The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) and the central government’s liaison office here both issued strongly-worded statements on Sunday condemning a recent US report calling for sanctions on judges in the SAR.

A spokesman of the HKMAO said the call for sanctions violates international legal principles and lays bare the ‘arrogance and shamelessness’ of the United States.

He added that it’s clear that the aim of the report is to hinder the effective implementation of Hong Kong’s national security law and allow anti-China elements who have disrupted Hong Kong and endangered national security to continue committing acts of evil.

The spokesman stressed that such efforts are doomed to fail, and that the central government will unswervingly support Hong Kong’s judiciary in performing their duties in accordance with the law.

The liaison office, meanwhile, said in a separate statement that the US document represents a gross interference in China’s internal affairs.

The report -- by the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China -- alleged that judges involved in the city’s national security cases had “weakened” the rule of law here.

However, a spokesman said the security law has effective safeguarded the nation’s sovereignty, security and developmental interests, while adhering fully to the principles of the rule of law and the protection of human rights.

“[The national security law] targets a very small number of criminals who endanger national security and protects the legal rights and freedoms of locals and foreigners in Hong Kong,” he said.

The spokesman added that the office strongly supports the judiciary’s vow to strictly uphold the rule of law and judicial independence, while administering justice without fear or favour, self-interest or deceit.