Do not mistake delay to anti-sanctions law for Hong Kong as climbdown by China, analysts say, as targeted weapons against Western powers still in works
- Beijing will opt for very precise retaliatory moves that won’t jeopardise Hong Kong’s financial hub status, sources and analysts say
- Adopting anti-sanctions law in Hong Kong not the only option in Beijing’s retributive toolbox against Western governments, they point out
Observers also pointed out that adopting the law in Hong Kong was not the only option in Beijing’s retributive toolbox against Western powers, as the central government had also imposed other legal or administrative measures to retaliate against foreign sanctions in the past.
“It remains unclear whether after all these studies, Beijing would still want to counter foreign sanctions in Hong Kong by adding the anti-sanctions law to Annex III [of the Basic Law], or through other laws or administrative means,” said Lau Siu-kai, vice-president of semi-official think tank the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies.
Tian Feilong, an associate professor at Beihang University’s law school in Beijing, said the postponement showed that the central government and its advisers realised the Hong Kong market’s response had to be taken into account.
“The central government takes Hong Kong-related legislation seriously and scientifically,” he said.