About 100 fishing boats in Hong Kong sail on Wednesday in Victoria Harbor to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of its return to the motherland and the first day of the enforcement of the National Security Law in the city. Photo: cnsphoto

 China strongly opposes US sanctions on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), as national security is a domestic matter and not subject to foreign interference, the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Thursday. 

China's National Security Law in the Hong Kong SAR officially took effect on Wednesday and is an internal domestic matter, said Gao Feng, MOFCOM spokesperson. 

The Chinese government will unflinchingly adhere to the "one country, two systems" policy and continue to introduce policies for the development of its economy and the betterment of its people's livelihoods, Gao said.  

The US House of Representatives on Wednesday passed legislation that would penalize banks for doing business with Chinese officials involved in the implementation of the law. 

The US on Monday also began to revoke the special status it had given Hong Kong, according to the US Department of Commerce. 

Similar legislation was also passed in the US senate last week, and is under a review process. 

Global Times