On Biden’s safe haven for Hong Kong citizens

In a strongly worded response to the White House decision to extend and expand Deferred Enforced Departure for certain Hong Kong residents in the United States, the Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong on Friday urged Washington to “forsake the pipe dream of containing China with Hong Kong,” and “immediately stop the execrable show of interfering in Hong Kong affairs.”

While the applicability of the national security legislation in Hong Kong in no way compromises the “one country, two systems” framework, the U.S. has accused Beijing of undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy. Those suspected of criminal wrongdoings, from street violence to collusion with foreign forces, and who fled the SAR (Special Administrative Regions) after the introduction of the national security law, are being provided safe haven as “freedom fighters” worth protection.

What is a natural assertion of Chinese sovereign rights over the SAR is being utilized against Beijing as evidence of it curtailing the SAR’s autonomy. Likewise, what in the mainland authorities’ eyes is a means of maintaining stability and order is being distorted as a tool of suppression.

However, as the Foreign Ministry office in Hong Kong stated, “Hong Kong is China’s Hong Kong, Hong Kong affairs are purely China’s domestic affairs.” The corresponding Memorandum on DED extension and expansion, it argued, defames the rule of law and human rights conditions in Hong Kong, maliciously attacks the national security law for Hong Kong, interferes in Hong Kong and China’s domestic affairs.