Beijing’s national security arm in Hong Kong summoned representatives and journalists from some foreign media organizations, including The New York Times, on Saturday to warn them about coverage of the city’s deadliest fire in decades as well as of upcoming legislative elections.

周六，北京派驻香港的国家安全机构约谈了包括《纽约时报》在内的多家外国媒体机构的代表和记者，对他们就香港数十年来最致命火灾以及即将举行的立法会选举的报道发出警告。

The warning underscores the heightened scrutiny facing international news organizations in Hong Kong after Beijing imposed a national security law on the city with sweeping powers to curtail dissent. The officials said foreign journalists would face consequences if they were deemed to have violated the law, with one saying: “Do not say you have not been warned.”

这一警告凸显出，自北京在香港实施一部拥有广泛权力打压异议的国家安全法以来，国际新闻机构在香港面临的审查日益趋严。官员们表示，若外国记者被认定违反该法律将面临后果，其中一名官员警告说：“别说没警告过你们。”

During the briefing, officials from the Office for Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong read aloud a statement that criticized recent reporting by the foreign media on a massive fire last month at Wang Fuk Court, a high-rise complex in northern Hong Kong, that had killed at least 159 people.

在简报会上，驻港国安公署的官员宣读了一份声明，批评外媒对上个月宏福苑大火的报道。宏福苑是位于香港北部的一处高层住宅区，那次大火造成至少159人死亡。

The statement said some reports had “distorted facts,” spread false information, and smeared the government’s rescue and relief work. The statement also said that some reporting had “attacked and interfered with” the legislative election to be held Sunday. The officials did not give specifics or single out any particular outlets or reports.

声明称，一些报道“罔顾事实”、散播虚假信息，歪曲抹黑政府救灾善后工作。声明还表示，部分报道“攻击干扰”将于周日举行的立法会选举。官员们没有提供细节，也没有点名任何媒体或具体报道。

“‘Press freedom’ and ‘obeying the law’ are not mutually contradictory,” the statement warned. “No media organization may use the banner of ‘press freedom’ to interfere in China’s internal affairs or interfere in Hong Kong’s affairs.”

“‘新闻自由’与‘遵守法律’并行不悖，”声明警告称。“任何媒体不得借‘新闻自由’之名干涉中国内政、干预香港事务。”

The officials did not identify themselves or take questions. The national security office later posted the same statement on its website.

这些官员没有表明身份，也没有接受提问。其后，国安公署在其网站上发布了同样的声明。

The meeting was a rare direct engagement between China’s national security office in Hong Kong and the foreign media. It highlighted the increasingly assertive role the office plays in regulating public discourse in the city, said Thomas E. Kellogg, the executive director of the Georgetown Center for Asian Law, who called it a “direct threat to press freedom in Hong Kong.”

这次会面是中国驻港国家安全机构与外国媒体之间一次罕见的直接接触。乔治城大学亚洲法律中心执行主任托马斯·E·凯洛格表示，这突显出国安公署在监管香港公共舆论方面愈发强硬的角色。他称，这是对香港新闻自由的“直接威胁”。

“Since the national security law went into effect, local media outlets have been under attack,” he said. “This move shows that Beijing wants to increase the pressure on international media outlets as well.”

“自国家安全法生效以来，本地媒体一直遭受打压，”他说。“这一举动表明，北京也希望进一步向国际媒体施压。”

In recent days, the office put out statements warning “anti-China forces” not to exploit the Wang Fuk Court fire to try to undermine social stability. It also said that “hostile foreign forces” were seeking to cause trouble for the Hong Kong government, adding that the authorities would punish such forces “no matter how far away” they may be.

近几日，国安公署接连发表声明，警告所谓的“反华势力”不要利用宏福苑大火破坏社会稳定。声明还称，“境外敌对势力”正试图给香港政府制造麻烦，并补充说，当局将对“反中乱港者虽远必诛”。

Analysts have said that the sharply worded statements by the security office suggested that the authorities are concerned that last week’s disaster could fuel a fresh political reckoning in a city that was engulfed with antigovernment protests in 2019.

分析人士表示，国安公署措辞强硬的声明显示，官方担心上个月的灾难可能在这座曾于2019年爆发反政府示威的城市引发新一轮政治清算。

“This is not a step that a confident government would take,” Mr. Kellogg said. “This move also shows that mainland officials are taking the lead in managing the fallout from this tragedy.”

“这不是一个自信的政府会采取的做法，”凯洛格说。“这一举动也表明，是内地官员在主导应对这场悲剧的后续影响。”

The warnings also come as the Hong Kong government has been encouraging residents to vote in legislative elections on Sunday.

这些警告发出之际，香港政府正鼓励居民在周日投票参加立法会选举。

Turnout at the last poll, in 2021, hit a record low, following a major overhaul of the political system that tightened the Chinese Communist Party’s grip over the territory. Beijing imposed a “patriots only” policy that limited which candidates could run, leaving space only for the barest semblance of an opposition.

上一次选举是在2021年，投票率创下历史新低。当时香港的政治制度经历了一次重大重组，中共进一步强化了对该地区的控制。北京施行“爱国者治港”原则，严格限制参选者的资格，只为反对声音留下了极其有限的空间。