Beijing official overseeing Hong Kong warns of persisting national security threats

A apical Beijing authoritative overseeing Hong Kong affairs has warned of persisting threats successful the metropolis arsenic a China-imposed nationalist information instrumentality approaches its 5th anniversary

HONG KONG -- A apical Beijing authoritative overseeing Hong Kong affairs connected Saturday warned of persisting threats successful the metropolis arsenic a China-imposed nationalist information law approaches its 5th anniversary, portion seeking to allay concerns astir the law's interaction connected the fiscal hub's openness.

Speaking astatine a forum astir the law, attended besides by the metropolis person John Lee and different officials, Xia Baolong, the manager of China's Hong Kong and Macao Work Office, said assorted forms of brushed absorption proceed to look successful caller forms and outer forces person ne'er ceased their involution successful Hong Kong.

“Hong Kong has transformed from chaos to order. But conscionable arsenic a histrion desires stillness, the upwind continues to blow," Xia said.

The Beijing and Hong Kong governments deemed the instrumentality indispensable to support the city's stableness pursuing anti-government protests successful 2019. Under the law, galore starring pro-democracy activists, including Jimmy Lai, laminitis of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, were prosecuted. Dozens of civilian nine groups disbanded.

This month, authorities person stepped up their crackdown, including charging young activistic Joshua Wong, who was already sentenced past twelvemonth implicit a subversion case, nether the instrumentality for the 2nd clip and targeting a mobile crippled app. Last week, China’s nationalist information authorities successful Hong Kong and the city’s constabulary launched their first publically known associated operation, raiding the homes of six radical connected suspicion of colluding with overseas forces to endanger nationalist security.

Critics accidental the governmental changes bespeak that the Western-style civilian liberties Beijing promised to support intact erstwhile the erstwhile British colony returned to Chinese regularisation successful 1997 are shrinking.

But Xia said the instrumentality lone targeted an highly tiny fig of radical who severely endanger nationalist security. He besides sought to allay concerns astir Hong Kong's openness and planetary position.

He insisted that mean planetary exchanges bash not interruption Hong Kong's nationalist information instrumentality but alternatively are protected by it.

Sponsored Content by Taboola