China slams foreign criticism of upcoming HK’s Article 23 national security law

China on Thursday criticised British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and other foreign politicians for “smearing” an upcoming Hong Kong security law, as local authorities said feedback on the law had been largely positive.
The law, known as Article 23, will target crimes including treason, theft of state secrets, espionage, sabotage, sedition and “external interference”, including from foreign governments.
A public consultation period on the proposed legislation ended this week, with the city’s legislature, dominated by pro-Beijing lawmakers, expected to soon approve the draft laws.
The Hong Kong Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Thursday “to express their strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition” to British Foreign Secretary Cameron and other politicians’ making “irresponsible remarks” on the legislation of Article 23.
The ministry said they were “maliciously smearing and attacking Hong Kong’s human rights, freedoms and rule of law”. The statement followed remarks from Cameron on Wednesday that Britain had raised its concerns with the Hong Kong authorities.