Regina Ip defends the government's decision not to apply some concessions demanded by human rights groups

The security chief yesterday dismissed fears that retaining the power to ban Hong Kong groups linked to outlawed mainland counterparts would mean the introduction of mainland standards in the special administrative region (SAR).

Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee also defended the government's decision not to adopt a number of concessions suggested by human rights groups on clauses they contended threatened rights and freedoms.

Mrs Ip said changes to the original proposal specify that the Secretary for Security can only consider banning groups after Beijing issues an 'open decree' and clarifies that the SAR groups should be 'subordinated' to their mainland counterparts, rather than 'affiliated' as originally proposed.

On criticism that this power would mean the introduction of mainland standards into the SAR, Mrs Ip said she had the discretion to make the final decision and there would have to be sufficient evidence that the groups were subordinated to the banned mainland organisations and that their activities in Hong Kong would threaten national security.

'This definitely does not involve the question of the mainland legal system being introduced into Hong Kong - there is definitely no automatic banning,' she said.

'If some groups committed something very serious in the mainland which warranted the central government banning them by an open decree, the secretary for security of Hong Kong has the responsibility to consider whether to ban [them] locally.'

In an apparent bid to ease media fears, the government has narrowed the definition of unauthorised disclosure of information under the state secrets clause. But it has not adopted calls to allow the citing of public interest as a defence in court.