China warns of countermeasure if US takes action over Hong Kong bill

China’s Foreign Ministry said that the government will take necessary countermeasures if the United States takes action in response to the new legislation related to Hong Kong. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has notified the Congress that Hong Kong does not continue to warrant special status in trade relations and President Donald Trump is set to announce further response.

During the daily press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that China has also lodged representations to the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia after the four countries issued a joint statement on May 28 criticising the security bill. Zhao said that they have no legal standing to cite the Sino-British Joint Declaration for making irresponsible remarks on Hong Kong.

The signatories had expressed “deep concern” over the security law saying the international community has a significant and long-standing stake in Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability. They claimed that China’s decision to impose the security law on Hong Kong is in direct conflict with its international obligations under the principles of the legally-binding, UN-registered Sino-British Joint Declaration.

“Direct imposition of national security legislation on Hong Kong by the Beijing authorities would dramatically erode Hong Kong’s autonomy and the system that made it so prosperous,” the statement read.

“It also raises the prospect of prosecution in Hong Kong for political crimes, and undermines existing commitments to protect the rights of Hong Kong people,” it added.

Hostile forces trying to split the country

Amid heightened tension over the security bill, the Chinese embassy in the United States said in a statement that “internal and external hostile forces” are trying to use Hong Kong to split the country, subverting the government, carry out terrorist acts and interfere in the affairs of the semi-autonomous region. It further stated that NPC’s decision on national security law targets “a very narrow category of acts” that seriously jeopardise the country’s security and has no impact on Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy and interests of foreign investors.

“As for foreign meddling in Hong Kong affairs, we will take necessary countermeasures in response,” the embassy warned.

Read: UK Considering Citizenship Path For Hong Kong Nationals Due To China's New Security Law