Beijing unveiled new national security laws for Hong Kong, punishing crimes of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison, heralding a more authoritarian era for China's freest city.

China’s parliament passed the detailed legislation earlier in the day, giving Beijing sweeping powers over its implementation and setting the stage for the most radical changes in decades to the global financial hub’s way of life.

Beijing had kept full details shrouded in secrecy, giving Hong Kong’s 7.5 million people no time to digest the complex legislation before it entered into force.

What are the provisions under the new law?

The law enables China to firm up its grip over Hong Kong, which witnessed protests and riots since last year. 

In their most severe form, crimes will be punishable with life in prison. Punishments otherwise largely go up to 10 years. Properties related to crimes could be frozen or confiscated. The security legislation will supersede existing Hong Kong laws where there is a conflict and mainland Chinese authorities could exercise jurisdiction over some major cases. Interpretation powers belong to the Chinese parliament’s top decision-making body. Judges for security cases will be appointed by the city’s chief executive.

According to the law, a new national security agency will be set up for the first time in Hong Kong and will not be under the jurisdiction of the local government. Authorities can carry out surveillance and wire-tap people suspected of endangering national security, it said.

Those asking foreign countries to sanction, blockade or take other hostile action against Hong Kong or China could be guilty of colluding with foreign forces.

Authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong have repeatedly said the legislation is aimed at a few “troublemakers” and will not affect rights and freedoms, nor investor interests.

How was the law passed?

Chinese President Xi Jinping signed the security law that gave Beijing new powers over Hong Kong that are tailor-made to crackdown against dissent, criminalising sedition and effectively curtailing protests, amidst global anger and outrage in the former British colony.

Xi signed the legislation soon after Chinese lawmakers voted unanimously to adopt the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

The law was passed by the 162-member Standing Committee of China’s legislature the National People’s Congress (NPC).

As soon as the draft legislation was adopted by the NPC, regarded as the rubber-stamp Parliament, Xi signed it immediately, making it into law ready for implementation.

The legislation was mandated under Hong Kong’s local constitution but an earlier attempt to pass it in the city’s legislative body in 2003 was shelved in the face of massive public opposition. 

Beijing finally decided to circumvent the Hong Kong legislature and have it passed by the Standing Committee of the NPC.

How other countries reacted to the law?

The US, the UK, the European Union and NATO have expressed concern on the new law and warned of retaliatory measures.

Britain and some two dozen Western countries urged China to reconsider the law, saying Beijing must preserve the right to assembly and free press. The US condemned the legislation as a violation of Beijing’s international commitments and vowed to go on acting “against those who smothered Hong Kong’s freedom and autonomy”.

Washington, already in dispute with China over trade, the South China Sea and the coronavirus, began eliminating Hong Kong’s special status under US law, halting defence exports and restricting technology access.

The US was Hong Kong’s second-largest trading partner in 2019, with trade worth $67 billion, official data showed.

The EU condemned Beijing’s move, saying it is “in the process” of considering follow-up action with lawmakers and international partners.

The European Parliament earlier this month passed a raft of recommendations for action against China over the legislation.

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