Kerry Kennedy

Opinion | Under national security law, Hong Kong can be pro-democracy without being anti-China

Speculation about the impact of the law must give way to a democratic agenda for Hong Kong crafted for these post-security law times

Democratic development is painstaking, slow work, but the fruit of the labour will benefit not just Hong Kong, but also help it fulfil its role as China’s international city

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Why you can trust SCMP

Kerry Kennedy

Published: 9:00am, 15 Jul 2020Updated: 3:29pm, 15 Jul 2020

There is never-ending speculation about the national security law, officially known as the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The emphasis here is on speculation since the real impact of the law will only be known once a Hong Kong court delivers a verdict.

The problem with speculation is that it is largely uninformed, irrespective of whether it is being promoted by the media, the “yellow” camp, the “blue” camp or the Hong Kong government itself. Such speculation is unhelpful.

Should books be removed from libraries? Was the pro-democracy camp’s unofficial primary election contrary to the national security law? Is chanting pro-independence slogans really illegal? Will Legislative Council candidates who do not support the security legislation be disqualified from standing for election? These are not illegitimate questions, but endless speculation will not provide answers.

What’s more, while the community focuses on the possible impact of the national security law, attention is being diverted from a legitimate democratic agenda for Hong Kong. This agenda has been blurred since 2014. Now is the time to reinstate a democracy agenda that Hong Kong can craft in these post-security law times.

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Some will say this is naïve as long as the spectre of China hangs over Hong Kong. But this is to ignore the reality that Hong Kong is China. The task is to work within the legitimate and accepted boundaries that give Hong Kong this status.