Government condemns disruptive acts against Mainland nucleic acid test support team
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     Some district council members from non-establishment camp and  some individuals held demonstrations outside the hotel where the Mainland nucleic acid test support team stayed and at the sites where the team made inspection visits for consecutive days and made disturbances to the team members. A spokesman for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today (August 5) strongly condemns their abhorrent acts and reiterates that the Government are grateful to the Central Government for supporting the anti-epidemic work of Hong Kong and sending an advance team to make preparatory work. 

     "In view of the seriousness of the epidemic, the community as a whole should get united in fighting against this virus. However, some people disregarded the public interest, health and safety, behaved in a confrontational way in an attempt to smear and damage the Central Government's support to Hong Kong’s anti-epidemic work. We must strongly condemn such behaviours," the spokesman said.

     The spokesman reiterated that the Central Government made proactive response to the request of the HKSAR Government made in the face of the severe epidemic in Hong Kong and sent the team to Hong Kong to support the anti-epidemic work. Arranging series of site visits for the team aimed at facilitating both sides to set the virus testing capacity, with a view to getting prepared for enhancing the capacity of community testing for COVID-19. Arrangements for the support team to Hong Kong are completely complied with the requirements of the law and there can be no question of the so-called 'political consideration'. 

     The spokesman once again expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Central Government for its proactive response to the request of the HKSAR Government made in the face of the severe epidemic in Hong Kong and being supportive of the anti-epidemic work of the HKSAR. With the support of the Central Government, the HKSAR Government will formulate feasible scheme and announce the details as soon as possible.

     The HKSAR Government calls on all members of the public to be aware of the political conspiracies of the small group of people who have made 'anti-Mainland' remarks continuously in recent years. These group of people disregarded the seriousness of the epidemic and public health, made use of the support from the Central Government to stir up social confrontations. 

Ends/Wednesday, August 5, 2020
Issued at HKT 23:12

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