HONG KONG (Xinhua): The Hong Kong government on Thursday (June 18) expressed its disappointment with a US Department of Justice committee which recommended denying the Pacific Light Cable network connecting to Hong Kong.
A spokesman of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau of the government said the recommendation not only hindered the telecommunications development between Hong Kong and the United States, but also harmed the interests of US investors and entities.
It also disregarded the win-win situation between Hong Kong and the United States brought by investments in communications infrastructure, the spokesman said.
"A submarine optical fibre cable system directly connecting Hong Kong and the US would help further enhance telecommunications capacity of the two places and facilitate trade and business activities. It is of mutual benefit to both places," he said.
The spokesman said Hong Kong attaches great importance to the security and integrity of telecom networks and owns a robust legal system offering strong protection to privacy rights, which is fully protected under the "one country, two systems" principle.
The national security legislation in Hong Kong will not affect the legitimate rights and freedoms under the Basic Law and can bring confidence and a stable business environment to international investors, he noted.
Hong Kong has a vibrant external telecom market, with a total of 11 external submarine optical fibre cable systems, 20 overland optical fibre cables and 11 communications satellites connecting Hong Kong with places around the world. - Xinhua
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