The Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has strongly disapproved and firmly opposed the far-fetched allegations in the "2021 Trafficking in Persons Report" released by the U.S. State Department, which vilified the national security law in Hong Kong to smear the efforts and achievements of the HKSAR in combating trafficking in persons.

The report ignored the fact, smacked of political bias, and was part of the contemptible scheme to seize every possible chance to demonize the national security law in Hong Kong, a spokesperson of the office said.

The spokesperson pointed out that the national security law in Hong Kong targets crimes that gravely endanger national security. It punishes a very small handful of criminals while protecting the vast majority of residents, and in no way impedes the normal exchanges and cooperation between the HKSAR government and the Hong Kong community, including non-governmental organizations.

The United States has a notorious record for trafficking in persons, where forced labor and human trafficking cases abound, the spokesperson said.

But instead of reflecting upon itself, the United States has been busy pointing fingers and dictating at others, and has even distorted the truth with trumped-up charges in order to serve its ulterior political agenda, the spokesperson said, noting that it is outright hypocrisy and shamelessness.

The spokesperson emphasized that Hong Kong affairs are China's internal affairs, which no external force shall meddle with.

The spokesperson urged the U.S. side to get its place right, manage its own affairs well, immediately stop malicious vilification of the national security law in Hong Kong, and stop the boring performance of discrediting the HKSAR government in whatever form and on whatever pretext.