A spokesman for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government on Saturday strongly objected to the remarks made by a U.S. official regarding the 12 absconders and expressed strong dissatisfaction with these remarks, which had totally disregarded the facts and confused about what was right and wrong.

These 12 absconders are wanted persons in Hong Kong and were suspected of committing various serious offenses in Hong Kong, the spokesman said, adding that they were arrested in mainland waters by the mainland law enforcement agencies according to the laws for suspected illegal crossing of the border.

Noting that the mainland authorities are handling the case in accordance with the legal system, the spokesperson said that after the offenses committed by these 12 absconders in the mainland have been dealt with in accordance with the law by the mainland authorities, the HKSAR government will ask for their return to Hong Kong where their suspected offenses committed in Hong Kong are to be dealt with.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson stressed that Hong Kong has an independent judicial system.