June 2, 2023
HONG KONG – The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government will rebut any smear and disinformation at the United Nations against the SAR and “will continue to tell the good stories of Hong Kong on all fronts,” Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai said Wednesday.
Tsang made the statement in a reply to Legislative Council member Lai Tung-kwok, who noted that the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights still made inaccurate, biased, and misleading observations about the city in March even after discussions with an HKSAR government delegation.
“Against the false and groundless narratives from international organizations, the government will continue to make firm clarifications and forceful rebuttals in a serious manner, so as to reflect the actual situation of Hong Kong to the international community and safeguard the interests of our country and the HKSAR,” Tsang said.
The HKSAR government took the initiative last month and refuted the contents of the reports submitted by individual NGOs to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women which discredited the National Security Law and the Hong Kong Police, Tsang said
“With the concerted efforts of various policy bureaux and departments, the government will continue to tell the good stories of Hong Kong on all fronts,” he added.
Tsang said this includes promoting the advantages of Hong Kong through overseas visits by senior officials in meeting with dignitaries, the business community, the media and Chinese groups, and promoting Hong Kong’s strengths and opportunities and clarifying misconceptions through different activities organized by the overseas Economic and Trade Offices.
“As for the submission of different reports to the committees of the United Nations in future, we will …consider using different forms of presentation such as data and multimedia to elaborate on the human rights situation and social development of the HKSAR, and the real situation of the implementation of the National Security Law,” Tsang said.
“We will also actively encourage different organizations to host major international events in Hong Kong (such as Art Basel and Hong Kong Sevens), bringing people from all over the world and all walks of life to witness our achievements,” he said.
Tsang agreed that despite the HKSAR government delegation holding dialogues with the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in “an open, respectful, cooperative and responsible manner, the committee insisted on making inaccurate, biased and misleading comments” about Hong Kong in its Concluding Observations issued on March 6, 2023.
“The government strongly deplored and resolutely rejected the committee’s misleading Concluding Observations, and through a detailed press release immediately issued on the same day to respond robustly to a number of so-called issues of concern raised by the committee in its Concluding Observations so as to set the record straight,” Tsang said.
Last month, the HKSAR government took the initiative and refuted the contents of the reports submitted by individual NGOs to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women which discredited the National Security Law and the Hong Kong Police, he added.
Meanwhile, the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau is seeking public opinion on a section on the HKSAR for inclusion in China’s fourth report to the United Nations Human Rights Council under the Universal Periodic Review mechanism.
“Members of the public may submit their views to us on or before June 21, 2023, on the areas and content that should be covered in the report of the HKSAR. We will consider carefully the comments and suggestions received in drafting the report,” a CMAB spokesperson said.