'US, Canada twisted facts in travel advisories'

The government on Saturday said that US and Canadian authorities had twisted facts and smeared the SAR’s national security law, after the two countries warned their citizens that the risks of travelling to Hong Kong would increase after legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law took effect. Both countries this week updated their travel advisories for Hong Kong, citing the passage of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance last month. Both countries say travellers should exercise increased caution because of “arbitrary enforcement of local laws”. The SAR administration said the announcements were a political manoeuvre using scaremongering remarks intended to spread panic. "The offences endangering national security stipulated by the Ordinance target acts endangering national security with precision, and define the elements and penalties of the offences with clarity,” a government spokesman said “The prosecution has the burden to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant had the actus reus and mens rea of an offence before the defendant may be convicted by the court.” The spokesman noted that both the US and Canada have laws safeguarding national security that have extraterritorial effect for offences covered by the Hong Kong legislation. “The claims of 'arbitrary enforcement' and 'wrongful detention' completely disregard the facts,” the spokesman added. “The HKSAR government strongly opposes the countries concerned for attempting to achieve their political goals by means of intimidation, interfering with the legitimate exchanges of members of the public and the business sector.” The statement said ordinary travellers and businesspeople, including those from the US and Canada, “will not conduct acts and activities endangering national security and will not unwittingly violate the law, and therefore have no reason to be worried”. “The Hong Kong National Security Law and the Ordinance are laws defending against external forces that endanger our national security, strengthening the protection for our home,” the spokesman added. “Only intruders trying to plunder and loot will not want Hong Kong to safeguard our country in accordance with the law.” Earlier, the Commissioner’s Office of the Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong also condemned the US, Canada and other countries, saying they should “stop their political manipulation by updating travel warnings to the HKSAR”.