Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry

Following Jimmy Lai's trial on Wednesday, coupled with the sentences of 45 people convicted of "conspiracy to subvert state power" on Tuesday, certain countries have targeted China. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government and Chinese Mission to the European Union (EU) all strongly opposed their interference.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday that Jimmy Lai is a major mastermind and participant of the anti-China riots in Hong Kong. He is an agent and pawn of the anti-China forces. Lin added that Hong Kong upholds the rule of law. To abide by the law and bring lawbreakers to justice is a basic principle.

The remarks came after Lai took the stand Wednesday in his own defense in Hong Kong's High Court.

Lin noted that no one should be allowed to use "freedom" as a pretext to engage in unlawful activities and escape justice. 

The spokesperson also said that the Central Government firmly supports the Hong Kong SAR in safeguarding national security and punishing all acts that undermine national security in accordance with the law, and firmly opposes certain countries using the case to interfere in China's internal affairs and smear and undermine Hong Kong's rule of law. 

The HKSAR government strongly opposed the groundless attacks, slanders and smears against various aspects of the HKSAR from a so-called "annual report" issued by Washington's US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) on Tuesday. 

The so-called report claimed that judicial independence in Hong Kong continues to be undermined by government overreach, saying that prolonged national security cases illustrate the lack of judicial integrity in Hong Kong's courts.

A HKSAR government spokesperson said they strongly disapprove of and firmly reject USCC's wanton maneuver with politics prevailing over law-based administration and interference in the affairs of the HKSAR in the so-called report.

In addition, a spokesperson of the Chinese Mission to the EU slammed the irresponsible remarks made by the European External Action Service (EEAS) spokesperson on the human rights situation and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong, expressing that they firmly oppose the European side's interference in the judicial independence of other countries under the pretext of upholding "democracy and the rule of law." 

The spokesperson also noted that European countries have no right to point fingers at the national security issues of others.

Global Times