National security law: Hong Kong authorities launch glossy virtual exhibition marking legislation’s first anniversary

Security Bureau website makes case that previous lack of national security legislation had left city ‘defenceless’ against unrest in recent years

Observers, however, are unconvinced materials will change minds, ‘no matter how beautiful the packaging is’

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A new Security Bureau virtual exhibition cites the 2019 social unrest and 2014 Occupy movement (pictured) as evidence of the national security law’s necessity. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Published: 9:21pm, 3 Jul 2021Updated: 10:47pm, 3 Jul 2021

Hong Kong’s Security Bureau has launched a virtual exhibition to mark the first anniversary of the Beijing-imposed national security law, making the case that the previous lack of such legislation had left the city “defenceless” against unrest in recent years.

The website dedicated to the exhibition points to the failure in 2003 to pass local national security legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law – the city’s mini-constitution – and raises the spectres of the Occupy movement in 2014, the Mong Kok clashes of 2016 and the anti-government protests in 2019 as evidence of the new security law’s necessity.

The materials, presented in the form of a virtual museum tour, credit the legislation – enacted on June 30 last year – with bringing an end to the chaos of the 2019 protests, which grew increasingly violent as they wore on. They also note significant drops in arrests for public order offences, arson and criminal damage since the law’s implementation, while touting recent stock market gains.

But observers on Saturday were unconvinced the glossy PR push would be effective in boosting support for the sweeping law.

Marketing consultant Vincent Tsui said the virtual exhibition was a fresher way of explaining policy than the government’s usual approach, but added that the promotional efforts would nonetheless do little to convert those who opposed the legislation.

“If people do not agree with the reasoning, it doesn’t work, no matter how beautiful the packaging is,” he said.

Veteran China-watcher Johnny Lau Yui-siu agreed the exhibition would do little to sway public opinion, but blamed what he characterised as its one-sided take on events, which he said was more reminiscent of the tack usually taken by mainland Chinese authorities.

A screengrab from the Security Bureau’s new website shows the virtual exhibits touting the national security law. Photo: Handout