Hongkong, Mar 20: Hong Kong’s lawmakers met in a special session to resume debate on a proposed national security law Tuesday, paving the way to grant the government more power to quash dissent in the southern Chinese city. The legislation is widely seen as the latest step in a sweeping political crackdown that followed pro-democracy protests in 2019. It would come on top of a similar law imposed by Beijing four years ago that has already largely silenced opposition voices in the financial hub.The special session, which came a day before the Legislative Council’s regular Wednesday sessions, is a sign of the government’s desire to pass the law as quickly as possible.
The legislature, which is packed with Beijing loyalists following an electoral overhaul, has expedited debate. Since the bill was unveiled on March 8, a committee held daily meetings for a week, following an appeal by Hong Kong leader John Lee to push the law through “at full speed.” The proposed law threatens stringent penalties for a wide range of actions authorities call threats to national security, with the most severe — including treason and insurrection — punishable by life imprisonment. Lesser offenses, including the possession of seditious publications, could also lead to several years in jail. Some provisions allow criminal prosecutions for acts committed anywhere in the world. During Tuesday’s meeting, legislators expressed staunch support for the law. Legislative Council President Andrew Leung said he believed all lawmakers were honored to have taken part in this “historic mission.” “I fully agree with what the Chief Executive said: the sooner the legislation is completed, the sooner national security will be safeguarded,” he said. Critics worry the new law will further erode civil liberties that Beijing promised to preserve for 50 years when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Hong Kong’s political scene has changed dramatically since the massive 2019 street protests that challenged China’s rule over the semi-autonomous territory, and the imposition of Beijing’s National Security Law. Many leading activists have been prosecuted, while others sought refuge abroad. Influential pro-democracy media such as Apple Daily and Stand News were shuttered. The crackdown prompted an exodus of disillusioned young professionals and middle-class families to the U.S., Britain, Canada, and Taiwan.