National security law should only sanction Hong Kong leaders and politicians, not everyday people, lawmaker says
Democratic Party chairman argues existing public order laws can address anyone who resorts to concrete actions to advocate independence
The national security law in Hong Kong should solely sanction the city’s leaders, ministers and lawmakers, not everyday residents, the head of a major opposition party has urged.
Democratic Party chairman and lawmaker Wu Chi-wai on Saturday said his suggestion that only acts of subversion or secession perpetrated by political figures be criminalised would strike a balance between the human rights of ordinary citizens and Beijing’s concerns about national security.
“A major concern of Beijing’s is the use of freedom of speech to seize power and gain independence, so criminalising such acts would prevent any separatist from achieving power,” Wu said.
“But existing public order laws can already address anyone who resorts to concrete actions to advocate independence.”
However, Beijing has signalled impatience in recent years over the lack of a dedicated national security law. And this month, Zhang Xiaoming, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council, cited a speech at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club by Andy Chan Ho-tin, leader of the separatist Hong Kong National Party, as pointing up “inadequacies” in existing national security protection.