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China on Sunday denounced the Group of Seven nations for condemning Hong Kong's recent arrest warrants targeting overseas activists, escalating diplomatic tensions over the territory's enforcement of national security laws.
The diplomatic clash follows Hong Kong national security police's July 25 announcement of arrest warrants for 19 overseas-based activists, whom authorities accuse of subversion under the city's national security law. Police offered bounties for 15 of the individuals, drawing international criticism.
The G7 joint statement Friday characterized the warrants as violations of "freedom of expression," prompting Beijing's sharp rebuke.
A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Britain called the G7's Friday statement "irresponsible remarks" that constitute "gross interference in China's internal affairs and the rule of law in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region," according to state-run Xinhua News.
"We strongly condemn such remarks," the Chinese embassy spokesperson said, emphasizing Beijing's support for "the Hong Kong SAR government in performing its duties in accordance with the law, and firmly support the Hong Kong police in taking law enforcement actions in accordance with the law."
The spokesperson accused the G7 nations of displaying "double standards and hypocrisy on issues of human rights and the rule of law" through their "collusion" to interfere in Hong Kong's legal system.
China has consistently maintained that the 2020 national security law for Hong Kong addresses sedition, secession and foreign interference while critics argue it has eroded the territory's autonomy and civil liberties promised under the "One Country, Two Systems" framework.
The United States has also criticized the bounty system, adding another layer to ongoing tensions between Washington and Beijing over Hong Kong's governance.
The Chinese embassy urged the G7 nations to "cease interfering in China's internal affairs," reflecting Beijing's standard position that Hong Kong matters fall within its domestic jurisdiction.
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