HONG KONG -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Tuesday strongly deplored and firmly opposed untruthful remarks about Hong Kong in the 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report released by the U.S. Department of State.

Trafficking in persons is never a prevalent problem in Hong Kong and there has never been any sign that Hong Kong is being used by criminal syndicates as a destination or transit point for trafficking in persons, said a spokesperson for the HKSAR government, adding that the findings in the report are groundless.

Regarding the unsubstantiated remarks in the report about the lack of composite trafficking legislation in Hong Kong, the spokesperson noted that the HKSAR government's current legislative framework, which comprises over 50 legal provisions against various trafficking in persons conducts, provides a comprehensive package of safeguards comparable to composite trafficking in persons laws found in other jurisdictions.

"There is no indication to suggest that the effectiveness of Hong Kong's anti-trafficking in persons efforts have in any way been undermined without composite trafficking legislation," the spokesperson said.

The HKSAR government has all along been making proactive and multipronged efforts in the fight against trafficking in persons. A high-level steering committee was established in March 2018 to provide policy steer on combating trafficking in persons and protecting foreign domestic helpers.

It has promulgated an action plan with multi-faceted, comprehensive, strategic and targeted measures all firmly put in place by the end of 2019 to cover victim identification, investigation, enforcement, prosecution, victim protection and support, prevention, and partnership with different stakeholders, according to the spokesperson.