On July 7, Ambassador Cong Peiwu gave a telephone interview to Alex Boutilier, a reporter with the Toronto Star's Ottawa bureau, mainly briefing on China's national security legislation for Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and China-Canada relationship, and expounding China's stances.

Ambassador Cong said that since June last year, some radical protesters in Hong Kong have deliberately stirred up violent incidents. Their actions have gone far beyond the scope of peaceful demonstration and freedom of expression, and turned into extremist, violent and illegal acts. Such violent acts have blatantly violated laws, posed serious threats to the safety of Hong Kong citizens and openly challenged the sovereignty and dignity of the State. National security legislation has always been a matter concerning the sovereignty of the State and within the purview of the Central Authorities. In accordance with China's Constitution and the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR, the NPC has established and improved, at the State level, the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security in Hong Kong. This is vital for plugging the legal loopholes relating to national security in Hong Kong and effectively protecting national security. It is also a fundamental measure for ensuring the steady and sustained implementation of the policy of "one country, two systems".

Ambassador Cong noted that the law on safeguarding national security in Hong Kong reflects the shared will of all Chinese people including Hong Kong compatriots. In drafting the legislation, lawmakers sought opinions from across the board in HKSAR through multiple channels. Recent days have seen stable stock and currency markets in Hong Kong. People from Hong Kong's economic and business communities noted that the legislation has boosted the confidence of the international community in Hong Kong, which is of great significance for Hong Kong to maintain a sound business environment and consolidate its position as an international financial, trade and shipping center.

Ambassador Cong stressed that Canada's recent erroneous comments and actions related to Hong Kong have turned a blind eye to the basic fact that Hong Kong's national security legislation is conducive to the stable and sustainable development of "one country, two systems" policy, seriously violated international law and basic norms governing international relations and grossly interfered in China's internal affairs. China strongly condemns that and reserves the right to further react. China urges the Canadian side to immediately correct its wrongdoings and stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs in any way so as to avoid further damage to China-Canada relations.

On China-Canada relations, Ambassador Cong expressed that the Meng Wanzhou incident is the crux of the current China-Canada relations. From the very beginning, China believed that this case was not just a judicial case, but a grave political incident concocted by the United States to suppress Chinese high-tech enterprises, and Canada has played the role of an accomplice to the US. However, more and more visionary people in Canada have recently made their voice heard, believing that the US has been taking advantage of Canada, and the US is indeed the trouble maker of China-Canada relations. As this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Canada, China expects Canada to, proceeding from its own interests and the merits of the matter itself, make a correct decision on properly resolving obstacles to the development of China-Canada relations at an early date and bring bilateral relations back to normal.

Toronto Star reported Ambassador Cong's relevant remarks.

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Toronto Star, founded in 1892 and headquartered in Toronto, is currently a daily newspaper with the largest weekly circulation.