Letters | Hong Kong should welcome national security law and legislate Article 23 as well

It is not surprising that the central government has become impatient about the prolonged legal loophole in Hong Kong’s ability to protect national security and has decided to introduce a national security law for Hong Kong. Despite this, the Hong Kong government should seize the opportunity and take steps to legislate Article 23 of the Basic Law as well.

Although the national security law and Article 23 do not seem to be fundamentally different, each law can plug each other’s loopholes and strengthen national security. The law proposed by the National People’s Congress for Hong Kong covers secession, subversion, terrorist activities endangering national security and interference by foreign political forces.

Meanwhile, Article 23 requires Hong Kong to enact laws to prohibit treason, secession, sedition, subversion against the central people’s government, theft of state secrets, foreign political organisations conducting political activities in the region and local political organisations establishing ties with foreign political bodies.

More importantly, we now have a suitable atmosphere in Hong Kong for the legislation of Article 23. Since the announcement of the national security law, people in Hong Kong, especially those from the business sector, have come out in support of this legislation and acknowledge the importance of promoting national security.