US condemns Hong Kong bounties, passport revocations for democrats

27/12/2024 16:29

The U.S. State Department said that Hong Kong's offered bounties for six more pro-democracy campaigners who were deemed to have violated national security laws and the revoking of the passports of seven more amounted to intimidation efforts.



The State Department also separately condemned China for taking steps against two Canadian institutions and 20 people involved in human rights issues concerning the Uyghurs and Tibet.



"We reject the Hong Kong government's efforts to intimidate and silence individuals who choose to make the United States their home," the U.S. State Department said in a statement on Thursday, adding some of the targeted individuals were based in the United States.



China's foreign ministry said Hong Kong's law enforcement actions were necessary to safeguard national sovereignty and security.



"The extraterritorial application of Hong Kong's national security laws is fully consistent with international law and practice," ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said told reporters at a Friday news briefing.



She called the U.S. hypocritical for "attacking" Hong Kong's actions while "abusing the concept of national security and exercising illegal long-arm jurisdiction".