Hong Kong national security law (NSL)

The Hong Kong authorities could block social media giants if they refused to hand over user data to the police under a new national security law, analysts said, describing a worst-case scenario that could drive global internet companies out of the Asian financial center. The world’s leading social media firms, including Google, Facebook (and its messaging app WhatsApp), Twitter, Telegram and LinkedIn, have so far presented a united front against such requests.  Their announcements to hit pause on processing requests by Hong Kong authorities for user data came a week after Beijing imposed the security law that critics feared could be used to crack down on dissent in the city. The former Briti

Foreign companies operating in Hong Kong are facing a delicate decision as they digest the details of the city’s controversial new national security law: abide by the rules or support US sanctions against China for imposing the legislation. Company insiders and diplomatic sources said it was too early to assess the impact of the law on business in the financial hub. But its vague language and broad provisions have stoked fears and may result in “huge insecurity” for foreign firms – particularly a clause stating any person or organization that imposes sanctions could be punished. They said the legislation could be a wake-up call for businesses to re-evaluate their engagement with China, and i

The national security law that Beijing has imposed on Hong Kong has raised concerns among legal experts that it could apply everywhere. The controversial legislation came into force late on the night of June 30, after it was unanimously passed by Beijing’s top legislative body and signed into law by President Xi Jinping. The law prohibits secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with a foreign country or external elements to endanger national security, with a maximum penalty of life in prison. Legal experts said Article 38 of the law, which covers even offenses by people outside the city who are not Hong Kong residents, creates a “chilling” overreach.  They said the coverage goes furth

Washington expressed strong displeasure on Tuesday over the passage of the Hong Kong national security law as US lawmakers debated what leverage they have to effectively apply pressure on Beijing. “The United States will not stand idly by while China swallows Hong Kong into its authoritarian maw,” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. “The United States will continue to stand with the freedom-loving people of Hong Kong and respond to Beijing’s attacks on freedoms of speech, the press, and assembly, as well as the rule of law.” China’s top legislative body on Tuesday enacted the security law before its provisions had been seen by the Hong Kong government or the public. Crimi

People convicted of crimes under a new national security law Beijing is imposing on Hong Kong could face life imprisonment, sources told the South China Morning Post. China’s top legislative body on Sunday kicked off a special three-day meeting fast-tracking the legislation, which is being tailor-made for the former British colony to prevent, stop and punish acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces to endanger national security. Opposition politicians and critics said the bill could be used to suppress dissent and erode freedoms in the city, which is governed under a “one country, two systems” framework that gives Hong Kong considerable autonomy.  The legisl

Pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong says he expects to be a “prime target” of the national security legislation in Hong Kong. The proposed law will target separatism, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, but it is unclear what activities would constitute such crimes and what the punishments would be.

European Parliament members are planning to propose suing China in the United Nations’ highest court over Beijing’s move to impose national security laws in Hong Kong, according to an internal draft seen by the South China Morning Post. The potential suit would claim that “China’s decision to impose national security legislation on Hong Kong violates the Sino-British Joint Declaration,” according to the draft document.  The Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed in 1984 and paved the way for the former British colony’s return to Chinese sovereignty in 1997. The potential lawsuit would also accuse China of violating the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which requires

Hong Kong police are setting up a dedicated unit to enforce the coming national security law, one that will be ready to function on the “very first day” the controversial legislation comes into effect, the city’s security minister told the South China Morning Post. John Lee, the minister, said the new unit, would be commanded by Hong Kong’s police commissioner Chris Tang. It would have intelligence-gathering, investigation and training capabilities, Lee said. But he declined to elaborate on how police would work with the new agency the mainland’s national security authorities are expected to set up in Hong Kong after the law is in place. The revelation came a week after the security minister

Wealthy investors from mainland China are watching developments in Hong Kong with growing concern, as tensions between Beijing and Washington over a new national security law raise questions about the future of the city. While anti-government protests have hurt Hong Kong’s reputation as an orderly financial hub, well-off investors in the mainland are still attracted to the city’s unique privileges within China.  Unlike mainland China, Hong Kong has unrestricted capital flows, an uncensored internet and rule of law upheld by an independent judiciary. The freedoms have allowed affluent investors to park money in the city and access the outside world. But China’s decision to move ahead with a

Fourteen-year-old Chak-lam arrived at Admiralty, the political heart of Hong Kong, on the morning of May 27 and found herself all alone. She had heard the call, the night before, for protesters to besiege Hong Kong’s Legislative Council and block lawmakers from scrutinizing a bill that would penalize anyone who insulted China’s national anthem. Instead of seeing demonstrators like herself, Chak-lam found a large number of police officers who allowed only authorized staff and journalists through checkpoints. The tight security cordon was nothing like the scene almost a year ago on June 12, 2019, when thousands of protesters blocked roads and surrounded the legislature, also known as Legco, to