Respect China's sovereignty, HK's rule of law: FM

The Foreign Ministry on Monday expressed strong dissatisfaction and opposition to certain countries' blatant slander and defamation of Hong Kong's judicial system, pointing out that the central government firmly supports SAR authorities in safeguarding national security. The comments came after the High Court convicted former media tycoon Jimmy Lai of all three conspiracy charges that he faced, including two on colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security. Responding to the conviction, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Hong Kong is governed by the rule of law. "The judicial authorities of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region performed their duties and responsibilities in accordance with the law, upheld the authority of the law, and defended national security – all of which are reasonable, legitimate, and impervious to interference," he told a regular press briefing in Beijing. Guo added the case is purely an internal matter for the SAR and urged relevant countries to respect China's sovereignty and Hong Kong's rule of law. He also urged them to "refrain from making irresponsible statements regarding the adjudication of judicial cases in the region, and refrain from interfering in Hong Kong’s judiciary or China’s internal affairs in any form".