China's top law-making body has tabled a draft of a national security law which critics fear will undermine the freedoms and autonomy promised to Hong Kong under the 'One Country, Two Systems' framework.
The draft, in its first reading at the National People's Congress Standing Committee's 19th session in Beijing, will target acts of subversion, secession, terrorism and "collusion with foreign powers", state media reported on Friday.
The law is expected to pass in time for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment on July 1. The holiday marking Hong Kong's handover to China in 1997 has resulted in pro-democracy protests every year since the government's last attempt to introduce a national security law in 2003.
Provisions in the draft allow for Chinese state security agencies to officially operate in Hong Kong.
Extradition to mainland China, which brought millions to the streets to protest in 2019, "could be an option" under the law, Tam Yiu-chung, Hong Kong's only delegate to the NPCSC, said on Wednesday.
Senior Hong Kong officials including Chief Executive Carrie Lam have had little input in drafting the law, and have been unable to clarify its contents.
Last month, the NPC passed a motion allowing their Standing Committee to bypass Hong Kong's own legislature, the Legislative Council, and impose a national security law by promulgation instead.
The three-day session of the NPCSC concludes on Saturday. It will likely hold another session at the end of this month, during which legislators may vote for the draft law, the Communist Party-run Global Times reported.
A protester throws back tear gas fired by riot police during protests. Source: Getty Images
Taiwan plans to open a special office on July 1 for Hong Kong residents seeking to relocate from the territory, amid concerns over the security laws.
Taiwan-based groups have been lobbying for more support for Hong Kongers and have said Taiwan should be prepared for a possible emerging refugee crisis.
The new Taiwan-Hong Kong Services and Exchanges Office will have three sections offering support to people and territory-based multinational enterprises, as well as international corporations wishing to relocate to Taiwan, the Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan's top government agency on policy dealings with Beijing, said late on Thursday.
Rights activists argue that if Hong Kong's national security law is imposed in the near future, some Hong Kong pro-democracy activists could have difficulty in coming to Taiwan legally because their travel permits might be nullified.
Taiwan has had an independent government since 1949, but China considers the democratic island part of its territory.
