National security law: strikes and threats will not intimidate Hong Kong officials into dropping support for Beijing legislation, government says

Government refuses to back down over the proposed Beijing legislation after activists threaten mass walkout

Labour unions and student groups are building support for unsanctioned referendum on boycotting work and class

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Activists are trying to rally students behind a proposed citywide strike over the national security law. Photo: Edmond So

Published: 3:12pm, 7 Jun 2020Updated: 9:16pm, 7 Jun 2020

Hong Kong’s embattled government has refused to change its stance or be intimidated by activists’ threats to launch a strike against Beijing’s push to impose a national security law on the city.

A government spokesman on Sunday condemned labour unions and student groups for planning to skip work and classes if at least 60,000 people took part in a “referendum” on June 14 and 60 per cent endorsed the action.

“No body or organisation will succeed in using extreme means to intimidate the city’s government,” the spokesman said.

China’s legislature, the National People’s Congress (NPC), last month passed a resolution authorising its standing committee to impose the law on Hong Kong to outlaw secession, subversion of state power, terrorism and foreign interference in the city.

But opposition politicians and critics have warned it could be used to suppress dissent and erode long-standing freedoms.

Workers and student groups on Saturday threatened to strike as a “warning shot” to Beijing and started rallying support across the city for the proposed walkout.

Appealing to the public to get behind the legislation, the government spokesman said: “We strongly condemn some organisations’ call for a referendum on a strike and class boycott.

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