US human rights report on Hong Kong slammed

A "distorted" human rights review on Hong Kong is an insult to human rights and freedoms, as well as flagrant interference in China's internal affairs, the Foreign Ministry's representative in the SAR said on Thursday.

"Although the US ranks lower than Hong Kong in terms of both freedom and the rule of law, it has nevertheless proclaimed itself as a judge of global human rights," said a spokesperson for the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The annual report on human rights by the United States Department of State glorified radical protesters resorting to extreme vandalism and violence, but vilified the government and police force, which are committed to maintaining the city's rule of law, the spokesperson said.

In the latest Rule of Law Index released on Wednesday by the US-based non-profit organization World Justice Project, Hong Kong ranked 16th globally, while the US fell out of the top 20 for the first time.

The US report, also published on Wednesday, accused the Hong Kong government of allowing police brutality against protesters and arbitrary arrest, and restricting freedom of assembly and political participation.

The spokesperson said such "unwarranted accusations" have exposed "the hegemonic mindset" and the double standards of the US because it turned a blind eye to the extensive rights and freedoms Hong Kong residents enjoy under "one country, two systems".

The spokesperson emphasized that Hong Kong is part of China and is governed by the rule of law. No one is above the law, and there's no place for Hong Kong independence within the framework of "one country, two systems".

"We urge the US to stop condoning and endorsing violent extremists, and stop undermining Hong Kong's prosperity and stability under the pretext of protecting human rights."

In a statement on Thursday, the government said Hong Kong people's human rights and freedoms, including freedom of assembly, are valued and protected by laws, but those freedoms are not absolute if there's a need to protect national security, public safety, public order or the interests of others.

More than 54,000 public assemblies had been held peacefully, between 2014 and May 2019, according to official figures. However, another 1,400 demonstrations since June, triggered by the now-withdrawn extradition bill, often ended in violence, with rioters hurling gasoline bombs, committing arson and vandalizing shops and public transport facilities.

Police officers, although under threat of serious injury or even death, had used necessary force to cope with such "unprecedented" violence for the sake of public safety during the unrest, the government spokesperson said.

The spokesperson described US accusations of political censorship as "totally unfounded", adding that all eligible residents fairly take part in election activities in accordance with the Basic Law and other relevant laws, and all prosecutions are filed independently regardless of the political backgrounds of the people involved.

Senior counsel Ronny Tong Ka-wah said "one-sided judgments" from the US are not even worth refuting, as they have too little sense to understand that it was the rioters' reckless violence that led to police having to enforce the law.