A spokesperson for the Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has expressed strong disapproval and firm opposition to the malicious slander made by the U.S. Consul General in Hong Kong.

 The U.S. Consul General in Hong Kong released a statement on its website on Tuesday, saying the United States objects to new restrictions imposed by China on the official meetings of the U.S. Consul General in Hong Kong.

The spokesperson pointed out that according to relevant regulations, China and the U.S. should fully facilitate each other's diplomatic and consular personnel in their respective countries to perform their duties in accordance with the law.

However, the U.S. has repeatedly introduced restrictions on Chinese embassies and consulates in the U.S., so China's countermeasures are an equal, necessary, and just response, the spokesperson said.

The countermeasures taken by the Chinese side and applied to the U.S. Consul General in Hong Kong are completely justified and fully reflect the principle of "One Country, Two Systems" instead of violating it, the spokesperson stressed.

The agreement on the establishment of a U.S. consulate in Hong Kong, signed by China's central government and the U.S. government, does not include any special treatment for the U.S. Consul General in Hong Kong, the spokesperson added.