China Moves To Impose Controversial Security Law On Hong Kong

China on Friday submitted a proposal to enact new Hong Kong security legislation during the opening day of the National People’s Congress

The proposed “enforcement mechanisms,” which are expected to ban treason, subversion and sedition, have faced significant backlash from the US, Taiwan and pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong.

The move follows repeated warnings from China’s communist leaders they would no longer tolerate dissent in Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous city that endured seven months of massive pro-democracy protests last year.

Speaking at China’s annual parliamentary session, Premier Li Keqiang said that China would “establish and improve the legal systems and mechanisms to safeguard national security” in Hong Kong.

On Friday, Hong Kong’s government said it would co-operate with Beijing to enact the law, adding it would not affect the city’s freedoms.

One of the articles in the proposed law says Hong Kong “must improve” national security, before adding: “When needed, relevant national security organs of the Central People’s Government will set up agencies in Hong Kong to fulfil relevant duties to safeguard national security in accordance with the law.”

The security law has been met with widespread criticisms from rights group in Hong Kong.

On internet threads and chat apps used by Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, there were calls to resume the protests of last year that were largely subdued in recent months because of coronavirus restrictions.

“This is the end of Hong Kong, this is the end of ‘One Country, Two Systems’, make no mistake about it,” Civic Party lawmaker Dennis Kwok told reporters.