abiding residents. This law only targets four types of offences, namely, secession, subversion, terrorist activities and collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security. It is designed to deter and sanction a small minority in Hong Kong who are involved in offences seriously jeopardizing national security. It aims to protect the great majority of law-abiding Hong Kong residents, and safeguard their safety and lawful rights and freedoms. There is no such thing as “threat to specific groups of people such as medical workers”.

I hope the Telegraph can keep the facts intact, avoid misleading the public, and report in a comprehensive and objective way. The British people deserve the whole truth about who is destroying Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability.