China summons US embassy official over Senate passing of Hong Kong Human Rights bill

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu on Wednesday summoned William Klein, acting charge d'affaires of the U.S. Embassy in China, to lodge "stern representations and strong protest" against U.S. Senate's passing of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019, Xinhua reported.

"We strongly urge the U.S. side to immediately take effective measures to prevent this act from becoming law, immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China's other internal affairs. Otherwise, China will have to take strong countermeasures and the U.S. side must face all the consequences," Xinhua quoted Ma as saying.

"China hereby warns the United States that any attempt to destroy Hong Kong's prosperity and stability or obstruct China's development is doomed to fail and will only end up hurting itself," said Ma.

CNN in its report dated November 20 stated that on Tuesday, the United States Senate unanimously passed a bill -- The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act that would require an annual review of the special treatment Hong Kong receives under US law following almost six months of unrest in the Asian financial hub.

China on Wednesday slammed the United States after the US Senate passed the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, envisioning support for local protesters, asserting that the bill is "overt meddling" in the country's domestic affairs.

"This bill neglects facts and the truth. It applies double standards and it is overt meddling in Hong Kong's affairs and China's internal affairs. This is a serious violation of the international law and fundamental norms regulating international relations. China condemns this and speaks out against this decisively," Foreign Ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, said in a statement.

If signed into law, the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act will demand sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials identified by the US government as carrying out alleged human rights abuses.

Large-scale protests, triggered by a now-withdrawn controversial extradition bill, have been ongoing in Hong Kong since early June, with the police detaining nearly 4,500 people so far.