China protests US alert over security rules change in Hong Kong

China protests as Hong Kong criminalises refusal to share device passwords in security cases

China's top diplomat in Hong Kong has met the senior US diplomat in the city to protest against a US public alert over new security rules in Hong Kong, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

In a statement released late on Saturday, the Chinese foreign ministry's Hong Kong office said Commissioner Cui Jianchun met US Consul General Julie Eadeh on Mar 27 and expressed "strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition", urging Washington to stop interfering in Hong Kong's affairs and China's internal affairs "in any form".

Hong Kong this month amended its enforcement rules for the national security regime, making it an offence in national security cases to refuse to provide passwords or other decryption assistance to access an electronic device.

In response to the rule changes, the US Consulate General in Hong Kong issued a security alert on Mar 26, calling for contact with the Consulate in case US citizens are arrested or detained in connection with the new security enforcement rules.

"We do not discuss the details of diplomatic engagements," a US Consulate spokesperson said in response to a request for comment.