(3 Jun 2024)
RESTRICTIONS SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Beijing – 3 June 2024
1. Wide of news conference
2. Wide of reporters
3. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Mao Ning, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson:
“Hong Kong affairs are purely China’s domestic affairs that brooks no external interference. We urge the U.S. to earnestly respect China’s sovereignty and rule of law in Hong Kong, abide by international law and basic norms of international relations and immediately stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs in any way. If the U.S. implements the visa restrictions, China will take firm countermeasures.”
4. Mid of reporters
5. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Mao Ning, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson:
“China’s position on the three islands issue is consistent. We call on relevant parties to resolve their differences peacefully through dialogue and consultation. The relevant contents in the China-UAE joint statement of China are consistent with China’s position. China-Iran relations are solid, and we attach importance to the development of the China-Iran comprehensive strategic partnership.”
6. Close of reporter
7. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Mao Ning, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson:
“I don’t know the specifics. But what I can tell you is that China is a country governed by the rule of law. If we publish relevant information, it must be based on fact.”
8. Wide of news conference
STORYLINE:
China on Monday warned of “firm countermeasures” against the U.S. if it imposes new visa restrictions on mainland Chinese and Hong Kong officials after the convictions of 14 pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong.
The democracy advocates were among 47 activists who were charged in Hong Kong’s biggest national security case to date.
Prosecutors had accused them of attempting to paralyze Hong Kong’s government and topple the city’s leader by securing the legislative majority necessary to indiscriminately veto budgets.
In convicting them, three judges approved by the government to oversee their case, said their plan to effect change through an unofficial primary election would have undermined the government’s authority and created a constitutional crisis.
But they acquitted two others who also pleaded not guilty, because they were not sure if the pair had the intention to subvert the state’s power.
The 14 activists, along with the remaining 31 others who pleaded guilty earlier, would be sentenced at a later date.
On Friday, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller expressed deep concerns about the verdict and called for the release of the detained activists.
At a daily news briefing in Beijing, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning insisted that Hong Kong matters were China’s internal affairs and demanded the U.S. “immediately stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs".
After Beijing imposed a national security law in 2020, the U.S. had already imposed sanctions against some Hong Kong and mainland Chinese officials for undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy, including then security minister and current city leader John Lee.
Mao also called for “dialogue and consultation” between Iran and the UAE over disputed islands in the Persian Gulf.
Mao also denied knowledge of the Chinese security department’s allegation that two Chinese nationals were found spying for Britain but added that “China is a country governed by the rule of law. If we publish relevant information, it must be based on fact.”
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