China strongly opposes remarks by a handful Special Procedure mandate holders of the Human Rights Council on 12 September regarding the situation in Hong Kong. The comments were false accusations against the just actions of the government and police force of China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and excuses for the violent and illegal actions of radical demonstrators, constituting a blatant interference in China’s domestic affairs.

All those watching the demonstrations in Hong Kong have seen their deterioration into extreme violence. The rule of law and public order is challenged, the personal and property safety of ordinary citizens is damaged, human rights are violated, and the principle of “one country, two systems” is jeopardized. These experts chose to ignore how violent protesters stormed the Legislative Council and the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government, humiliated the Chinese national flag and emblem, used petrol bombs in lethal attacks on police officers, blockaded police headquarters, obstructed public transport, paralyzed the airport, and vandalized public facilities such as subway stations. They turned a blind eye to the unauthorized and illegal leaking of personal information of police officers and their families and the continued intimidation they have been suffering from. They were silent on the breaches of human rights by radical protesters who inflicted physical and emotional abuses on ordinary citizens and made frenzied attacks on persons who disapproved of their behavior, truly cared about Hong Kong and the motherland, and voiced their support for the police force. Instead, the experts described the great restraint exercised by police officers under provocation and heavy pressure as “use of excessive force” and called the lawful administrative actions of the government of the Hong Kong SAR as “repression of dissenting voices”. Such willful distortion of the facts is nothing but appalling.

China has provided factual accounts of the situation in Hong Kong to the Special Procedure mandate holders on multiple occasions and responded in detail to their written inquiries on this matter. Yet, such authoritative information has been brushed aside and failed to stop them from twisting facts and openly exerting pressure. It becomes all too clear that they are purposefully using human rights as a tool to serve the political agenda of some forces. Given their readiness to disregard the facts and rule of law and to be controlled by a hidden political agenda, there is little credibility left for them to continue to serve as the Special Procedure mandate holders of the Human Rights Council.

The situation in Hong Kong is China’s domestic affairs and brooks no outside interference by any country, organization, or individuals in any form. Hong Kong’s top priority now is to stop violence and restore order; this is the what the people in Hong Kong are calling for. China urges the Special Procedures to immediately stop emboldening violent and illegal activities and stop interfering in China’s domestic affairs.