The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that it wants Hong Kong to be stable and prosperous when asked for comment on China’s adoption of national security law for Hong Kong.

China’s National People’s Congress is preparing to vote on a draft decision that would pave the way for anti-sedition laws to be directly enacted in Hong Kong. Photo: Getty Images

“Vietnam cares about and keeps an eye on the Hong Kong situation. Vietnam’s stance on the situation of Hong Kong has been made clear. Vietnam respects and supports China’s “one state, two systems” policy,” said Deputy Spokesperson Doan Khac Viet of Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The issues related to Hong Kong are China's internal affairs, Viet said at a press conference on May 28.

On May 28, the National People’s Congress (NPC) of China approved the Decision on Establishing and Improving the Legal System and Enforcement Mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to Safeguard National Security.

Hong Kong is currently under no obligation to repatriate anyone to China, due to the “one country, two systems” model that came into effect following its 1997 handover from the UK to China. The joint declaration, signed by Beijing and London, states clearly that the territory shall enjoy civic freedom and autonomy for 50 years.

“One country, two systems” is a constitutional principle of the People’s Republic of China describing the governance of Hong Kong and Macau since they became Special Administrative Regions of China in 1997 and 1999, respectively.