Liu Guangyuan, the Chinese foreign ministry commissioner in Hong Kong, insisted that the UK had “no sovereignty, rule or supervision” over the Chinese-administered territory since the former British colony was transferred to China in 1997.
He accused London of “disturbing the peace” and “expressing arbitrary opinions”, “violating the basic rules of international law and international relations”.
China urged the UK to “recognize the truth”, “relinquish colonial influence in Hong Kong” and “abstain from interference”.
After the law was approved by Hong Kong's Legislative Council, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said the law would “further harm the rights and freedoms of the city” and expressed concern about the “erosion of freedom of expression, assembly and press”. Former colony.
In another statement, the commissioner called on the EU to “support” the law, “abandon double standards” and “end interference in Hong Kong's internal affairs”.
“The law could exacerbate the erosion of Hong Kong's fundamental freedoms and political pluralism,” said EU Foreign Affairs High Representative Joseph Borrell, questioning “Hong Kong's long-term attractiveness as an international hub for business”.
On Tuesday, Hong Kong's legislature approved the controversial national security law, which will take effect on Saturday, the territory's chief executive John Lee announced.
The regulation, contained in so-called Article 23 of the Basic Law, seeks to fill gaps in a national security law imposed by Beijing in June 2020 following anti-government protests in 2019 that have raised concerns in the EU and the European Union. Countries such as the US, UK and Australia have expressed fears that the new rule will further restrict rights and freedoms in Hong Kong.
Article 23 of the Basic Law states that the city must enact its own laws to prevent sedition, secession, treason, treason against the central government or theft of state secrets, foreign political bodies from carrying out activities in the city. Veto Local political groups establish links with foreign counterparts.
The new law includes treason, sedition, inciting a member of the Chinese military to mutiny, damaging or weakening public infrastructure, and conspiring with external forces to endanger China's national security, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
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