) Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam urged the autonomous region's residents on Friday to support the Chinese central authorities' proposed security legislation, saying that its enactment was absolutely urgent amid the rising external interference that poses risks to both national security and development and prosperity of Hong Kong itself
BEIJING (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th May, 2020) Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam urged the autonomous region's residents on Friday to support the Chinese central authorities' proposed security legislation, saying that its enactment was absolutely urgent amid the rising external interference that poses risks to both national security and development and prosperity of Hong Kong itself.
On Thursday, the Chinese parliament passed a resolution to develop the national security law that bans secessionist and subversive activity in Hong Kong. The legislation is supported by high-ranking Hong Kong officials, but triggered a wave of fresh protests in the city amid fears that the measure would infringe on civil rights. Western countries, too, swiftly condemned the proposed legislation, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo certifying to the Congress that Hong Kong "does not continue to warrant" special treatment under US laws, as it allegedly does no longer enjoy the full rage of autonomy from China.
"I appeal for your full understanding and staunch support for the Decision passed by the National People's Congress," Lam said in a letter, published on the government's website.
According to the Hong Kong leader, 23 years since rejoining China, the special administrative region is yet to enact laws to curb activities threatening national security. The current legal system and enforcement mechanisms, she went on, are "inadequate" or even "defenceless." The authorities of the region, whose community has been "traumatized" over the past year of protests, would found it difficult to create such a system on their own, while there is a high urgency to enact such legislation, Law said. Therefore, the national legislature has stepped in.
"External forces have intensified their interference in Hong Kong's internal affairs, passed laws relating to Hong Kong and flagrantly glorified the illegal acts of radicals, all of which seriously jeopardise our nation's sovereignty, security and development interests. Hong Kong has become a gaping hole in national security, and our city's prosperity and stability are at risk," she argued.
The chief executive reiterated that the central authorities' legislation would defend national security amid external interference and sanctions threats, help Hong Kong to "find a way out of the impasse" and restore stability and economic development, while respecting its Basic Law and people's freedoms. Only "an extremely small minority of illegal and criminal acts and activities" would be targeted by the legislation, she said.
In a separate statement late on Thursday, the Hong Kong government said that Pompeo's remarks "misrepresented the constitutional relationship" between the autonomous region and central authorities and constituted an interference in the city's internal affairs. It also described any sanctions as "a double-edged sword," recalling that the United States' trade surplus with the city "has been the biggest among all its trading partners."
