HKSAR Government Strongly Condemns and Rejects UK Six-Monthly Report on Hong Kong

The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region today strongly condemned and firmly rejected the United Kingdom’s six-monthly report on Hong Kong covering January to June 2026, describing its remarks as untruthful, slanderous and smearing.

A government spokesman stressed that the HKSAR is an inalienable part of the People’s Republic of China and a local administrative region that enjoys a high degree of autonomy under the principle of “one country, two systems,” coming directly under the Central People’s Government. The HKSAR steadfastly safeguards national sovereignty, security and development interests. The spokesman said the UK has no sovereignty, jurisdiction or right of supervision over Hong Kong after its return to the motherland, and that the Sino-British Joint Declaration did not authorise the UK to interfere in Hong Kong’s affairs. The government urged the UK to respect international law and basic norms of international relations and to stop interfering in matters that are purely China’s internal affairs.

On rights and freedoms, the spokesman said human rights in Hong Kong have been robustly guaranteed by the Constitution and the Basic Law since the city’s return to the motherland. Offences under the Hong Kong National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance target acts endangering national security with precision and clarity. These laws stipulate that human rights shall be respected and protected, including freedoms of speech, of the press, of publication, of association, of assembly, of procession and of demonstration. However, such rights and freedoms are not absolute and may be restricted as necessary for national security, public safety, public order or the rights of others, consistent with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The spokesman rejected claims about restrictions on press freedom, noting that the media landscape remains vibrant and that the media continue to enjoy the freedom to comment on and criticise government policies as long as they do not violate the law. He dismissed the “World Press Freedom Index” cited in the UK report as lacking credibility, pointing out that the organisation behind it receives substantial funding from the European Union, the US State Department and other European governments. He also highlighted recent cases in the UK in which police arrested journalists under counter-terrorism powers, arguing that this revealed double standards.

Regarding national security legislation, the spokesman said it is the inherent right of every sovereign state to enact laws safeguarding national security. He noted that the UK maintains extensive national security laws and has made large numbers of arrests under them, including nearly 4,000 people under national security and counter-terrorism laws as of June 2026 — a sharp increase from the previous year. He contrasted this with the Hong Kong National Security Law, which targets only a very small number of offenders, and accused the UK of hypocrisy in criticising Hong Kong’s laws while enforcing its own strict measures.

The spokesman said the implementation of the National Security Law has enabled Hong Kong’s social order and business environment to recover and improve. Hong Kong continues to rank highly in areas such as economic freedom, competitiveness, financial services and the rule of law. All law enforcement actions are based on evidence and strictly in accordance with the law, and defendants receive fair trials.

Addressing the case of Lai Chee-ying, the spokesman emphasised that the court’s lengthy and reasoned verdict was based on solid legal grounds and evidence, and that the case has nothing to do with freedom of the press. He said Lai and other defendants used journalism as a guise to commit acts endangering national security. Custodial arrangements for Lai are handled in the same way as for other persons in custody, with appropriate medical support provided.

On the improved electoral system, the spokesman said the Legislative Council now fully implements the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong,” enabling rational and pragmatic governance focused on economic development and people’s livelihoods. He called on the UK to recognise the positive progress in Hong Kong’s democratic development under the “one country, two systems” framework.