Honest News Straight to Your Home. Try the Epoch Times yourself, and get a free gift.
The Hong Kong National Security Law, proposed by the CCP at the “Two Sessions” conference, has sparked an international outcry. Let’s hear what Hongkongers in the US have to say.Founder of Lamp Of Liberty, University of Washington Master of Laws student Corina Kwok DeLos Santos: “This national security law is very harmful. Its aim isn’t to just harm Hong Kong’s rule of law. Not only has the “one country, two systems” principle not been respected, but Hong Kong’s entire culture will be in danger. Hong Kong has worked very hard over the past 100 years to build a system with a free economy, and to build a place of democracy and freedom. As long as the Chinese Communist regime still stands, it will gradually erode all democracy in the world.”
Founder of NY4HK, Anna Yeung-Cheung: “This bill will basically destroy the “one country, two systems” principle, and will turn it directly into ‘one country, one system.’ After Hong Kong’s most fundamental principle “one country, two systems” is destroyed, many foreign business owners, even friends, and journalists might feel frightened when they come to Hong Kong. In the future, (Hong Kong’s) civilization and prosperity will go backward. As you can see, the word most-Googled by Hongkongers is ‘immigration.’”
Rutgers University Student, Terry Fung: “Hong Kong’s national security law should only be implemented from within Hong Kong, through the Legislative Council, rather than by China. Since the law was legislated by China’s ‘Two Sessions’ and then implemented by Hong Kong, it has already violated relevant sections of Hong Kong’s Basic Law. In fact, it has completely ignored the ‘one country, two systems’ principle. This indicates that in Hong Kong, ‘one country, two systems’ only exists in the name because Hong Kong no longer has its own legislative or executive base.”
The Hong Kong National Security Law also requires the Hong Kong government to set up a national security agency in Hong Kong, and the Chief Executive of Hong Kong is also required to submit regular reports on national security to the central government.
Founder of Lamp Of Liberty, University of Washington Master of Laws Student Corina Kwok DeLos Santos: “So they might send in armed police from Mainland to enforce the law. Or will it be, that the national securities get sent (to Hong Kong) for law enforcement? There are a lot of legal problems with such law enforcement, as mainland China adopts mainland security law and Hong Kong adopts the Basic Law. Hong Kong people have rights and civil liberties, have the right to remain silent, the right to have fair and impartial hearings and to have access to legal representation. For example, if you have been holding me for 48 hours, you will have to release me if you don’t charge me with anything. However, those rights may all disappear because of national security problems. Nowadays, the world simply does not believe that the rule of law exists in mainland China, that there is justice in mainland China’s legal system, or that there are rights for the people because, over the past few decades, the CCP has shown the world that it is simply a system that undermines human rights and violates others’ personal freedoms.”
Previously, President Donald Trump said that the US would respond “very strongly” if the CCP attempts to exert more control over Hong Kong. US Department of State Spokesperson, Morgan Ortagus, expressed (on May 21st) that the US warns China “against imposing new national security legislation on Hong Kong.”
Friends Read Free