Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang on Tuesday summoned Robert Forden, the deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in China, to lodge solemn protest and strong condemnation over the U.S. so-called sanctions against 14 vice chairpersons of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee.

"The move by the U.S. side has severely violated the basic norms governing international relations, interfered in China's internal affairs, and harmed China-U.S. relations," said Zheng, adding that the act is outrageous, unscrupulous and vile.

"China expresses strong indignation and condemnation against it," Zheng said.

Hong Kong is part of China, and its affairs are purely China's internal affairs, and the United States is in no position to interfere. The NPC Standing Committee adopted the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in accordance with the Constitution and the HKSAR Basic Law, Zheng said.

"It is totally within China's sovereignty to improve governance on Hong Kong, crack down on criminals, and curb foreign interference in Hong Kong affairs," he added.

Zheng said the decision of the HKSAR government on the qualification of four Legislative Council members complied with China's Constitution, the Article 104 of the Basic Law, the relevant interpretations of the NPC Standing Committee and relevant provisions of the Hong Kong national security law, which are completely reasonable and lawful.

For some time, the U.S. side has been meddling in Hong Kong affairs in every way under the pretext of upholding democracy, human rights and autonomy in Hong Kong, supported illegal and criminal activities that split the nation and disrupt social order, and imposed the so-called sanctions on officials of the Chinese central government and the HKSAR government, Zheng said.

This fully exposed that the U.S. side was the major malicious forces behind the turbulence in Hong Kong, and their real intent was to mess up Hong Kong and undermine China's stability and development, he said.

He stressed that the Chinese government is firmly determined to oppose foreign interference in Hong Kong affairs, to implement the principle of "one country, two systems," and to uphold China's sovereignty, security and development interests.

The U.S. side's egregious act will only invoke the great indignation of the Chinese people against anti-China forces in the United States, cause 1.4 billion Chinese people, including compatriots in Hong Kong, to be fully aware of the U.S. devious intentions, and strengthen the resolve of the Chinese government in implementing the Hong Kong national security law, Zheng said.

He said China will take firm and strong countermeasures to defend its sovereignty, security and development interests.

"China urges the United States to immediately correct its mistakes, withdraw relevant decisions, and stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and interfering in China's internal affairs. Otherwise, the United States shall bear all consequences," Zheng added.