China pushes through a controversial law for national security to Hong Kong. Here’s what to know

China pushes through a controversial law for national security to Hong Kong. Here’s what to know

The Chinese authorities the bypass lawmakers of Hong Kong announced Thursday plans to adopt a national security law that pro-democracy activists say targets for dissent in the city repression. It brought a motion to the drafting of the law which was before the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s legislature, in its annual session in Beijing on Friday secession, sedition, terrorism and foreign interference in Hong Kong’s IT objectives. “National security the foundation of the stability of a country supported” the NPC spokesman Zhang Yesui told the media in Beijing on Thursday. “Protection of national security serves the fundamental interests of all Chinese, including our Hong Kong land.” The introduction of the legislation sparked fear and outrage among pro-democracy information of Hong Kong, who say Beijing on his promise he did not keep that when he took the former British colony in 1997. Hong Kong was again It ensured a high degree of autonomy and an independent judiciary for a period of 50 years, as part of a political model called “one country, two systems”. “This is the end of Hong Kong. This is the end of one country, two systems. Make no mistake about it,” pro-democracy lawmaker Dennis Kwok told TIME. Here’s what to know about the controversial law of national security. What is that? According to Article 23 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong’s mini-constitution on the area that the government should legislate Hongkongere acts as treason, secession, sedition and subversion against the Chinese government and theft of state secrets, to prohibit . The local government’s failure to get such laws passed by the legislature, the reason that Beijing now takes matters into his own hands. If the Hong Kong government tried in 2003 to introduce the estimated national security legislation turned 500,000 people against the law on July 1 protest in 2003, the largest protest in the city since its passage from the UK had seen the design law set aside the order was. Since then, the city government, the legislation has not attempted to re-introduce, although the pro-Beijing politicians have called for its revival several times. Hong Kong’s embattled leader, Chief Executive Carrie Lam, has repeatedly said that the bill would require the right time and conditions. The pressure to adopt the bill increased from widespread unrest in June 2019. Because erupted Beijing wants it to happen now? Experts say Beijing has become tired of the local government to enact the pending national security laws. “I think I lost the patience that Article 23 may be adopted by the Legislative Council,” Willy Lam, an adjunct professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, for China Studies Center, tells TIME. “This is to impose a direct way of a national security law in Hong Kong.” Last year, protests also have the desire to break the Beijing Hong Kong increases. The often-violent demonstrations that began with a delivery bill that would allow suspects face trial in Mainland, as published by the city in the second half of 2019. An editorial paralyzed Thursday by the China Daily Chinese state that the law is to act as a deterrent against further protests, “the introduction of the legislation, the legal basis for concrete action offers in the [Hong Kong] escalation of violence to occur, and acts to accelerate as a deterrent to restore public order.” L ‘last year, demonstrators bill focused largely withdrawn for extradition forever, for fear that they would be used for round dissidents in the area. They also called for the impeachment Lam and independent investigation of the behavior of the police during the protests. But some marginal groups for independence from China and the idea of ​​secession was called extensively discussed. “Getting rid Hong Kong, the revolution of our time,” a term first used by jailed separatist Edward Leung Hong Kong, has become a popular protest slogan. The Chinese authorities have repeatedly accused “foreign forces” of being behind the unrest. “Necessary measures are to prevent the law designed according to stop and punish foreign and foreign separatist forces with Hong Kong behavior, subversion, infiltration and damage to the behavior,” according to a document published by a government spokesman China on Friday. Beijing’s concern, has taken on a new urgency with the deterioration of relations with Washington. waving the sight of protesters in Hong Kong, the stars and stripes in protest has caused anger and consternation among many Chinese mainland. Why is it a big deal? Critics argue that the introduction of legislation marks the death of the only political model in Hong Kong. “Today I think the saddest day in Hong Kong’s history,” he said in favor of democracy legislator Tanya Chan at a press conference Thursday evening. “It confirms one country, one system.” Pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo says once the legislation adopted outside of the legislative process in Hong Kong is the “final nail in [the] coffin” for the autonomy of Hong Kong. Experts say that the legislation will certainly intervene on the freewheeling city freedom that has already denied. For example, freedom of the press in decline, and several activists have criticized Beijing’s entry to Hong Kong in recent months has been denied. Jean-Pierre Cabestan, a professor of political science at the Hong Kong Baptist University, tells TIME there is probably a serious impact on the activists of local civil society expatriates and non-governmental organizations in Hong Kong to be. “The big question is whether it is civil liberties, civil liberties, political freedoms also narrowed more-We-hybrid system to change from what we have had since the handover to an authoritarian system?” He asked Cabestan, China has its own national security laws used to repress activists, journalists, lawyers and other human rights defenders. For example, Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo, who spoke on topics such as democracy and human rights, was in the custody of the detainee “inciting subversion of state power.” Critics of the word proposed legislation in 2009 that would have a chilling effect on dissenting voices. “It will be used to bring people to silence all opposition, both the moderate section and the rest of a” pro-democracy politicians Eddie Chu tells TIME. “This national safety standards will be used as a tool to express the citizens who dare to threaten and criminalize off”. Chu added that the strength of national security legislation to take over the police and the legal system in China mainly Hong Kong. “All the things we are concerned that the activists for human rights in China happen will happen directly to Hong Kong.” What happens next? China’s National People’s Congress is expected to vote on the request at the end of its annual meeting, probably his Although details of the new legislation still need to be ironed from May 28, which could be the Verkündungs ​​project in Hong Kong approved by the end of the next meeting of the NPC Standing Committee, after the South China Morning Post that it could be as early as June. It is not clear whether the message will trigger a new wave of mass demonstrations, although small protests emerged were started again in recent weeks as a crown cases disappear into town. Some small groups of protesters gathered in several places in the city for protests on Friday. “It might be difficult to arouse the passion of ordinary people for the pro-democracy politicians to hit the streets in protest,” said Willy Lam, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. “I think some people resigned to the inevitable.” It ‘clear that the legislation is likely to substantially change the balance of Hong Kong with the United States. to protect in November 2019, after nearly six months of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong have signed Minister Donald Trump into law bipartisan legislation for the rights and civil liberties in Hong Kong. Human Rights and Democracy Act Hong Kong connects the financial center of the special trade status continued autonomy from Beijing. The law requires an annual review of Hong Kong continue to enjoy Washington’s favorable trading conditions. Secretary Mike Pompeo said in early May that the initial assessment would be delayed in May after the 22 NPC session, to consider any measures that could have an impact on Hong Kong. The United States on Thursday issued overnight a stern warning to China against the law of Hong Kong to introduce a high degree of autonomy and respect for human rights said it was crucial for the maintenance of the special status of the enclave . “Any attempt to impose a national security law that they do not reflect the will of the people of Hong Kong very destabilizing, and would be met with strong condemnation from the United States and the international community,” said the spokesman for Morgan State Department Ortagus in email comments. But experts say that international pressure will not change the opinion of Beijing. “It will not affect Beijing’s policy towards Hong Kong,” Cabestan said. I think they made their decision. “