The Chinese regime’s latest move to impose a national security law on Hong Kong will lead to the end of the city’s autonomy, say activists and experts. They warn that if Beijing is not stopped, it will only be emboldened to take stronger action to bring the city under its control.
The Chinese regime’s latest move to impose a national security law on Hong Kong
The Chinese regime’s latest move to impose a national security law on Hong Kong will lead to the end of the city’s autonomy, say activists and experts. They warn that if Beijing is not stopped, it will only be emboldened to take stronger action to bring the city under its control.
Beijing’s announcement last week that it would pass a national security law for Hong Kong—bypassing the city’s own legislature—has attracted international condemnation and reignited mass protests in the city, with plans for more in the coming weeks.
Following Beijing’s move, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared on May 27 that Hong Kong is no longer autonomous from the mainland, putting Hong Kong’s special trading status with the United States in jeopardy.
It’s unclear whether the U.S. administration will proceed to revoke Hong Kong’s special privileges, which would require an executive order by the president. The state department hasn’t responded to a query from The Epoch Times as of press time.
Critics fear that the law, which bans acts of “secession, subversion, and terrorism activities,” would be used by Beijing to suppress and persecute dissenting voices. Local pro-democracy activists and lawmakers note that national security laws are frequently used to prosecute and jail dissidents in the mainland.
The law also opens up the possibility of Beijing’s security agencies setting up operations in Hong Kong.
Original article: Hong Kong on the Brink of Communist Control:
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