A spokesperson with China's central government on Monday slammed some politicians and media comments from the United States and other Western countries for their biased and narrow views on Hong Kong-related issues.
Photo taken on Nov. 24, 2021 shows a view of Hong Kong, south China. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)
Their incapability of getting a clear understanding of Hong Kong-related issues is pathetic, said the spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council.
Refuting some politicians and media opinions, the spokesperson said their assertion that "the UK secured universal suffrage for Hong Kong" is nothing but fictitious.
No mention is made of universal suffrage or democracy in the Sino-British Joint Declaration, the spokesperson said, stressing that for the good of Hong Kong's long-term development, the Chinese government set as the ultimate goal that the chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) will be selected and the legislature constituted by universal suffrage.
It is the anti-China forces in Hong Kong that obstructed the goal of electing the chief executive by universal suffrage, the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that the national security law in Hong Kong only targets an extremely small number of people damaging national security, noting that only some 150 people were arrested on suspicion of violating the law.
The improved electoral system excludes nobody but those anti-China elements in Hong Kong, and all Hong Kong residents living up to the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong" have the opportunity to stand for election, said the spokesperson.
The just-completed election of the seventh-term Legislative Council of the HKSAR saw unprecedented diversity of the background of candidates, and the nominees come from different political groups and factions, the spokesperson added.
The white paper on the development of democracy in the HKSAR released by China's State Council Information Office presents a comprehensive review of the birth and development of democracy in Hong Kong with detailed facts and data, and expounds on the principle and stance of the central government, said the spokesperson, calling on the U.S. and Western politicians and media outlets to learn speaking with facts.
