China to present HK ‘sedition’ law at parliament

GBNEWS24 DESK//

The Chinese government is set to present a controversial Hong Kong security law at its congress, the most important political event of the year.

Hong Kong’s “mini-constitution” says it must enact security laws to prevent “treason, secession and sedition”.

But such laws have never been passed and now Beijing is now attempting to push them through.

The annual National People’s Congress largely rubber-stamps decisions already taken by the Communist leadership.

It has observed a “one country, two systems” policy since Britain returned sovereignty in 1997, which has allowed it certain freedoms the rest of China does not have.

Pro-democracy activists fear that China pushing through the law could mean “the end of Hong Kong” – that is, the effective end of its autonomy and these freedoms.

Last year, Hong Kong experienced a sustained wave of violent protest and public fury as well as demands for democratic reform.

The Chinese leadership believes this law is needed to prevent a repeat of those protests.