HONG KONG -- China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government has vehemently refuted the slandering remarks and ill-intentioned political attacks on the HKSAR under the successful application of the "one country, two systems" principle in the so-called Six-monthly Report on Hong Kong: January to June 2022 released by the British government.

The HKSAR is an inalienable part of the People's Republic of China, said a spokesperson for the HKSAR government on Thursday evening, urging again Britain to respect the international law and basic norms governing international relations and stop interfering in the affairs of the HKSAR.

The spokesperson said that the HKSAR has been proactively maintaining extensive ties and facilitating cooperation with different countries and regions in accordance with the Basic Law of the HKSAR, which premises on mutual respect of "one country, two systems" and commitment not to smear or slander the successful application of such principle nor interfere in the affairs of the HKSAR.

The HKSAR government strongly rebuked the smearing of Hong Kong's education system in the so-called report released by the British government.

The spokesperson noted that the HKSAR government ensures that students are provided with a safe and orderly school environment to learn effectively and grow healthily, and receive quality education for becoming good citizens that observe rules and laws.

The spokesperson said that Hong Kong's status as an international financial center is unshakeable. With a stable financial market and flourishing industries which span across sectors including banking, securities, and asset management, the spokesperson noted that the prospect of the HKSAR's financial services industry is bright and heartening.

With social stability restored since the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong as well as the close financial integration with the mainland, investors are more interested in the Hong Kong market and have even more confidence in the prospect of Hong Kong's financial development, the spokesperson said.

As Hong Kong returns to normalcy gradually, international financial institutions have reiterated their confidence in and commitment to Hong Kong as an international financial center, and are planning to expand their business and investment in Hong Kong, the spokesperson said.

Under the "one country, two systems" principle, Hong Kong has the distinctive advantage of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world, the spokesperson said.

As the center of economic gravity in the world shifts eastward, the mainland, along with other fast-growing economies in the region, will be a major engine of global economic growth and an abundant source of economic opportunities, and Hong Kong will continue to reap the enormous benefits of this trend, the spokesperson said.