Hong Kong’s judiciary should uphold country’s will, advance its interests, says Beijing’s national security chief in city

Zheng Yanxiong says city’s courts derive power from Beijing; rule of law only ‘castles in the air’ if national security is not defended

However, panellists at University of Hong Kong discussion offer dimmer view of security law, with one arguing it is taking ‘a toll on the civil society and media’

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Zheng Yanxiong, director of Beijing’s Office for Safeguarding National Security, says Hong Kong’s courts should serve the nation’s interests. Photo: Getty Images

Published: 7:25pm, 29 Jun 2021Updated: 11:34pm, 29 Jun 2021

Hong Kong’s independent judiciary derives its authority from the central government, and as such, its decisions should reflect the country’s will and interests, according to the head of Beijing’s national security office in the city.

In a rare interview, published by a pro-Beijing magazine on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the imposition of the national security law, Zheng Yanxiong warned that Hong Kong’s much-vaunted rule of law would only be “castles in the air” if the legislation was not enforced.

“[Hong Kong’s] independent judiciary’s power is authorised by the National People’s Congress. It must highly manifest the national will and national interest, or else it will lose the legal premise of the authorisation,” said Zheng, who is the director of the Office for Safeguarding National Security.

“It will be the biggest loophole in the rule of law if national security is not safeguarded.”

Hong Kong police have arrested 117 people on suspicion of breaking the national security law since its imposition last year. Photo: AP

Zheng, who was appointed by Beijing to head the office last July, reiterated that national security was the fundamental prerequisite for the city’s stability and the long-term development of the “one country, two systems” framework under which it is governed.