Pro-Beijing Lawmakers Slam 'brazen US Interference'

Pro-establishment politicians continued on Thursday to criticise US President Donald Trump's decision to sign the Hong Kong Autonomy Act. calling it a "brazen interference" in the SAR's affairs.

Speaking to reporters at Legco on Thursday, the camp's convenor Martin Liao said the act was aimed at intimidating those responsible for implementing the national security law, and the threat of US sanctions could make officials here reluctant to apply the legislation.

Liao said the measures would seriously affect US commercial interests in Hong Kong, and neither the central government nor the people of Hong Kong will shrink from US intimidation.

DAB leader Starry Lee said her party will fully support Beijing to hit back, while People's Party chair Regina Ip said the US had no business getting involved with the SAR, adding "such threats of sanctions are brazen interference with our high level of autonomy".

Jeffrey Lam from the Business and Professionals Alliance likened the US move to stubbing one's toe on a rock, and that the US sanctions would only damage Washington's interests.

Earlier in the day, a group of four people led by lawmaker Holden Chow staged a protest outside the US Consulate, saying the new law would harm American businesses more, as the US has a US$30 billion trade surplus with the SAR.

Chow said Washington's criticism of the new national security law was nothing more than a smear, and mocked the US actions as "stupid" and "a brazen interference in our domestic affairs".

"We have seen that the US politicians time and again they have been distorting the nature of the national security law, they even wrongfully [claimed[ that the national security law would infringe on the freedom of Hong Kong people, but that is wrong," he said.