China releases bill for Hong Kong National Security, risk takes a fresh hit

According to a draft of the legislation seen by Reuters, China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) “proposed new legislation for Hong Kong requires the territory to quickly finish enacting national security regulations under its mini-constitution.”

However, no further details are provided on the new proposal, as all eyes remain on China’s parliamentary Vice Chairman Wang Chen, who is scheduled to give a speech explaining the new law later on Friday.

The new legislation cites that China’s parliament has powers to set up the legal framework and implementation mechanism to prevent and punish subversion, terrorism, separatism and foreign interference, “or any acts that severely endanger national security.”

Taiwan has already expressed concerns over China’s new firmer policy on Hong Kong while the same is unlikely to go down well with the US. The US has until the end of this month to decide whether to certify Hong Kong’s autonomy under the Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019.

Meanwhile, China’s state news agency, Xinhua reported earlier today that China would review the draft national security law for Hong Kong due to “activities that have seriously challenged the bottom line” of system allowing city to govern its own affairs after handover from UK.”

more to come ....