A foreign Ministry spokesperson on July 2 voiced Vietnam’s concerns over the tense situation in Hong Kong following China’s endorsement of its security bill and hoped the situation would be stabilized soon.

Riot police are deployed in Hong Kong to deal with protestors (Photo: Reuters)
 

Vietnam has followed with keen interest the situation in Hong Kong recently, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang told reporters at a regular press briefing in Hanoi.

“Vietnam respects and supports China's ‘One country, Two Systems’ policy, Hong Kong's basic laws and its related regulations,” said Hang. “Hong Kong-related issues are China’s internal affairs. Vietnam expects that Hong Kong would soon stabilize the situation and continue to prosper as an important economic and financial center of the region and the world.”

Residents in Hong Kong have staged street protests after the Standing Committee of the China National People’s Congress adopted a new security bill for Hong Kong on June 30. The law with tougher sanctions took effect on July 1 that marked the 23rd anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong from British rule to China.  

The United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union criticized the law. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on July 1 that the new adopted law has violated the 1984 Joint Declaration between Britain and China and that Britain would respond by opening the path to British citizenship for nearly 3 million eligible Hong Kong residents.

The Chinese ambassador to the UK met with British diplomats, rejecting its criticism over Hong Kong's National Security Law. Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy said China would take retaliatory measures if the British government eases residence rights for Hong Kong citizens holding the British National Overseas (BNO) passport.