HSBC breaks silence and backs national security law for Hong Kong after former city leader takes aim at banking giant

It posted an article on HSBC China’s WeChat account on Wednesday, with the headline saying the group’s Asia-Pacific CEO had signed a petition supporting the new law.

The article noted that the Hong Kong Association of Banks had already issued a statement saying the law would contribute to a stable business environment and raise investor confidence in the city.

“As a key member of the association, HSBC reiterates that under the ‘one country, two systems’ principle, it respects and supports all laws that stabilise Hong Kong’s social order and boost the economy to develop prosperously,” it said, referring to the framework under which Beijing governs the city.

The HSBC group is headquartered in London. It is the biggest bank in Hong Kong and Europe and is dual-listed in the city and London.

The article included a photo of Asia-Pacific CEO Peter Wong Tung-shun, who is a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country’s top advisory body, signing a petition at a street booth in Wan Chai hosted by the United Front Supporting National Security Legislation, a Beijing-loyalist group. It did not say when Wong signed.