{"id":812893,"date":"2021-09-25T09:14:03","date_gmt":"2021-09-25T13:14:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=812893"},"modified":"2021-09-25T09:40:19","modified_gmt":"2021-09-25T13:40:19","slug":"china-diverting-attention-from-its-wrongdoings-in-hong-kong-state-department","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/china-diverting-attention-from-its-wrongdoings-in-hong-kong-state-department\/","title":{"rendered":"China Diverting Attention From Its Wrongdoings in Hong Kong: State Department"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fchina-diverting-attention-from-its-wrongdoings-in-hong-kong-state-department%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=812893&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The U.S. Department of State said China is attempting to \u201cdivert attention from its own bad conduct\u201d in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/t-hong-kong\">Hong Kong<\/a> by accusing the United States of interfering in city affairs. The statement comes after China published a list of people responsible for the alleged interference.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cU.S. policy toward Hong Kong has been consistent and will not waver,\u201d a State Department spokesperson told The Epoch Times.<\/p>\n<p>The United States statements and actions on the former British colony are aiming at \u201cpreserving the autonomy that Hong Kong was promised in the Joint Declaration\u201d and \u201cpromoting accountability for those who erode the human rights and freedoms enjoyed by people in Hong Kong,\u201d the Department said in an email on Sept. 24.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe United States will always stand up for fundamental freedoms and the rule of law,\u201d the statement read, adding that the two are the fundamental rights the regime promised.<\/p>\n<p>In a Friday <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmprc.gov.cn\/mfa_eng\/wjbxw\/t1909404.shtml\">post<\/a> made on China\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs\u2019 website, the regime detailed a list of over 100 cases accusing the United States of \u201cmeddling in Hong Kong affairs\u201d and \u201cundermining\u201d the city\u2019s \u201cprosperity and stability.\u201d Beijing has repeatedly used the words to denounce western countries\u2019 criticism over issues including the suppression of dissidents in Hong Kong.<\/p>\n<p>The Department said \u201carticulating policy, engaging with local counterparts, and representing national interests\u201d were the \u201cpractice of diplomacy\u201d and \u201cfully consistent with international law.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSuggesting otherwise is simply an attempt by the PRC to divert attention from its own bad conduct and only undermines Hong Kong\u2019s longstanding appeal as a hub of openness and free exchange,\u201d according to the statement.<\/p>\n<p>The regime\u2019s ministry criticized Washington\u2019s responses to Hong Kong\u2019s sweeping <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/t-national-security-law\">national security law<\/a> and other measures the communist rubber-stamp legislature has imposed on the international financial hub since early 2019.<\/p>\n<p>The city\u2019s police have arrested over 10,000 people for their roles in mass protests in mid-2019 against plans allowing extradition to mainland China.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike other mainland cities, Hong Kong had once enjoyed democracy after it reverted from British to Chinese communist rule in 1997. Beijing pledged to allow the city to retain its civil liberties for 50 years in the Sino-British Joint Declaration.<\/p>\n<p>After the regime ushered in a series of measures in recent years, the city has seen a rollback of its autonomy and democracy, especially following the national security legislation. Since it took effect, Hong Kong police have arrested 100 dissidents, leading to more than 60 charges, mostly against democratic politicians, activists, journalists, and students.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3615356\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/12\/12\/jimmy-lai-4-1200x799.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"799\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-3615356\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/jimmy-lai-4-600x400-1.jpg\" alt=\"jimmy lai\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/><\/noscript><\/figcaption>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai is led into a police van as he heads to court to be charged under the Beijing-imposed controversial new national security law, on Dec. 12, 2020. (Peter Parks\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/figure>\n<h2>The List<\/h2>\n<p>Beijing\u2019s accusations range from the signing of the Hong Kong Autonomy Act in 2020 by former President Donald Trump, to President Joe Biden\u2019s show of support for a pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily.<\/p>\n<p>Trump ordered an end to Hong Kong\u2019s special status under U.S. law to punish the communist regime\u2019s \u201coppressive actions\u201d against the financial hub.<\/p>\n<p>The regime also criticized Biden for calling the closure of the Apple Daily newspaper \u201ca sad day for media freedom\u201d and a sign of \u201cintensified repression by Beijing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The popular tabloid Apple Daily, which was frequently critical of the city\u2019s government and Chinese Communist Party, closed in June after 500 police raided its headquarters and froze its key assets. Authorities say dozens of the paper\u2019s articles may have violated the national security law.<\/p>\n<p>Apple Daily\u2019s founder, tycoon<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/imprisoned-hong-kong-activist-jimmy-lai-awarded-2021-liberty-medal_4013650.html\"> Jimmy Lai<\/a>, is currently serving a 20-month sentence and waiting for trials on three national security charges. Under the law, Lai could face up to life in prison.<\/p>\n<p>The vaguely-worded legislation punishes speech or acts deemed secessionist, subversive, terrorist, or perceived as colluding with hostile foreign political groups or individuals against China\u2019s ruling one-party state.<\/p>\n<p>Other U.S. officials named on China\u2019s list include House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and his successor Anthony Blinken.<\/p>\n<p>The foreign ministry did not explain why the list was released now or whether it would take punitive action against those named on the list.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3893561\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2021\/07\/08\/GettyImages-1223717123-1200x800.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-3893561\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/GettyImages-1223717123-600x400-1.jpg\" alt=\"Epoch Times Photo\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/><\/noscript><\/figcaption>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Attendees from various forces march next to a banner supporting the new national security law at the end of a flag-raising ceremony to mark the 23rd anniversary of Hong Kong\u2019s handover from Britain in Hong Kong on July 1, 2020. (Anthony Wallace\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/figure>\n<p>The ministry\u2019s commissioner\u2019s office spokesperson in Hong Kong labeled Washington\u2019s policy and actions toward Hong Kong as \u201ccriminal records\u201d in another Friday <a href=\"http:\/\/www.fmcoprc.gov.hk\/chn\/gsbt\/t1909416.htm\">statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>On July 16, Washington issued warnings about the deteriorating business conditions in the city after the enactment of the national security law. A week later, Washington imposed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/beijing-imposes-retaliatory-sanctions-on-former-us-commerce-secretary-ross-others_3915705.html\">sanctions<\/a> on Chinese officials over their roles in stifling democracy in the city.<\/p>\n<p>In response, the regime issued another sanction list targeting former American politicians and institutions. China has required all individuals and companies in the mainland to follow sanctions the communist regime launched in an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/foreign-companies-must-act-at-beijings-behest-under-new-china-law_3852927.html\/amp\">anti-foreign sanctions law<\/a> passed in June.<\/p>\n<p>Those who are involved in implementing foreign sanction measures against the regime could face punishments including denying visas, deportation, and freezing or seizing assets.<\/p>\n<p><em>Reuters and Cathy He contributed to this report.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"one_author_block round\">\n<div class=\"top_row\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/themes\/eet\/images\/default-user.png\" alt=\"Dorothy Li\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"names\">\n<p>Dorothy Li<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Follow<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The U.S. Department of State said China is attempting to \u201cdivert attention from its own bad conduct\u201d in Hong Kong by accusing the United States of interfering in city affairs. &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-812893","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/812893","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=812893"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/812893\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=812893"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=812893"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=812893"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}