On October 9, the WeChat public account “Ministry of Foreign Affairs Special Representative Office in Hong Kong” issued a statement claiming that in response to the United States Department of State’s release of the so-called “2026 Human Trafficking Report,” it ignored facts and maliciously slandered the efforts and achievements of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in combating human trafficking. The report also distorted and misrepresented the Hong Kong National Security Law and the “Maintaining National Security Ordinance.” A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Special Representative Office in Hong Kong expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this behavior.
The spokesperson stated that the US-related reports are filled with subjective assumptions and political bias, and they tend to generalize without any credibility. The HKSAR government has always maintained a zero-tolerance attitude and has been proactive in fighting against human trafficking. It has established a comprehensive work system that includes more than 50 relevant laws, identification and assistance for victims, law enforcement and prosecution, protection of rights, and personnel training. These efforts have achieved tangible results. In contrast, the US, as a major area affected by human trafficking, still claims to be a “category one country.” No matter how the US tries to hide it, it cannot change the fact that it is an important source country, transit country, and destination for forced labor.
The spokesperson emphasized that since the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law, Hong Kong has achieved transformation from chaos to order, taking a new step towards prosperity. Today, Hong Kong's society is stable and orderly, and it has once again become one of the safest cities in the world. The Hong Kong National Security Law and the National Security Maintenance Regulations clearly stipulate that maintaining national security should respect and protect human rights. The legitimate rights of the general public and foreign residents in Hong Kong are fully protected. The US ignores the facts at hand and forcibly stigmatizes Hong Kong's national security laws and its excellent situation through the issue of human trafficking. Hong Kong will never bear the blame for this.
The spokesperson noted that Hong Kong affairs are Chinese internal affairs. Any attempts to smear or suppress Hong Kong cannot stop the steady progress of the "one country, two systems" policy and the continued prosperity of Hong Kong. We are warning the US side to seriously examine its own domestic problems, reflect on itself, and truly abide by the principles of international law and basic norms of international relations. They should immediately stop issuing such political showy reports and stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs!
