China plans security bodies for HK
It will help act against splitting the country, subverting state power or terror activities
Beijing, May 23: China is preparing to set up national security agencies in Hong Kong to deal with pro-democracy agitators, the state media reported on Saturday, a day after Beijing introduced a controversial national security law to firm up control over the former British colony.
Currently, a Chinese military garrison comprising over 10,000 troops — mainly a symbolic presence for external defence — is stationed in Hong Kong. The public order is maintained by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government.
The draft bill on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to safeguard national security was submitted to the National People’s Congress (NPC) during its week-long session here and is expected to be passed on May 28.
The bill is a political bombshell for the former British colony as China has decided to bypass the local legislative council to bring about a new national security law, tailor-made to control Hong Kong after the pro-Beijing local administration headed by Chief Executive Carrie Lam failed to control months of mass protests by pro-democracy groups demanding autonomy and freedom from China. The Chinese central government is preparing to set up national security agencies in Hong Kong to enhance information collection and evidence-based dealing against acts of ‘splitting the country, subverting state power, organising and perpetrating terrorist activities’ as it accelerated efforts to formulate the national security legislation, state-run Global Times
reported on Saturday.
The NPC Standing Committee can hold interim meetings to sign the bill into law.