mk 2020 shows the Golden Bauhinia Square in south China's Hong Kong, July 14, 2020. (Xinhua)" src="https://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2021/2021-10-06/3853b7f7-f008-47eb-b206-398c760d2728.jpeg" />

Photo taken on July 14, 2020 shows the Golden Bauhinia Square in south China's Hong Kong, July 14, 2020. (Xinhua)

In response to Biden's two-year extension of the Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for certain Hong Kong residents living in the US, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that the since the return of Hong Kong, the implementation of One Country, Two Systems in Hong Kong has been a well-recognized success, noting that no design to vilify Hong Kong will ever succeed or weaken international confidence in Hong Kong.

Biden, who is set to leave office on January 20, extended the program early on Thursday, allowing certain Hong Kong residents in the country to stay beyond the expiry of their visas by another two years, according to South China Morning Post.

In a memorandum on the extending and expanding eligibility for DED for certain Hong Kong residents, Biden administration also accused China of undermining the enjoyment of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong by implementing the National Security Law (NSL) in Hong Kong.

At a regular press conference Thursday, Guo said that the security, democracy, and people's freedoms and rights in Hong Kong are now under better protection, and Hong Kong enjoys more promising development prospects. 

The US should respect China's sovereignty and the rule of law in Hong Kong, abide by the principles of international law and basic norms governing international relations, stop denigrating the Hong Kong policy of the Central Government and the implementation of One Country, Two Systems, and stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs, said Guo.

The Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition on Thursday to President Biden's memorandum, which the office described as a malicious attack on NSL in Hong Kong and an attempt to smear the rule of law, democracy, and human rights there. 

The office spokesperson criticized the US for once again manipulating its visa policies to provide a "safe haven" for anti-China disruptors who fled abroad, calling this a blatant display of hypocritical and despicable "double standards". It added that the so-called "firm support of the people in Hong Kong" claimed by the US reveals its sinister intention of inciting chaos in the region, further exposing the true face of "American hypocrisy" to the world.

The office spokesperson said that since the implementation of the NSL in Hong Kong, the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents, as guaranteed by law, have been fully protected. However, the spokesperson emphasized that no rights or freedoms can exceed the boundaries set by the law, and no one is above the law. 

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has handled actions that endanger national security in accordance with the law and done nothing deserving of reprehension, said the spokesperson. He emphasized that external interference will not shake the determination and will of the Central Government and the HKSAR government to fully and comprehensively implement the NSL in Hong Kong, nor will it hinder Hong Kong's development and China's progress. 

It's not the first time that the US has attacked and tarnished Hong Kong by announcing the extension of the DED for certain Hong Kong residents, said Fan Peng, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Political Sciences. 

"What is ironic is that the US said Hong Kong's rule of law was undermined while many of the people protected by the US are actually individuals who have clearly violated relevant laws in Hong Kong. Some of those being protected were actually rioters. What legitimacy do you have in doing this?" Fan said.

In August 2021, Biden signed the first memorandum offering DED status to some Hong Kong residents stranded in the US. The program was set to expire on February 5, 2023. In January that year, Biden signed a memorandum to extend the DED. The memorandum on Wednesday marks the second time he has extended it.

The Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong urged the US government to recognize the facts, genuinely respect China's sovereignty and Hong Kong's rule of law, stop its clumsy actions that continue to undermine China-US relations, and cease interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs.