The SAR government late on Thursday condemned a vote by the European Parliament critical of Hong Kong’s national security legislation.

In a statement, the administration said it “strongly opposed the so-called resolution adopted by the European Parliament against Hong Kong, and strongly condemned the Parliament for making baseless allegations about Hong Kong and smearing the Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL) and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance”.

A government spokesman said that the SAR had a constitutional duty to safeguard national security, adding that all sovereign states had an inherent right to safeguard their security in accordance with international law and the UN charter. He noted that many other countries had also enacted national security legislation.

“Turning a blind eye to the fact and making exaggerated remarks, the Parliament has demonstrated typical political hegemony and hypocrisy with double standards,” the spokesman added.

The spokesman noted that both the NSL and the Ordinance clearly specify that rights and freedoms under the Basic Law and international covenants are to be protected.

“The European Parliament neglected the relevant provisions and lashed out wantonly, fully exposing its malicious intentions," the spokesman added.

“We must once again emphasise that the Ordinance is a piece of legislation to defend against external forces that endanger our national security, acting like a sturdier door and a more effective door lock to defend our home,” the spokesman said.

“The HKSAR Government strongly urges the European Parliament to stop smearing and interfering in Hong Kong affairs which are internal affairs of China and ensure that their remarks concerning the NSL and the Ordinance are fair and just, and stop making scaremongering remarks.”