Article 23 reaction: US and Britain criticise ‘incredibly vague’ new Hong Kong national security law
- Washington and London stop short of declaring immediate countermeasures to ordinance covering 39 offences and using terms like ‘external interference’
- Bill had been shelved for more than two decades because of initial public opposition
The US and British governments on Tuesday criticised Hong Kong for its passage of a new domestic national security law, claiming the measure was rushed and that vague language in its provisions created uncertainty for some of the city’s residents.
While they stopped short of announcing any immediate countermeasures, the US State Department said it was “analysing” the law to understand what risks were involved for American citizens and Britain suggested it might put diplomats on shaky ground.
The bill had been shelved for more than two decades because of initial public opposition.
“We think that this was fast-tracked through the non-democratically elected legislative council after a truncated public comment period,” US State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel said on Tuesday.
“They use phrases such as ‘external interference’, which is incredibly vague,” he said. “We’re analysing this legislation and we are taking a look at what the potential risk could be to not just US citizens but other American interests that we might have.”
Authorities in Hong Kong took only 50 days from the launch of public consultation on the bill to passage.
Why is Hong Kong going full speed with its Article 23 security legislation?
This included 10 hours to complete the second and third readings on Tuesday by a legislature stripped of any opposition under a new system allowing only those deemed “patriots” to occupy public office.
London’s Foreign Secretary David Cameron also accused Hong Kong’s lawmakers of using language that is difficult to interpret.
“The broad definitions of national security and external interference will make it harder for those who live, work and do business in Hong Kong,” he said in an official statement.
“The law fails to provide certainty for international organisations, including diplomatic missions, who are operating there,” Cameron added.
“It will entrench the culture of self-censorship which now dominates Hong Kong’s social and political landscape, and enable the continuing erosion of freedoms of speech, of assembly and of the media.”
Beijing slams US politicians over ‘botched’ stance on Hong Kong’s Article 23 law
Several American bills targeting Hong Kong, including one that would close the city government’s three representative offices in the US, are pending in Congress as the new law goes into effect this weekend.
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification Act would require the White House to “remove the extension of certain privileges, exemptions and immunities” to the offices – in Washington, New York and San Francisco – if it decides that Hong Kong no longer enjoys a high degree of autonomy from Beijing.
Another such bill seeks to impose sanctions on nearly 50 city officials and judges, including Paul Lam Ting-kwok, the justice secretary.
