©Reuters. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, government officials and lawmakers pose for a group photo, after the Bill on Safeguarding National Security, also referred to as Article 23 of the Basic Law, was passed by Hong Kong’s Legislative Council Kong, in Hong Kong, China
By James Pomfret, Jessie Pang and Greg Torode
HONG KONG (Reuters) – A new national security law took effect in Hong Kong on Saturday, despite growing international criticism that it could erode freedoms in the Chinese-ruled city and damage its credentials as an international financial hub.
The law, also known as Article 23, took effect at midnight, days after Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing lawmakers passed it unanimously, fast-tracking legislation to close what authorities call national security loopholes .
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said the law “accomplished a historic mission, living up to the trust placed in us by the (Chinese) central authorities.”
The United States has expressed concern that the law could further erode the city’s autonomy and damage its reputation as an international trade hub.
“It includes vaguely defined provisions regarding ‘sedition,’ ‘state secrets’ and interactions with foreign entities that could be used to curb dissent,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.
Australia and Britain on Friday criticized the law after a bilateral meeting in Adelaide, expressing “deep concern about the continued systemic erosion of autonomy, freedoms and rights” in Hong Kong.
The United Nations and the European Union recently noted the law’s extremely quick passage with limited public consultation, by a legislature overhauled in recent years to remove opposition Democrats.
Australia, Britain and Taiwan have updated their travel advisories for Hong Kong, urging citizens to exercise caution.
“You may unintentionally break laws and be detained without charge and denied access to a lawyer,” the Australian government said.
Hong Kong authorities, however, “strongly condemned such political maneuvers with biased, fact-distorting, alarmist and panic-inducing comments.”
Hong Kong, a former British colony, returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with the guarantee that its high degree of autonomy and freedom would be protected under the “one country, two systems” formula.
In recent years, many politicians and pro-democracy activists have been jailed or gone into exile, and liberal media and civil society groups have been shut down.
In a joint statement led by the overseas-based Hong Kong Democracy Council, 145 community and advocacy groups condemned the law and called for sanctions against Hong Kong and Chinese officials involved in its passage, as well as reviewing the status of economic and business in Hong Kong. all over the world.
“It’s time for the United States to step up for political prisoners and freedom in Hong Kong. Every time we allow authoritarians to get away with atrocities, we risk other bad actors trying to do the same,” he told Washington Hong Kong activist Frances Hui. , during a press conference with the U.S. Congressional Executive Commission on China (CECC), which advises Congress.
Chris Smith, co-chair of the CECC, said that Hong Kong’s trade offices have “simply become outposts of the Chinese Communist Party, used to engage in transnational repression.”
China believes the security crackdown is essential to restore order after months of sometimes violent anti-government and pro-democracy protests in 2019.
Some 291 people have been arrested for national security-related crimes, with 174 people and five companies charged so far.
Chinese authorities insist that all are equal under security laws that have restored stability, but while individual rights are respected, no freedom is absolute.
A previous attempt to pass Article 23 was defeated in 2003 after 500,000 people protested. This time, public criticism was muted in the context of the security crackdown.
In Taipei’s posh Ximending shopping district, more than a dozen activists from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Tibet gathered to protest the law and shout their complaints.
Other protests are planned in Australia, Britain, Canada, Japan and the United States.