Hong Kong demonstrates its ‘red’ credentials by passing security law

Hong Kong: It has long been a cherished ambition of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and Chairman Xi Jinping - but not of the vast majority of Hong Kong people - to enact security regulations that outlaw dissent against the governing regime.

That aim became a reality on March 19 when the Legislative Council unanimously passed Article 23 into its mini-constitution that is known as the Basic Law.

Indeed, so eager was the CCP to pass Article 23, that Chinese state-owned broadcaster CCTV reported the results on its social media accounts even before the Legislative Council (LegCo) voted the “Safeguarding National Security Law” into being! CCTV broadcast the results 20 minutes before the 89 members of the council, who are all “patriots” to Beijing, started voting 89-0 in favour of the law.

This illustrates how Hong Kong’s political leaders are now a little different to China’s “rubber stamp” parliament known as the National People’s Congress. The rare meeting was convened off-schedule, and it was rushed through with lightning speed.

One after the other, members stood in the council chamber - which protestors had once stormed back in 2019 - to praise the virtues of Article 23.

The sycophantic council rushed the legislation through, perhaps chillingly recalling that the prospect of introduction of this toxic law had drawn 500,000 protesters onto the city’s streets back in 2003, and it had also been a catalyst in the protests from 2014-19. This time, the legislation passed Article 23 in just eleven days. It might have been a show of democracy in name, but this passage of this law was anything but. Politicians rushed to outdo each other. LegCo President Andrew Leung broke with convention by also casting a vote.

He explained, “As the president of the Legislative Council, I would not vote in usual circumstances. However, legislation of Article 23 is not just any other piece of legislation - it relates to national security in Hong Kong, it is of the utmost importance, so at this historical moment I will vote in favor of the bill.”

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee declared, “Today is a historical moment in Hong Kong, a historical moment we have waited 26 years, eight months and 19 days for... Today, Hong Kong finally completed its constitutional duty of legislating Article 23 of the Basic Law. We live up to the expectations of the central government and our country. We no longer need to worry that destructive forces would burn Hong Kong to the ground, destroying public facilities, throwing petrol bombs, setting fires, beating up residents with different views, push Hong Kong to the brink, destroy Hong Kong’s development that was years in the making.”

Article 23 promises prison sentences up to life for crimes such as treason, insurrection and sabotage, but legislators said it was necessary to “ensure the safety of life and property”.  (ANI)

Also Read: United States expresses concern on Hong Kong’s new security law

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