Hong Kong, June 22

Foreign governments are “beautifying” acts that endanger national security in Hong Kong when they criticise the recent crackdown on a pro-democracy newspaper, the leader of the semi-autonomous Chinese territory said on Tuesday.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam's comments come as some countries, including the US, condemn the arrest of editors and executives at Apple Daily and the freezing of its assets as the latest examples of eroding freedoms in the former British colony. Those arrested at the newspaper have been accused of breaching sweeping security legislation imposed by Beijing last year by colluding with foreign countries to endanger national security.

“Don't try to underplay the significance of breaching the National Security Law and don't try to beautify these acts of endangering national security, which the foreign governments have taken so much to their heart," Lam said. Lam took particular aim at comments made by US State Department spokesman Ned Price saying Hong Kong authorities were using the law to suppress the media and silence dissent. Price said that “exchanging views with foreigners in journalism should never be a crime”.-- AP