China calls on the United States to stop interfering in affairs of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) as they are China's internal affairs, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian in Beijing on Friday.
Lin made the response at a regular press briefing when replying to a media query regarding a statement of U.S. State Department.
The United States announced on Tuesday that it would impose new visa restrictions on Hong Kong officials who implement the national security law for Hong Kong.
"The Chinese central government firmly supports the HKSAR in safeguarding national security and punishing activities that endanger national security in accordance with the law. We resolutely oppose the U.S. using specific judicial cases to interfere in China's internal affairs and smear or undermine Hong Kong's legal system. The U.S. should genuinely respect China's sovereignty and Hong Kong's rule of law, adhere to the principles of international law and basic norms governing international relations, and refrain from interfering in Hong Kong affairs in any manner. If the U.S. insists on imposing visa restrictions on HKSAR officials, China will respond firmly with countermeasures," said Lin.
China urges US not to interfere in HK affairs: spokesman
As the new snow season starts in early winter in northeast China's Jilin Province, enthusiastic skiers and snowboarders can't wait to hit the trails, among whom is a six-year-old girl named Guo Ziyi.
Born and living in Shanghai, Guo hardly had a chance to experience ice-snow sports, but things took a surprising yet pleasant turn after the girl went back two years ago to the hometown of her father in northeast China's Jilin Province, a popular destination for such sports known for its long snow season.
While there, the child demonstrated her agile moves on the ski field and quickly fell in love with skiing.
"When skiing, I feel like wearing a pair of wings to fly freely over the snow," she said.
"She was thrilled when skiing for the first time. With a good sense for skiing, she made a move at that time that is difficult for other children to do. It made her feel a great sense of accomplishment, and since then she has fallen in love with skiing," said Li Yun, Guo's mother.
In order to support the kid, Guo's family decided to stay in Jilin during this snow season.
"I would practice the moves I'm familiar with at first and would then move on to harder moves," Guo said before practicing.
"Generally speaking, it is difficult for children to keep practicing skiing due to the cold weather and hard work in winter, which are highly challenging to children. However, she finds so much fun doing this that she doesn't consider such things difficult," Li said.
"When I fall but it doesn't hurt, I would get up immediately. If it hurts, I would cry just a bit before pulling myself up. If it really hurts, my dad would hold me up and slide down together with me," Guo said.
The girl spent up to 180 days a year skiing, clocking in 7,200 kilometers in total, which is equivalent to two round-trip trips from Shanghai to Jilin.
Last year, she won the championship of a snowboard competition in Changchun City, capital of the province.
"My first goal is to ski more comfortably and have more fun, and the second goal is to compete in more games, ski faster and win more medals," said the girl.
As the girl sets her sights on more glory in skiing, all her father wants is enduring happiness she gets playing the sport.
"As long as she keeps enjoying it going forward. That'd be enough for me," Guo's father said.
Six-year-old girl shows genius in skiing
