The proposed new law for Hong Kong is planned to be overseen by a "national security agency" which is planned to be set up in Hong Kong by China. The new law is aimed to crack down on dissent in the city, said reports by the Chinese state media. China has been trying to suppress pro democracy protests in the semi-autonomous territory of Hong Kong.
The new report also detailed the measures that the Chinese authorities want to impose in Hong Kong through the new national security legislation which will potentially bring in the greatest change to the city's way of life since it was returned back to Chinese rule in 1997 by the United Kingdom.
Detailing the draft legislation, Xinhua news agency said in the report that in case of a conflict between the new proposed legislation and the existing laws in Hong Kong, the new law will override all other laws after it is implemented.
Creating a national security office for Hong Kong to collect intelligence and handle crimes against national security is part of the much-anticipated legislation that has incited grave concerns in the United States and Europe, reported the Chinese official media.
According to the report, specific judges to hear national security cases could be appointed by Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam which could cause a flutter among some investors, diplomats and business leaders in the global financial hub of Hong Kong.
Human rights and freedom of speech and assembly would also be protected by the national security activities, the report from Xinhua said without providing further details on how that would be achieved.
The aim of creating the new legislation is to tackling separatist activity, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, says China. Critics of the new proposed law however say that it was actually aimed to completely crush down wide-ranging freedoms which are the key for holding up Hong Kong’s position as a global financial centre.
The details of the new proposed law were made public after a three-day meeting of the top decision-making body of China's parliament. The report published by Xinhua did not however provide any indication of the possible data when the new legislation will be imposed.
But according to political analysts, it is expected that the new legislation will be implemented before the key Legislative Council elections in Hong Kong on September 6.
This move by China to implement the new proposed legislation directly on Hong Kong without involving the legislature of the city come about a year after continued anti-China protests, that had sometimes turned violent, had rocked the city for several months. Local authorities blamed “foreign forces" for supporting the protests against China.
When Hong Kong was handed over to China by Britain in 1997, China had promised to allow Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy for 50 years according to what is known as the "one country, two systems" formula of governance. However, its grip over the city has been increasingly tightened by democracy activists say Beijing.
(Source:www.aljazeera.com)
The new report also detailed the measures that the Chinese authorities want to impose in Hong Kong through the new national security legislation which will potentially bring in the greatest change to the city's way of life since it was returned back to Chinese rule in 1997 by the United Kingdom.
Detailing the draft legislation, Xinhua news agency said in the report that in case of a conflict between the new proposed legislation and the existing laws in Hong Kong, the new law will override all other laws after it is implemented.
Creating a national security office for Hong Kong to collect intelligence and handle crimes against national security is part of the much-anticipated legislation that has incited grave concerns in the United States and Europe, reported the Chinese official media.
According to the report, specific judges to hear national security cases could be appointed by Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam which could cause a flutter among some investors, diplomats and business leaders in the global financial hub of Hong Kong.
Human rights and freedom of speech and assembly would also be protected by the national security activities, the report from Xinhua said without providing further details on how that would be achieved.
The aim of creating the new legislation is to tackling separatist activity, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, says China. Critics of the new proposed law however say that it was actually aimed to completely crush down wide-ranging freedoms which are the key for holding up Hong Kong’s position as a global financial centre.
The details of the new proposed law were made public after a three-day meeting of the top decision-making body of China's parliament. The report published by Xinhua did not however provide any indication of the possible data when the new legislation will be imposed.
But according to political analysts, it is expected that the new legislation will be implemented before the key Legislative Council elections in Hong Kong on September 6.
This move by China to implement the new proposed legislation directly on Hong Kong without involving the legislature of the city come about a year after continued anti-China protests, that had sometimes turned violent, had rocked the city for several months. Local authorities blamed “foreign forces" for supporting the protests against China.
When Hong Kong was handed over to China by Britain in 1997, China had promised to allow Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy for 50 years according to what is known as the "one country, two systems" formula of governance. However, its grip over the city has been increasingly tightened by democracy activists say Beijing.
(Source:www.aljazeera.com)
