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Officials in Hong Kong on Saturday expressed strong opposition to the latest sanctions imposed by the US, stressing they will never be intimidated by such an act of hooliganism, which will have no impact on them. 

The US Department of the Treasury placed sanctions on 11 officials in the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, including the city's Chief Executive Carrie Lam, for "undermining Hong Kong's autonomy and restricting freedom of expression or assembly of the citizens of Hong Kong" on Friday.

"It is my duty and honor to safeguard the security of the country and Hong Kong. Foreign sanctions against me mean nothing to me. I will continue to concentrate on my duty," said Commissioner of Hong Kong Police Chris Tang Ping-keung in response to the US sanctions, according to Hong Kong media reports.  

"The US has many laws to safeguard national security, but is highly critical of the security law for HK, fully reflecting its double standards and hypocrisy. Safeguarding national security is a matter of course, and attempts to intimidate through 'sanctions' will never succeed," said Hong Kong Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-chiu, state news broadcaster CCTV reported.

The HKSAR government's Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Tsang Kwok-wai criticized the "sanctions" calling them a self-deception. 

"They have no effect on me," he said, noting that the US, claiming to be a democratic country that respects human rights, but blatantly digs into personal privacy, like a hooligan. 

"We are not intimidated by them," he said. "It only reinforces our belief that what we are doing is the right thing."

The latest sanction introduced by the US government on Hong Kong will definitely hurt Hong Kong-US relations, said Edward Yau, HKSAR Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development in an interview on Saturday morning. 

"In the long run, it will inflict wounds on US' interests in Hong Kong, too," Yau said, calling the US sanction "unreasonable and barbarous."

"My family and I are not afraid," said Chan Kwok-ki, secretary general of the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR, stressing that the "sanctions" are a good opportunity for Hong Kong residents, especially those who still have illusions about the US, to see clearly the unjustifiable and insolence of the US government, CCTV reported. 

 "I am very honored to have the opportunity to serve in this position. I will do my best to serve the interests of the country and Hong Kong," Chan said.

The HKSAR government vehemently criticized the "sanctions," slamming it of being shameless and despicable. The measure represents blatant and barbaric interference in China's internal affairs, using HK as a pawn in its ploy to create troubles in China-US relationship, out of self-serving interests of some US politicians, a spokesperson from the HKSAR government said.

Speaking on behalf of her senior colleagues who are being targeted, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said that "we are discharging an honorable duty to safeguard national security, protecting the life and interests of not only the 7.5 million Hong Kong people but also the 1.4 billion Mainlanders. We will not be intimidated."

Observers from the Chinese mainland noted that the officials on the list should have prepared for the US' move so it won't have any impact on them.

The observers are also happy to note that Hong Kong officials have demonstrated a strong collective will and do not fear US' sanctions. It shows that after experiencing the social turmoil that lasted over a year, Hong Kong officials are being more mature in their politics, they said. 

Global Times