Xinhua | September 12, 2024
China is strongly dissatisfied with and resolutely opposes the moves of the United States in manipulating Hong Kong-related issues and suppressing Hong Kong's development, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.
Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a regular press conference in response to the U.S. House of Representatives considering and passing the "Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Certification Act."
Mao said that HKETO is an overseas economic and trade organization set up by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, and its successful and smooth operation is conducive to expanding practical economic and trade cooperation between Hong Kong and relevant countries and regions with win-win results.
Mao said the bill politicizes and instrumentalizes normal economic and trade cooperation, deliberately discredits Hong Kong's overseas institutions, and is of a very bad nature.
Hong Kong is the second-largest source of trade surplus for the United States, and more than 1,200 U.S. enterprises have invested in Hong Kong, according to Mao. Such a move by the United States will only end up harming its own interests, she said, adding that China has lodged solemn representations with the United States.
"China urges the United States to stop advancing the bill, so as not to cause greater harm to the stability and development of China-U.S. relations," said Mao, adding that should the United States insist on going its own way, China will take practical and effective countermeasures.