Hong Kong has responsibility to enact national security law, Lam says, pledging to create ‘favourable environment’ for it
The city’s chief executive said this after her three-day maiden duty visit to Beijing
Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor wrapped up her three-day maiden duty visit to Beijing by saying that she would do her best to create a favourable environment to enact the highly contentious national security legislation in Hong Kong, adding that Beijing knew her stance on the matter.
The article states that Hong Kong “shall enact laws on its own to prohibit any act of treason, secession, sedition, subversion” against the central government.
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“The length of my duty visit is short, and so we did not discuss individual matters. But it is Hong Kong’s constitutional responsibility to enact Article 23 through local legislation.
“It is to protect national security … the country’s security is Hong Kong’s security,” Lam said.
“During my election campaign or in my policy address, I said we needed to fulfil this constitutional responsibility. But because this is very controversial, we need to do it when the environment is suitable. As the Chief Executive … I have the responsibility to create the favourable conditions. The state leaders know my stance.”
In 2003, the government was forced to scrap a plan to enact the national security law after half a million people took to the streets.