China reveals provisions of Hong Kong security law

Both the central government and the special region will jointly establish new agencies in Hong Kong to oversee the implementation of the security law, according to information on the draft law published by the Standing Committee of China’s parliament on Xinhua today.

The bill has 66 articles and 6 chapters, including general principles, Hong Kong’s obligations and organization in ensuring national security, crimes and penalties, and judicial rights in national security cases.

According to the bill, the agency established by mainland China, called the Office of the Commissioner for National Security of Mainland China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is responsible for analyzing the national security situation in Hong Kong

This office will `monitor, supervise, cooperate and support` the special zone government in protecting national security, collecting and analyzing intelligence information related to national security and handling cases.

The agency and mainland `relevant state agencies` will also exercise judicial power in certain cases that threaten national security.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong government will establish a `national security committee` headed by the chief executive, with at least 10 members, including the police chief and the head of customs.

This security committee will have a member who is a central government advisor, while the Hong Kong chief executive has the right to appoint judges from the current judiciary to preside over trials.

The draft law also requires the Hong Kong government to complete the special zone’s security law as soon as possible.

The security law passed by the Standing Committee of China’s parliament, once implemented, will prevail over any Hong Kong law that conflicts with it.

The information was announced by Xinhua a few hours after the Standing Committee of China’s parliament ended a three-day session on new draft laws, including the Hong Kong security law.

According to Beijing’s plan, the security law developed by the National Assembly Standing Committee will prohibit acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign or external forces to threaten national security.

The sanctions in the Hong Kong security law remain confidential, after the Chinese parliament approved the law-making resolution on May 28.

It is unclear when the Hong Kong security law will take effect, but Ip Kwok-him, Hong Kong delegate to the Chinese parliament, believes a special session will be held at the end of June or early this month.

The legislation will shape Hong Kong’s future, raising questions about the special administrative region’s autonomy as well as its future global status.

Riot police confront Hong Kong protesters, May 27.

The Hong Kong security law sparked many protests and prompted the US to declare stripping the special trade status of the special zone, which has helped it become an important financial center between China and Western countries.

Opposition politicians in Hong Kong say the security law proposed by Beijing puts an end to the `one country, two systems` principle that the special zone has enjoyed since 1997. Before Hong Kong was annexed by Britain

Beijing is determined to impose the Hong Kong security law, despite G7 foreign ministers warning on June 17 that the law `will jeopardize the system that will allow Hong Kong to develop and succeed for many years to come`.

`China is determined to promote the national security law in Hong Kong,` a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said at a press conference on June 18, and asked foreign governments to `stop interfering in the issue.`

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang pressed the button to vote on the Hong Kong security law during the final session of the parliamentary session in Beijing, May 28.

Many people are concerned that the application of the Hong Kong security law could worsen the situation in the context of the special zone having to deal with the biggest economic recession because of protests and a blockade to prevent the pandemic, forcing many people to stay.

Unemployment in Hong Kong has reached its highest level in the past 15 years, investors are moving money out of Hong Kong, while foreigners and locals are considering leaving the special zone.

However, Chief Executive Carrie Lam endorsed the Hong Kong security law even though she did not know its specific content.

Details in the newly announced draft Hong Kong security law have made some politicians in the special zone worried and skeptical.

`Basically, the chief executive will be given the right to choose judges to try national security cases, but what are the details of this selection method?` Yeung asked.

Steven Leung, business director of financial company UOB-Kay Hian in Hong Kong, said that the newly announced details of the bill `don’t come as a big surprise` to business circles in the special zone.

`We have not seen huge capital outflows. Hong Kong will remain a global financial center and this will not change in the short term. The good thing is that the ambiguity about the bill has now disappeared