Hong Kong hits back at Australia, Taiwan over travel warnings about city’s new domestic national security law
- Hong Kong leader John Lee signs Safeguarding National Security Ordinance into law
- Canberra tells Australians in an updated travel advisory that the city has ‘strict laws’ on national security that can be ‘interpreted broadly’
Hong Kong has strongly condemned Australia and Taiwan for “spreading scaremongering remarks and fear” after they both revised travel advisories for the city warning people over the new domestic national security law.
Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu on Friday signed into law the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, which would take effect upon gazettal at midnight, and said the city had “accomplished a historic mission” and “lived up to the trust” of Beijing.
In a statement released hours earlier, the Hong Kong government sought to reassure ordinary tourists that they would not fall foul of the new law as long as they “do not engage in behaviours and activities endangering national security”.
Addressing Australia’s warning to its nationals that they could unintentionally break the law, a government spokesman said: “We strongly condemn the dissemination of false, distorted facts, and the political manipulation through spreading scaremongering remarks and fear.
“We must emphasise that Hong Kong’s law enforcement agencies take actions based on evidence, strictly in accordance with the law and illegal actions of relevant persons. There is no arbitrary arrest as alleged.”