BEIJING, Dec 15 — China lashed out at Britain and the United States today after they condemned Hong Kong police for offering bounties for information leading to the capture of five overseas activists.

Hong Kong authorities said yesterday that the five, who fled the city after Beijing imposed a national security law in 2020, would be pursued "till the end” and offered HK$1,000,000 (RM597,440) bounties for help catching them.

The move was strongly condemned by Washington, while London called it "a threat to our democracy and fundamental human rights”.

But China said today that the Hong Kong police force’s desire to arrest the activists was "necessary and legitimate” on national security grounds and was in line with international law.

"The national security laws of other countries, including the United States and Britain, also have extraterritorial effects,” said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning at a regular press briefing.

"By cheering on these anti-China individuals that are bringing havoc to Hong Kong, the United States and Britain are exposing their malicious intentions in messing up Hong Kong,” Mao added.

UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron had said he instructed British officials in Hong Kong, Beijing and London to "raise this issue as a matter of urgency”.

And US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said "advocates for democracy and freedom will continue to enjoy their constitutionally guaranteed freedoms” in the United States.

Mao said China was "strongly dissatisfied” with what she characterised as "interference” in Hong Kong’s legal system.

"Hong Kong is China’s Hong Kong. Hong Kong affairs are purely China’s internal affairs, and we will not allow any external forces to interfere,” she added.

National security law

Hong Kong authorities said the five individuals were suspected of incitement to secession, incitement to subversion, and foreign collusion — crimes that can carry sentences of up to life in prison.

Among them was prominent activist Simon Cheng, who is currently in Britain and is the founder of the civil society group Hongkongers in Britain.

The other four identified were Frances Hui, Joey Siu, Fok Ka-chi and Choi Ming-da.

The five fled after the sweeping national security law was imposed on the city as Beijing moved to quash dissent after massive pro-democracy protests.

The law has reshaped Hong Kong society and broken down the legal firewall that once existed between the city and mainland China.

It claims the power to hold accused people accountable across the world, although Hong Kong authorities have not specified how enforcement abroad is possible.

The bounties are the second batch of hefty rewards offered by Hong Kong police pursuing fugitives accused of national security crimes.

Eight prominent activists also overseas — including pro-democracy lawmakers Nathan Law and Ted Hui—were identified in July as targets for the police, which offered bounties of HK$1 million each for information leading to their capture. — AFP