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A spokesperson of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council on Sunday called the U.S. sanctions on Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) officials a "hysterical seizure of hegemonic habits."

The remark came one day after the U.S. slapped sanctions on 11 HKSAR officials, including Chief Executive Carrie Lam and Luo Huining, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR.

The spokesperson said some U.S. politicians have staged a series of "shameless performances" since the drafting of the national security law for HKSAR in June.

From revoking HKSAR's special status to the latest sanctions, the spokesperson accused the U.S. of colluding with other countries to pressure China and HKSAR.

The spokesperson said certain American politicians were using HKSAR affairs to shift the attention from their failure to address the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy and other domestic issues. 

The U.S. came up with these acts out of worries that their long-term plot to contain China's development through HKSAR affairs could fail as China stepped up its efforts to restore social order in HKSAR, the spokesperson added.

"Under the 'one country, two systems' policy, we will never allow any external force to take advantage of HKSAR to carry out any activities that could endanger China's national security and the peace and prosperity of HKSAR," the spokesperson said. 

The HKSAR government on Saturday "vehemently criticized" U.S. sanctions and called them "shameless and despicable" while some sanctioned officials also mocked the U.S. move and voiced their determination to continue serving HKSAR and the mainland despite U.S.' threat and intimidation.

A spokesperson for the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR also issued a statement on Sunday, saying that the so-called U.S. sanctions are just a farce and Chinese people are not afraid of such things as China's strong opposition voiced against the sanctions have been applauded by the public.

The spokesperson pointed out that these officials have governed Hong Kong in accordance with the Constitution and HKSAR's Basic Law. "They are firm defenders of Hong Kong's overall interests and the fundamental well-being of the people," the spokesperson said.

The U.S. is the one that is actually destroying Hong Kong's democracy as it is wantonly attacking the "One Country, Two Systems" principle and endangering HKSAR's security, which has plunged the region into a long period of turbulence, the spokesperson said.

In addition, the U.S.' disclosure of the address and personal identity information of HKSAR officials on the official website of its Department of Treasury seriously violated personal privacy and exposes the hypocritical face of the U.S., the spokesperson added.