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China parliament adopts plan to impose security law on Hong Kong
The National People's Congress (NPC) of over 2,800 delegates voted in favour of the proposal to draft the law, which would punish secession, subversion of state power, terrorism and acts that endanger national security.
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The Chinese national flag is seen at the entrance to the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in Beijing on May 18, 2020. - The annual meeting of the National Peopleís Congress, Chinaís rubber stamp legislature, opens on May 22, after a two month delay due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. (AFP/Nicolas Asfouri )
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hina's rubber-stamp parliament endorsed plans Thursday to impose a national security law on Hong Kong that critics say will destroy the city's autonomy.
The National People's Congress (NPC) of over 2,800 delegates voted in favour of the proposal to draft the law, which would punish secession, subversion of state power, terrorism and acts that endanger national security.
The United States has revoked Hong Kong's special status under US law, opening the way for the city to be stripped of trading privileges, as Washington accused China of trampling on the territory's autonomy.
Under legislation passed last year to support Hong Kong's pro-democracy protesters, the US administration must certify that the city still enjoys the freedoms promised by Beijing when it negotiated with Britain to take back the colony.
"No reasonable person can assert today that Hong Kong maintains a high degree of autonomy from China, given facts on the ground," said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, adding the trade hub "does not continue to warrant" its special status.
The determination means that Hong Kong could lose trading privileges -- including lower tariffs than the mainland -- with the world's largest economy.
President Donald Trump will ultimately decide which actions to take, said David Stilwell, the top State Department official for East Asia.
"The steps will be considered and they will be as targeted as possible to change behavior," Stilwell told reporters, while acknowledging it was unlikely Beijing would change course.
