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Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong has said that Beijing’s National security legislation will spark a new round of protests in the semi-autonomous city, and that the people of Hong kong are prepared to fight to protect the “vanishing freedoms”.
“This is the critical moment of the beginning of the end for every single citizen in Hong Kong. In the face of this draconian law, Hongkongers will not be scared off from telling truths and fighting for our justice,” Wong said as China prepares to implement the controversial Hong Kong security law.
“The new law will spark new rounds of protests in the city. In fact, the reason for two million Hongkongers took to streets last year is to protect our next generations from evil laws imposed by Beijing. Hongkongers have carried out a large-scale demonstration once in 2003 to block the first introduction of national security legislation,” Wong, who is secretary-general of the pro-democracy party Demosisto, said.
“Now Beijing’s move is actually ramming this most controversial and unpopular law down Hongkonger’s throat without any legislative scrutiny. It is foreseeable that Hongkongers are prepared to fight to protect our vanishing freedoms,” he added.
On June 20, the Chinese authorities revealed the details of the proposed Hong Kong security bill after the three-day meeting of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee.
According to the legislature, the Chinese government will establish a special bureau in Hong Kong to investigate and prosecute crimes considered threatening to national security. Also, all Hong Kong government departments, from finance to immigration, will be directly answerable to the central government in Beijing.
The legislation lays out rules for the prevention, suppression and punishment of secessionist activities, attempts to undermine the state authority, terrorist activities, and colluding with foreign states or forces to jeopardize national security.
Wong believes that he will be the prime target of the new law as it is the direct retaliation on Hong Kong’s international lobbying efforts over the past year.
“I will be probably the prime target of the new law since many of Beijing’s officials have been criticizing me for attending overseas hearings and telling the truth of autocratic oppression and police brutality to the world,” he said.
Wong has urged the world leaders to jointly express opposition against the new law as it is hugely controversial and there must be full legislative scrutiny and public consultation.
“I call upon the world leaders can jointly express opposition against the new law. Since the security law is hugely controversial, there must be full legislative scrutiny and public consultation. I also urge the US, European and Asian leaders to reconsider whether Hong Kong’s special trade status can still be held since. Once the law is implemented, Hong Kong will be assimilated into China’s authoritarian regime, on both rule of law and human rights protections,” Wong said.
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