Solve Your Problems First, Beijing Office Tells US

The office of the commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong on Saturday hit back at the US asking them focus on their internal problems and stop interfering in the SAR's affairs.

In a statement published on Saturday evening, the ministry said that China is a country that runs by the rule of law, and authorities will work according to the law and safeguard the legal rights of suspects.

"The United States has its own economic and social problems, frequent racial conflicts, and the high number of new coronavirus infections and deaths. It should focus on handling its own domestic affairs," the statement said.

"However, individual politicians in the United States are not doing their jobs properly, showing unusual "concern" about the internal affairs of other countries and interfering indiscriminately, but they turn a blind eye to serious problems in their own countries and pretend to be deaf."

The statement did not name any official, but US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, on Friday had expressed concerns over 12 Hong Kong activists being detained in the mainland.

In a statement, Pompeo had questioned Chief Executive Carrie Lam's stated commitments to protecting citizens' rights and called "on authorities to ensure due process".

The ministry statement added that One country, Two Systems principle will be followed when handling cases involving Hong Kong, and the US has no right to comment on the matter, and should mind its own business.

The statement concludes with the ministry demanding the US politicians abide by international law and stop interfering in the internal affairs of China and Hong Kong's affairs.

The Hongkongers were intercepted and arrested by mainland coastguards in August for alleged illegal entry while reportedly sailing to Taiwan to seek political asylum. They have been detained in Shenzhen since then.