CGTN:

After the NPC passed its decision on improving the HKSAR's electoral system, a U.S. State Department spokesperson condemned the move as an attack on the democratic process in Hong Kong. What are your comments on this? In addition, if the United States and other Western countries impose so-called sanctions on China and the HKSAR, how will China respond? Thank you.

Zhang Xiaoming:

First of all, I want to say that the design and improvement of the electoral system of the HKSAR are purely China's internal affairs that allow no carping comments from any foreign country. As far as I know, the United States itself has very strict laws and regulations to prevent foreign interference in its elections, including the recent passage of an election reform bill by the House of Representatives of the U.S. Congress. Naturally, we have to ask, why can the United States amend its election laws whenever it deems necessary, yet be so interested in and neurotic about law amendments in a special administrative region of China and strike such a meddlesome posture. Speaking of the matter, it reminds us of some scenes. During Hong Kong's turbulence over the proposed amendment bill in 2019, when rioters carried out such violent acts as beatings, smashing property and setting fires on the streets, and even attacked the Legislative Council, American politicians felt a sense of gloating and praised it as "a beautiful sight to behold." By the time American protesters stormed the Capitol Hill on Jan. 6, they quickly defined it as domestic terrorism. Isn't this typical and blatant double standards? So, I do not understand, and I don't know, when there was so much chaos surrounding the U.S. presidential election last year, and after the violent attacks on the Capitol Hill on Jan. 6, what moral basis do American politicians still have in criticizing the electoral system of the HKSAR of China?

We also noticed that at the 46th session of the U.N. Human Rights Council, 70 countries signed a joint statement urging relevant sides to stop interfering in China's internal affairs, including those concerning Hong Kong. This fully shows that hegemony is repugnant. As for the "big stick" of sanctions frequently wielded by the United States, I think it has long been despised. Our colleagues in the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, including Mr. Xia Baolong, Mr. Deng Zhonghua and myself here today, were all included on the so-called sanction list by the U.S. government last year. We are deeply honored by this. Of course, we have always adhered to the principle of "it is impolite not to reciprocate" for such sanctions, and they will definitely remember our countermeasures. That's all I have to say. Thank you.