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ASEAN furtively looks on as China introduces Hong Kong security legislation
ASEAN governments are silently observing the deliberation of China's national security legislation on Hong Kong, following waves of protests last year over concerns that the special administrative region’s freedom and rule of law are being curtailed.
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More of the same: A woman reacts after riot police fired tear gas to disperse protesters taking part in a pro-democracy rally against a proposed new security law in Hong Kong on May 24, 2020. Police fired tear gas and water cannons at thousands of Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters who gathered on May 24 against a controversial security law proposed by China, in the most intense clashes in months. (Agence France Presse/Anthony Wallace)
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SEAN governments are silently observing the deliberation of China's upcoming national security legislation on Hong Kong, following waves of protests last year over concerns that the special administrative region’s freedom and rule of law are being curtailed.
Last year, thousands of people took to the streets week after week in what started out as a protest against an extradition bill that would enable China to put a tighter grip on Hong Kong’s affairs.
The movement gradually snowballed into a bigger fight to protect the self-ruled city’s democratic institutions, although the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically reduced the intensity of the protests.
In a staggered response, Beijing announced last week that it would introduce a new legal framework and enforcement mechanism to safeguard national security in Hong Kong in a bid to protect its “core national interests”.
The draft legislation was submitted to the National People’s Congress (NPC) of China for deliberation on Friday, and since then China has sought out support from the international community through its diplomatic missions around the globe.
Chinese Ambassador to ASEAN Deng Xijun appealed to the regional organization’s member states and said that his government intended to protect its interests in relation to Hong Kong.
“I think there are many relations between Hong Kong and ASEAN countries in terms of economic cooperation and commerce,” he told The Jakarta Post during a recent virtual briefing.
