LettersChina’s national security law for Hong Kong: bad news not just for city but Taiwan reunification plans as well

Name: Taiwan president rejects ‘one country, two systems’
Uploaded: 2020-05-28T22:45:16.000Z
Duration: 1 min 35 s
Description: Taiwan president rejects ‘one country, two systems’

The central government enacting laws for Hong Kong threatens the values and systems the city prides itself on, including the power to pass its own legislation

Beijing repeatedly condemns the opposition for destroying Hong Kong, but its disrespect for Hong Kong’s freedoms and autonomy is driving the city to the brink

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Protesters gather in Causeway Bay at the start of a march to Wan Chai on May 24 to protest against the central government’s proposed enactment of a national security law. The central government’s decision to enact the law instead of waiting for Hong Kong’s government to do so has triggered a new wave of protests in the city. Photo: Sam Tsang

Letters

Published: 6:45am, 29 May 2020Updated: 6:45am, 29 May 2020

I write this letter with a heavy heart. Beijing’s shocking announcement to push through the highly controversial national security law has left many of us terrified. When the people of a city have no say at all over the laws that will govern them, there’s no doubt that the city’s autonomy is officially dead.

While there is nothing wrong with having a national security law, using it to silence dissent and halt democratisation in Hong Kong is unacceptable. Unfortunately, this is what China is good at, judging from its mistreatment of human rights lawyers on the mainland.

I believe even many Hongkongers who opposed last year’s protests do not support the enactment of such laws by promulgation, fearing the draconian restrictions on their freedoms and damage to Hong Kong’s international status.

It is apparent that Beijing cares about its grip over the city more than anything, including the views of the city’s 7 million people, as well as the goal of “peaceful reunification” of Taiwan under the “one country two systems” framework.

When Beijing proves that the system cannot accommodate freethinking people and dissenting opinions on issues it deems sensitive, will Taiwan still accept the system as its future principle of governance?

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Taiwan president rejects ‘one country, two systems’

Hong Kong is still reeling from last year’s protests and the coronavirus pandemic. Now Beijing hopes to press ahead with new laws which are bound to generate an even larger backlash in the city. What is worse this time around is that, with a ban on public gatherings in place, there is no way to formally organise mass rallies to show Beijing, as well as the international community, our resistance to such laws.