The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government treasures the freedom of speech and freedom of the press as much as the community does because they are the cornerstones of Hong Kong's success, a government spokesman reiterated Thursday.

"Hong Kong people's rights and freedoms are fully protected under the law, and the government is determined to uphold the ruleof law," the spokesman said.

"We will not tolerate any acts of intimidation, threat, criminal damage or violence against any individual or organization," he stressed, adding that law enforcement agencies would leave nostone unturned in their investigations if and when such cases arose.

"The government trusts that Hong Kong people will continue to exercise their rights to give full effect to the freedoms that they have," the spokesman said.