Constitutional and mainland affairs minister Erick Tsang has hit out at a fresh US advisory for American businesses operating in Hong Kong, calling the claims fictitious and factually wrong. In a joint release, the US Departments of State, Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security, and Treasury said overnight on Saturday that firms operating in Hong Kong are facing "increasing risks" that it said stem from national security laws in the SAR. Speaking on Commercial Radio, Tsang responded that the advisory was just more of the 'usual tricks' used by western countries as part of their smear campaign against Hong Kong. "We've always said that no matter if it's the national security law, or the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance under Article 23 of the Basic Law, these are stablisers for Hong Kong. 'A pillar of the ocean'," he said. "We have repeatedly stressed that Hong Kong's freedoms, be it free speech or other freedoms, are protected by law. These so-called warnings or dangers, if you ask me, these are deliberate attempts to suppress our country's development, as well as Hong Kong's." Meanwhile, Tsang also highlighted the "unlimited" opportunities in the Greater Bay Area, saying Hong Kong being part of it can surely benefit from such a huge market.
