Beijing’s national security arm in Hong Kong has hit out against threats of sanctions from Western countries over the sentencing of 45 opposition figures in a landmark subversion case, saying authorities will press on with carrying out their duties despite “repeated coercion”.
A spokesman for the Office for Safeguarding National Security lashed out on Thursday at countries such as the United States for smearing the city’s rule of law while openly “shielding and glorifying criminals”.
“Any intervention by any external forces is futile, where they would suffer the consequences of overestimating their own abilities,” he said.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on Tuesday that Washington was taking steps to impose new visa restrictions on multiple Hong Kong officials responsible for the implementation of the national security law.
Washington’s move was in response to the sentencing of 45 activists to jail terms of between four years and two months and 10 years over their roles in an unauthorised “primary” election in 2020.
The court had ruled that the poll was part of a wider plot by the opposition camp to overthrow the government by securing a majority in the Legislative Council and indiscriminately voting down the budget to cause a constitutional crisis.
Other Western countries, such as Britain, Canada and Australia, as well as the European Union, also condemned the jailing of the opposition activists.
