Beijing lashes out at Western criticism of Hong Kong bounties on 6 activists

Foreign ministry hits out at ‘blatant attacks and smears on the legitimate law enforcement actions of the Hong Kong police by certain countries’

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Six more activists have been added to the list of people wanted for allegedly violating the national security law. Photo: Jelly Tse

Published: 2:41pm, 25 Dec 2024Updated: 5:57pm, 25 Dec 2024

Beijing has hit out at the US, UK, EU and Canada for their “blatant attacks and smears” on Hong Kong after their governments slammed city authorities for placing bounties on six more activists wanted for allegedly violating the national security law and cancelling the passports of seven others.

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning on Wednesday condemned the chorus of criticism triggered by the move by Hong Kong police to issue the HK$1 million (US$128,690) bounties for six more activists a day earlier. The number of opposition figures on the list of people wanted for allegedly contravening the Beijing-imposed law now stands at 19.

The city government also issued a gazette on Tuesday announcing that Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung had revoked the passports of seven activists who had fled Hong Kong and barred anyone from funding them, in the second such instance under the city’s domestic security law.

“We express our strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to the blatant attacks and smears on the legitimate law enforcement actions of the Hong Kong police by certain countries,” Mao said during a press conference.

“Hong Kong affairs are purely China’s internal affairs and no external forces are allowed to interfere.

“Any attempt to discredit Hong Kong is doomed to be futile and any attempt to interfere in Hong Kong affairs under the guise of ‘human rights and freedom’ is doomed to fail.”