Hong Kong's pro-democracy lawmakers sharply criticized China's move to take over long-stalled efforts to enact national security legislation in the semi-autonomous territory, saying it goes against the one country, two systems framework that promises the city freedoms not found on the mainland.
The proposed bill, submitted on the opening day of China's national legislative session Friday, is aimed at forbidding secessionist and subversive activity, as well as foreign interference and terrorism. It comes after a months of pro-democracy demonstrations last year that at times descended into violence between police and protesters.
The move, one of the most controversial items on the agenda of the National People's Congress in years, drew strong rebukes from the U.S. government and rights groups. Despite that, Beijing appears to have lost patience and is determined to assert greater control and limit opposition activity following last year's protests.
Xi Jinping has torn away the whole pretense of 'one country, two systems', former pro-democracy lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan said of China's leader.
He said at a press briefing by opposition parties and activists that the move shows Beijing is directly taking control." They're trying to ban every organization in Hong Kong who dares to speak out against the Communist Party, he said, describing it as a challenge to global values such as freedom and liberty.
A previous effort to pass such legislation in Hong Kong's legislature was shelved after massive street protests in 2003. This time, Beijing has decided to circumvent the territory's law-making body using what critics say are dubious legal grounds under the Basic Law, which has served as a sort of constitution for Hong Kong since its return to China from British colonial rule in 1997.
While the enactment of such legislation is required under Article 23 of the Basic Law, Beijing has decided not to try to ram it through the Hong Kong legislature, said Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.
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Instead, it has chosen what he called a worse option by proposing the National People's Congress enact a national security law for the territory.
For many in Hong Kong, the NPC enacting for Hong Kong will be tantamount to the effective end of the 'one country, two systems' model, Tsang said.
I find it hard to believe this will not trigger either a massive peaceful and orderly demonstration or more vocal and aggressive protests or, indeed, most probably, a combination of both. '