Hong Kong Passes New National Security Law Amid International Criticism

Critics say Article 23 would crush the city’s remaining freedoms and stifle foreign business in the Asian financial hub.

Chief Executive John Lee speaks to the media in the Legislative Council building after the passing of the Article 23 National Security Law in Hong Kong on March 19, 2024. Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images

Hong Kong has adopted a new sweeping national security law that critics say will crush the city’s remaining freedoms and stifle foreign business in the Asian financial hub.

The new bill, known as Article 23, was passed unanimously by Hong Kong’s Legislative Council, a 90-seat body now dominated by politicians backed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) following its “patriots only” overhaul of the city’s electoral system.