No timetable on national security law, Hong Kong leader insists, but officials working to create ‘favourable conditions’
Carrie Lam dismisses speculation government aims to pass legislation next year, saying confidence in central and local governments is needed
Hong Kong’s leader on Tuesday said the city was still not ready for national security legislation, even though Beijing officials have recently been ramping up reminders that laws against offences such as treason and sedition are overdue to tackle independence advocacy.
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Wang’s words were widely interpreted as a call for Lam to enact the legislation before her current term ends in 2022.
Asked to comment on media reports suggesting she would aim to pass the law next year, Lam said: “The reference to next year is total speculation … I do not have the full [information] yet on whether [the right environment] will emerge next year.”
The last attempt to implement the legislation was shelved in 2003 after half a million residents took to the streets to oppose it, citing fears over losing civil liberties.
Lam said her administration needed “to create the conditions conducive to enacting Article 23 … otherwise it will simply be abortive and [our efforts] futile, wasting a lot of time and resources”.
A peaceful and rational atmosphere in society, as well as confidence in the central and local governments, were needed to create “favourable” conditions for handling such controversial issues, especially those involving the city’s relations with Beijing, she said.
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“I have been working very hard every day to create these conditions,” Lam said.