"We hope that the relevant parties will objectively and fairly treat the legal rights of China to protect sovereignty and security interests, it is not necessary to create specific obstacles, let alone politicize this issue," Zhao said, adding that the new Chinese law is targeted against small groups that undermine Hong Kong’s security and protects the legitimate rights of the vast majority of the region’s residents and foreign companies.
Earlier in the day, TikTok said that the service would withdraw from China’s special administrative region in light of recent developments. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Fox News that Washington was considering a ban on the operations of TikTok and other Chinese social media applications. US lawmakers have raised concerns over the way TikTok handles user data.
Meanwhile, Google, Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram and Zoom have all announced the suspension of processing data requests from Hong Kong authorities amid the new law.
China’s new national security law, which entered into force on 30 June, has been condemned by the Hong Kong opposition, as well as Western officials, who claim it would undermine the city's autonomy guaranteed during its transition from the United Kingdom to China. The new law has been met by a wave of protests in the city, as some residents fear their rights may be infringed upon.
Both Hong Kong's leadership and the central government in Beijing say the law would not affect residents’ rights. Beijing maintains that the recent unrest in Hong Kong is a result of foreign interference and vows to respect the "one country, two systems" principle.
