Development, national security ‘two wheels of a cart’, Beijing’s top official in Hong Kong says, calling Article 23 legislation next step for city

Zheng Yanxiong, director of the central government’s liaison office in the city, listed three wishes for Hong Kong on Tuesday evening after local authorities earlier in the day launched a public consultation on enacting Article 23 legislation.

Article 23 of the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, requires the city to enact legislation to ban acts of treason, secession, subversion and theft of state secrets, among others.

Zheng told his office’s Lunar New Year reception that enactment of Article 23 was a manifestation of the traditional Chinese pursuit of territorial integrity and national safety.

“The implementation of the national security law and the principle of ‘patriots ruling Hong Kong’ has brought Hong Kong security and prosperity, and demonstrated such pursuits,” Zheng said, referring to the legislation Beijing imposed on the city in 2020 following anti-government protests the previous year.