Draft decision on HK national security legislation submitted to China’s NPC

Beijing, May 22 (IANS) A draft decision on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for Hong Kong to safeguard national security was submitted to China’s national legislature for deliberation on Friday.

Wang Chen, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) explained the draft decision to the third session of the 13th NPC, which runs from May 22 to 28, reports Xinhua news agency.

The draft decision consists of an introduction and seven articles, according to Wang.

Since the return of Hong Kong to the motherland, China has been firmly implementing the principles of “one country, two systems”, “the people of Hong Kong governing Hong Kong,” and a high degree of autonomy, Wang said.

The practice of “one country, two systems” has achieved unprecedented success in Hong Kong, he said.

But the increasingly notable national security risks in the city have become a prominent problem, the Vice Chairman said.

Law-based and forceful measures must be taken to prevent, stop and punish such activities, he noted.

Article 23 of the Basic Law of the HKSAR stipulates that city will enact laws on its own to prohibit any act of treason, secession, sedition, subversion against the Central People’s Government, or theft of state secrets, to prohibit foreign political organizations or bodies from conducting political activitie, and to prohibit political organizations or bodies of the Hong Kong from establishing ties with foreign political organizations or bodies.

Relevant laws are yet to materialize due to the sabotage and obstruction by those trying to sow trouble in Hong Kong and China at large, as well as external hostile forces, Wang said.

Considering Hong Kong’s situation at present, efforts must be made at the state-level to establish and improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms to safeguard national security, to change the long-term “defenceless” status in the field of national security, he added.

After the issuance of the decision, the NPC Standing Committee will work with related parties to formulate relevant laws at an earlier date for Hong Kong to safeguard national security, actively push for settling prominent problems in the national security system, strengthen the building of special institutions, enforcement mechanisms and law enforcement forces, so as to ensure relevant laws’ effective implementation in the city, Wang said.

–IANS

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