Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Photo: VCG

 
"No one can engage in illegal activities under the guise of democracy and attempt to evade legal punishment," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at Tuesday's routine press briefing in response to the sentencing of 45 separatist activists in the Hong Kong case of conspiracy to subvert state power. "The central government firmly supports HKSAR in safeguarding national security," Lin said. 

Marking the first case of subversion of state power in Hong Kong, it saw former legal professor and instigator of Hong Kong unrest Benny Tai Yiu-ting sentenced to 10 years in prison, and secessionist Joshua Wong Chi-fung to 56 months in prison, China Central Television reported on Tuesday morning.

Commenting on the verdict of the case, Lin said that Hong Kong is a society governed by the rule of law, where laws must be followed and violations must be punished. No one can engage in illegal activities under the guise of democracy and attempt to evade legal punishment, the spokesperson stressed.

The central government firmly supports HKSAR in safeguarding national security, punishing activities that endanger national security according to the law, and firmly oppose certain individual Western countries interfering in China's internal affairs, smearing and undermining the rule of law in Hong Kong by using specific judicial cases, Lin said.

The spokesperson added that certain Western countries ignore that they maintain their own national security through judicial procedures while unjustly criticizing the Hong Kong courts for fairly implementing the National Security Law for Hong Kong. "Such actions are a serious desecration of and trampling on the spirit of the rule of law," Lin said. 

When asked about opposition from China's Taiwan region regarding the sentencing of the 45 secessionists, Lin stated, "Taiwan is a province of China; what your asked is not a diplomatic issue."

Global Times