Relevant parties need to stop interfering in Hong Kong's judicial affairs, China's internal affairs: spokesperson

Relevant parties need to respect China's sovereignty and the rule of law in Hong Kong, stop making irresponsible remarks on the Special Administrative Region (SAR)'s judicial process, and stop interfering in Hong Kong's judicial affairs and China's internal affairs in any form, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Thursday.

Guo made the remarks at a regular news briefing when asked to comment on the "concern" over the case against Joshua Wong Chi-fung, repeatedly voiced by a handful of politicians from the United States and other Western countries. A Hong Kong court on Thursday handed down its sentencing decision on the case of Wong's collusion conspiracy.

Noting Hong Kong upholds the rule of law, Guo said that to abide by the law and bring lawbreakers to justice is a basic principle. Wong Chi-fung is guilty of conspiracy to collude with a foreign country or external elements to endanger national security, and the offence has been found to be of a grave nature. In the face of overwhelming facts and evidence, Wong had no grounds to justify his behavior and pleaded guilty, Guo noted.

"The central government of China firmly supports the Hong Kong SAR in safeguarding national security and punishing in accordance with the law acts that endanger national security," said the spokesperson.