China’s top official on Hong Kong affairs has praised the Beijing-imposed national security law as the city’s “guardian,” adding that Hong Kong should use the rule of law to safeguard “high-quality development.”
The implementation of the national security law over the past five years has demonstrated that it is a “good law with significant historical and practical importance,” Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office (HKMAO), said on Saturday at the opening ceremony of a forum marking the law’s fifth anniversary.
Xia said the Hong Kong government had fostered a “new atmosphere” in governance, including the successful completion of Article 23 legislation — the city’s domestic security law — last year. He said patriotic forces in Hong Kong could now “hold their heads high,” while improvements in the city’s business environment were “plain for all to see.”
Xia, who arrived in Hong Kong on Wednesday for a five-day visit, went on to say that Hong Kong still faces a “complex and grave” situation in regards to safeguarding national security. He said that the city must follow China’s national security principles and ensure that power is “held firmly” in the hands of patriots.
“Five years of implementation have proven the Hong Kong national security law to be a ‘guardian’ of the One Country, Two Systems principle and a safeguard of Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability,” a statement from the HKMAO read quoting Xia.
The HKMAO statement went on to say: “The Hong Kong SAR government and all sectors of society must unite, seize opportunities, and take up responsibilities… and continuously advancing the high-quality development of the One Country, Two Systems framework.”
The HKMAO director urged the city to pay attention to trade crackdowns, financial risks and the dissemination of “false information.” He also called on the government to attract talent and maintain a “free and open” business environment to draw investors from around the world.
Beijing inserted national security legislation directly into Hong Kong’s mini-constitution in June 2020 following a year of pro-democracy protests and unrest. It criminalised subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts – broadly defined to include disruption to transport and other infrastructure.
The rule of law, which Xia described as Hong Kong’s “hallmark,” should be used to consolidate the city’s status as an international financial, aviation, and trading hub. He added that the government should maintain an “executive-led” system, and that different sectors should support Chief Executive John Lee and his administration in introducing reform and promoting high-quality development.
At the same opening ceremony, Lee vowed to accurately implement the One Country, Two Systems principle and take advantage of Hong Kong’s current stable situation to boost the economy and improve people’s livelihoods.
The Hong Kong leader revealed on Tuesday that a total of 332 people had been arrested for national security offences since the national security law was enacted on June 30, 2020. Legislation was tightened in May, making it illegal to disclose information relating to cases overseen by the Office for Safeguarding National Security.
The chief executive said that the law only targeted a small group of people, adding that – on average – 66 people were apprehended under the security law each year – lower than the average annual number of total arrests, which stood at around 30,000.
The security law gave police sweeping new powers and led to hundreds of arrests amid new legal precedents, while dozens of civil society groups disappeared. The city also saw newsrooms raises and journalists jailed, but authorities have rejected criticism of the law by trade partners, the UN and NGOs.
In September last year, five US departments – including the Departments of State, Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security, and the Treasury – issued a warning about increasing business risks in Hong Kong, citing the “broad and vague provisions” of the two security laws.
The Hong Kong government later rejected the claims, calling them “false” and “baseless.”
Separate from the 2020 Beijing-enacted security law, the homegrown Safeguarding National Security Ordinance targets treason, insurrection, sabotage, external interference, sedition, theft of state secrets and espionage. It allows for pre-charge detention of up to 16 days, and suspects’ access to lawyers may be restricted, with penalties involving up to life in prison. Article 23 was shelved in 2003 amid mass protests, remaining taboo for years. But, on March 23, 2024, it was enacted having been fast-tracked and unanimously approved at the city’s opposition-free legislature.
