China condemns Canada over security law criticism

China said comments by Canada over Hong Kong "seriously violate international law" and urged Ottawa to "immediately corrects its ways" so as "to avoid further damage to China-Canada relations."

"The erroneous remarks and measures that Canada announced ignore the basic facts that Hong Kong's national security law will contribute to the steady enforcement of 'one country, two systems'", Zhao Lijian , a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at a regular press conference on Monday.

"China strongly condemns this and reserves the right to make further responses," he added, stressing "any attempt to pressure China will never succeed."

Canada had suspended last week its extradition agreement with China after Beijing unveiled a new national security law for the semi-autonomous Chinese territory and island and Asian financial hub.

The law, imposed last week following anti-government protests in Hong Kong last year, makes secessionist, subversive, or terrorist activities illegal, as well as foreign intervention in the city's internal affairs.

Any person taking part in activities such as shouting slogans or holding up banners and flags calling for the city's independence is violating the law regardless of whether violence is used.

Critics see it as Beijing's boldest step yet to erase the legal firewall between the former British colony and the mainland's authoritarian Communist Party system.

Since the law went into effect, the government has also specified that popular protest slogan "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our time" has separatist connotations and is thus criminalized.

In Hong Kong's public libraries, books by pro-democracy figures have been pulled from the shelves, including those authored by prominent pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong and politician Tanya Chan. The authority that runs the libraries said it was reviewing the books in light of the new legislation.

Many pro-democracy shops that publicly stood in solidarity with protesters have moved to remove pro-democracy sticky notes and artwork that adorned the walls of their stores, fearful that the content might violate the new law.

Zhao also called on India to work with China on a border dispute to "implement the consensus reached by the two sides with concrete actions, continue to maintain close communication through military and diplomatic channels, and jointly strive to alleviate and cool down the situation in the border areas."