A street is destroyed by rioters on Monday in Hong Kong. Photo: Global Times

Foreign legislatures should not interfere in any way in the internal affairs of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), and the Hong Kong government will continue to implement the "one country, two systems" principle resolutely, the Hong Kong government said in response to a report on Hong Kong issued by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

Since its return to the motherland, Hong Kong has been exercising "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy in strict accordance with the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR of China. The "one country, two systems" principle has been fully and successfully implemented, the Hong Kong SAR government said in a statement issued late on Thursday.

"The Basic Law clearly stipulates that the Hong Kong SAR is an inalienable part of China. Any suggestion of 'Hong Kong's independence' is a blatant violation of the Basic Law and a direct affront to the national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of China," the Hong Kong government said.

"Hong Kong's independence" runs counter to the successful implementation of "one country, two systems" and undermines Hong Kong's constitutional and legal foundations as enshrined in the Basic Law.

The Hong Kong government's statement was issued in response to an annual report from the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission on Thursday, which called for legislation in the US to suspend Hong Kong's special status if China "deploys People's Liberation Army or People's Armed Police forces to engage in armed intervention in Hong Kong."

It also urged Congress to direct the State Department to develop specific benchmarks to measure Hong Kong's maintenance of a "high degree of autonomy" from the central government.

The report also criticized the Hong Kong police for using "increasingly aggressive tactics" in dealing with protesters, Hong Kong's press freedom and human rights issues. 

The Hong Kong police have been exercising restraint and carrying out enforcement actions in strict accordance with the law. The purpose of enforcement actions is to protect the lives and property of the general public, bring offenders to justice and restore public order as soon as possible, the Hong Kong government said. 

Human rights and freedoms in Hong Kong are fully protected by the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance and other legislation, in addition to the Basic Law. The Hong Kong government attaches great importance to human rights and freedoms and is determined to safeguard them, the statement said.