Question: On 13 June, Minister of State Anne-Marie Trevelyan of the FCDO said on social media that the Hong Kong authorities took arbitrary measures against individuals in the UK including the cancellation of their HK passports, and that it was unacceptable to use these kinds of legal measures to try and punish freedom of expression in the UK. What is your comment? Embassy Spokesperson: We strongly deplore and firmly oppose the UK side’s blatant slander against and interference in the rule of law in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Hong Kong is under the rule of law. No one is above the law, and no one should be allowed to use "freedom of expression" to engage in illegal activities and escape justice. Law Kwun-chung and others have long engaged in anti-China activities overseas aimed at distabilising Hong Kong. Their nefarious behaviour gravely undermines national security and Hong Kong’s fundamental interests, and has a serious impact on the bottom line of One Country, Two Systems. The measures taken by Hong Kong police against them in accordance with the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance are fully in line with international law and the common practice of various countries and regions. These measures are lawful, procedurally fair and reasonable. They are a timely and necessary act to uphold the rule of law in Hong Kong and safeguard national security, and are beyond reproach. I would like to reiterate that Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs which brook no external interference. We urge the UK to earnestly respect China's sovereignty and the rule of law in Hong Kong, stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs, stop emboldening those who are anti-China and seek to destabilise Hong Kong, and stop shielding criminals.
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