Xi Jinping's Mouthpiece Claps Back At US For Slamming New Security Law: 'Hong Kong Is China's Hong Kong'

In response to U.S. criticism, China has defended Hong Kong’s recently enacted national security law, urging the U.S. to “respect China’s sovereignty.”

What Happened: China’s embassy in the U.S. has responded to American criticism of Hong Kong’s new national security law, CNBC reported on Thursday. The law, enacted on Tuesday, has been met with disapproval for giving the government increased power to quell dissent, with “treason” and “insurrection” now carrying a life sentence.

The U.S. State Department has expressed concerns about the threats outlined in the law, describing them as “poorly defined and incredibly vague.” They fear this could hasten the closing of Hong Kong’s once-open society.

China’s embassy has refuted these criticisms and has urged the U.S. to respect China’s sovereignty.

"Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong. Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs, which no country is in the position to point fingers at or interfere in.”

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Why It Matters: This new security law, known as Article 23, was passed swiftly, raising alarms over the potential impact on the city's freedoms and international business relations. The legislation was unanimously passed by Hong Kong's legislature, which is now composed exclusively of "patriots" aligned with Xi Jinping‘s Communist Party's ideologies.

Earlier in the month, the top U.S. diplomat in Hong Kong, Gregory May, had expressed concerns over the growing internet censorship in the city, which could potentially undermine Hong Kong's global financial status.

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