China warns UN against meddling in its affairs

New Delhi(Agency): China warned United Nations (UN) experts to stop meddling in its affairs after officials from the body raised concerns about the application of a uniform national security law to Hong Kong.

“Some people disregard the facts and maliciously slander China’s human rights situation… and crudely interfere in China’s internal affairs,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a daily news briefing in Beijing on Friday.

“Stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs and China’s affairs in any way,” the Chinese official said.

The remarks came after the UN special rapporteurs on human rights said in a letter on Friday that parts of the law “appear to criminalize freedom of expression or any form of criticism” of China.

Hong Kong enacted the national security law back in July, criminalizing sedition, secession, and subversion against mainland China.

Mainland security agencies were also officially allowed to be based in Hong Kong.

China says the law is necessary to tackle secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces following violent anti-government protests that escalated in June last year.

Hong Kong was rocked by violent protests over another bill that would have reformed its extradition law last year. Rioters vandalized the city, destroying public and private property and attacking anyone deemed to be pro-government. Hong Kong dropped that bill, but the acts of violence continued.

The Chinese government says the United States and Britain fanned the flames of that unrest in Hong Kong by supporting the protesters.