Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin. Photo: VCG

In response to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's comments on the prosecution of 47 anti-government figures involved in illegal primaries in Hong Kong, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin defended the Hong Kong police for carrying out their duties in accordance with the law and said the prosecution is a legitimate law enforcement action.

Their arrest and the charges bought against them by Hong Kong police are legitimate acts, Wang told a routine press conference on Monday. 

Blinken said in a tweet on Monday: "We condemn the detention and charges filed against pan-democratic candidates in Hong Kong's elections and call for their immediate release. Political participation and freedom of expression should not be crimes. The US stands with the people of Hong Kong." 

Jake Sullivan, the national security advisor to the White House, also issued a similar statement on Monday, saying the detention "further underscores the PRC's broken promises to the world about Hong Kong's autonomy & democratic rights."

The 47 anti-government figures in Hong Kong were formally charged with conspiring to subvert state power on Sunday, and the case was scheduled to be heard at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts on Monday. 

"Charging suspects who broke the national security law was an legitimate action. We firmly support the Hong Kong police in performing their duty in line with the law to safeguard national security and Hong Kong's stability," Wang said, urging the US to respect the facts and the rule of law. 

The Chinese official also urged the US government to stop interfering in China's internal affairs.