(30 May 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Beijing – 30 May 2024
1. Wide of news conference
2. Wide of reporters
3. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Mao Ning, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson:
“Hong Kong is a society under the rule of law. It is a fundamental principle there that laws must be observed and violations must be investigated. No one should engage in illegal activities and try to escape justice under the pretext of democracy. The central government firmly supports the law enforcement and judicial authorities of the HKSAR in performing their duties in accordance with the law and punishing all kinds of acts that undermine national security, and we are firmly opposed to individual countries interfering in China’s internal affairs and smear and undermine Hong Kong’s rule of by using the relevant judicial case.”
4. Reporters
5. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Mao Ning, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson:
“The essence of this anti-subsidy investigation is trade protectionism. The European side has many unreasonable practices that were inconsistent with relevant regulations in the investigation, and the alleged so-called Chinese subsidy programs are not tenable at all. China urges the European side to terminate the investigation as soon as possible to avoid damaging China-EU economic and trade cooperation and the stability of the industrial chain supply chain. If Europe is bent on having its own way, China will never sit idly by and will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.”
6. Wide of news conference
STORYLINE:
China on Thursday expressed support for the Hong Kong court’s decision to convict 14 pro-democracy activists in the city’s biggest national security case.
The court said their plan to effect change through an unofficial primary election would have undermined the government’s authority and created a constitutional crisis.
Commenting on the verdict at a daily news briefing in Beijing, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said the central government firmly supported the law enforcement and judicial authorities of the Hong Kong Special Administrative region in punishing all kinds of acts that undermine national security.
She expressed China’s opposition to other countries that “smear and undermine” Hong Kong’s rule of law.
“No one should engage in illegal activities and try to escape justice under the pretext of democracy,” she said.
China, which authored the 2020 national security law under which the activists were prosecuted, backed Hong Kong authorities.
The former British colony is part of China but has its own governing and judicial system.
In all, 47 people were charged in what was the largest case brought since the promulgation of the national security law.
Of those, 31 had earlier pleaded guilty and two others were acquitted on Thursday.
Separately, Mao once again urged Europe to terminate its anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese electric vehicles which started last October.
Calling the probe out of “trade protectionism” and “inconsistent with relevant regulations,” Mao warned that China would take “all necessary measures” to defend its rights and interests.
Her remarks came after the European Commission said it would postpone its decision on imposing tariffs on Chinese electric cars until the European Parliament election ended on Jun 9.
The investigation will determine whether Chinese government subsidies for EVs give an unfair advantage to Chinese auto exporters.
===========================================================
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/0cbd3e95df394519a615e5d2b0a1dce5
