The city's authorities said Thursday that the wanted individuals would be pursued "till the end" as they offered HK$1,000,000 ($128,000) bounties for help catching them.
The move was strongly condemned by Washington, while London called it "a threat to our democracy and fundamental human rights".
But China said Friday that the Hong Kong police force's desire to arrest the activists was "necessary and legitimate" on national security grounds and was in line with international law.
"The national security laws of other countries, including the United States and Britain, also have extraterritorial effects," said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning at a regular press briefing.
"By cheering on these anti-China individuals that are bringing havoc to Hong Kong, the United States and Britain are exposing their malicious intentions in messing up Hong Kong," Mao added.
Hong Kong authorities said the five were suspected of incitement to secession, incitement to subversion, and foreign collusion -- crimes that can carry sentences of up to life in prison.
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