Hong Kong will not interfere in mainland China's detention of 12 Hong Kong people who were arrested at sea for allegedly crossing the border illegally, reportedly in an attempt to flee to Taiwan, the city's security chief said Monday.
"The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government does not want foreign jurisdictions to interfere with (our) law enforcement, therefore (we) respect and will not interfere with other jurisdictions' law enforcement," Security Secretary John Lee said in a statement.
"Regarding the 12 Hong Kong people accused of illegal border crossing, the Hong Kong police will keep in contact with mainland authorities and be informed of developments with the cases," he said.
Lee revealed that the 12 people, who "left Hong Kong illegally and were arrested" within the sea territory of mainland China, are connected with seven criminal cases in Hong Kong, including alleged manufacturing or possession of explosives, arson, assault and rioting.
One of them is accused of breaching the national security law by colluding with foreign forces and possession of ammunition, while another was wanted by police over explosives-related crimes, Lee said.
The 11 men and a woman, reportedly include democracy activists such as Andy Li, who was arrested for breaching the new national security law, have been detained in mainland China since last month after a reported botched attempt at fleeing Hong Kong for Taiwan.
While Chinese authorities confirmed Sunday the 12 people are in custody for allegedly crossing the border illegally, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying went further, accusing them of seeking Hog Kong's separation from China.
In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin reiterated Monday that the 12 people are under investigation for illegal border crossing and their lawful rights are protected by public security authorities.
"Hong Kong's matters are China's internal affairs, no foreign forces have the right to gossip," Wang told a news briefing. "We urge the United States side to practically abide by international laws and principles of international relationship, stop interfering by any means Hong Kong and China's internal affairs."
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday referred the 12 people as "Hong Kong democracy activists" and said the United States is deeply concerned over their denied access to lawyers of their choice, while State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus subsequently tweeted that the arrest "is another sad example of the deterioration of human rights in Hong Kong."
Lee also said the police are asking Taiwan authorities for information on five Hong Kong people who reportedly fled to Taiwan two months ago, warning Taiwan against providing harbor for Hong Kong people fleeing the territory.
"The government has not received any information (on the five people) from the Taiwan side, nor received requests for assistance from their families," he said. "If they were alleged to have committed crimes in Hong Kong, we urge the Taiwan side not to harbor criminals, send them back to Hong Kong after handling them in accordance with the law."
In Taiwan, Premier Su Tseng-chang declined to comment on individual cases but said, "Taiwan's government and people are concerned about Hong Kong, and hope to offer assistance to Hong Kong people," Hong Kong's Cable TV News reported.
According to Taiwan media reports, five Hong Kong people who took part in pro-democracy protests were picked up by Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration after being found drifting in a vessel near the Taiwan-controlled Dongsha Islands in the South China Sea in July.
The vessel ran out of fuel en route to Taiwan, and the five people rescued have since been detained in Kaohsiung.
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