| Response to UK Report on Hong Kong |
 In response to media enquiries, a spokesman for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government made the following response today (October 12) to the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Six-monthly Report on Hong Kong (January - June 2016):"Since the return to the Motherland, the HKSAR has been exercising a high degree of autonomy and 'Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong' in accordance with the Basic Law. This demonstrates the successful implementation of the 'one country, two systems' principle, which is widely recognised by the international communities."The Basic Law only authorises law enforcement agencies of Hong Kong to enforce laws in Hong Kong. Law enforcement agencies outside of Hong Kong, including law enforcement agencies of the Mainland and overseas, do not have the authority to enforce laws in Hong Kong. In respect of the incident concerning a bookstore in Causeway Bay, the Police have not discovered any evidence indicating that there was 'law enforcement across the boundary'."The HKSAR Government is firmly committed to protecting the freedom of expression and freedom of the press, which are fundamental rights guaranteed by the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance. The media reports freely in Hong Kong and rigorously performs its role as a watchdog. About 80 foreign media organisations have offices in Hong Kong and operate alongside a diverse array of local media with no intervention from the Government. We support that every endeavour should be made for journalists to report news professionally and accurately under the principle of editorial autonomy."Foreign governments should not interfere in any form in the internal affairs of Hong Kong."Ends/Wednesday, October 12, 2016 Issued at HKT 19:30 NNNN |