National security law ‘an inherent right of every sovereign state’, Hong Kong says, hitting back at US consulate

The Hong Kong government has slammed remarks by the US consulate on the city’s coming domestic national security law, saying enacting such legislation is an inherent right of every sovereign state and that the United States already has its own version.

A spokesman for the Hong Kong administration on Thursday also said there were “practical needs” for the legislation, pointing to the 2019 protests against a now-shelved extradition bill that had turned into an anti-government movement.

He said the government would “fully and prudently” take into consideration the relevant provisions of the Basic Law, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, when devising the legislation proposal.

“In finalising the legislation, we will set out clear provisions for the offences. Members of the public need not worry that they will unwittingly violate the law,” he said.

Earlier, the US consulate had said it was “closely monitoring” the proposed security law to understand its implications for American citizens and companies in the financial hub, stressing it would speak out against any efforts to suppress speech or undermine freedoms.

In a written reply to the Post, a consulate spokeswoman said the legislation of Article 23 of the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution, came at a time “when dissenting views were already effectively silenced by the existing national security law and sedition law”.

The spokeswoman stressed many countries, including the US, had been closely monitoring development of the legislation due to the substantial amount of foreign investments and international residents in the city.