China summons US ambassador over Hong Kong-related law

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday summoned US Ambassador Terry Branstad to protest a Hong Kong-related bill which scraps the city's preferential treatments and was signed into law a day earlier.

Deputy Minister Zheng Zeguang told Branstad the act grossly interfered in China's internal affairs and seriously violated international laws and norms, and China will take measures including sanctions on American entities and personnel to safeguard its legitimate interests.

In an online statement, Zheng said enacting the national security law for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region preserves the rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong citizens and will ensure long-term stability and prosperity for the city.

However, the so-called Hong Kong Autonomy Act defamed the national security law with threats of sanctions and the intention of curbing China's growth, and is doomed to fail.

China urged the US to scale back from implementing the law and relevant executive order and stop interfering in China's domestic affairs, Zheng said.

Zheng said China has taken countermeasures and will continue to do so to defend its core interests, as the US challenges China in affairs relating to Xinjiang, Tibet and the South China Sea.