China says Hong Kong courts have no power to rule on facemask ban

China has said Hong Kong courts held no authority to rule on constitutional matters in the city.

Bejing insisted that it alone held the authority to rule on constitutional matters in Hong Kong, and condemned a decision by the city's high court to overturn the face mask ban.

"Whether the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region comply with the Basic Law of Hong Kong can only be judged and decided by the standing committee of the National People’s Congress," said Parliamentary spokesman Zang Tiewei.

"No other authority has the right to make judgments and decisions."

Meanwhile, nearly 100 protesters remain barricaded inside a Hong Kong university campus as the standoff with riot police enters the third day.