Hong Kong’s own national security legislation put on hold for further research, government says
- Bill to complement Beijing-imposed national security law removed from schedule for remaining Legislative Council meetings before Christmas
- Chief Executive John Lee says move made to allow time for more comprehensive legislation to be drawn up
A plan to enact Hong Kong’s own national security law this year has been put on the back burner by the government in a move supported by pro-establishment politicians who say more urgent issues need to be tackled.
The legislation, required by Article 23 of the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution, would complement the national security law imposed on the city by Beijing in 2020.
But according to the updated Legislative Council programme seen by lawmakers last week, the government plans to introduce 16 pieces of legislation by December but the national security law was among 15 others removed from the schedule.
Legislator Junius Ho Kwan-yiu said on Monday he was disappointed that the legislation had been postponed.
Gary Chan Hak-kan, the chairman of Legco’s security panel, said he hoped the government could submit the bill as soon as possible because the existing national security law was “incomplete”.
Although Beijing imposed the security law to target secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, it did not cover all seven offences spelled out in Article 23, such as treason, theft of state secrets and foreign political bodies engaging in political activities in the city.
