Beijing has the right to handle “serious” cases in Hong Kong, a senior Chinese official said on Monday in remarks signalling the extent of Chinese influence in the city under the new national security law.

Deng Zhonghua, Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, said during a seminar held in Shenzhen that Beijing should have the right to directly handle cases when it comes to “rare, serious” cases, without specifying what cases would fall under such category.

He added government bodies will be designated both in Hong Kong and the mainland to safeguard national security and they are both allowed to operate in Hong Kong. But Beijing’s officials should “supervise and guide” Hong Kong authorities in executing the law as Hong Kong’s security is under Beijing’s jurisdiction.

He said the law should be used as a “deterrent” rather than being a “slogan” or “gesture”.

The law to be enacted in Hong Kong has sparked international condemnation and widespread fears that Beijing is set to take away autonomy from the financial center. The law is expected to come into effect as early as this month after the National People’s Congress passed a resolution on May 28 to allow such legislation to be embedded into Hong Kong’s Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution.

The sovereignty of Hong Kong was handed over to the People’s Republic of China from the United Kingdom in 1997 under the arrangement that the city’s residents will continue to enjoy liberties unseen on the mainland. It will also uphold an independent judiciary system and the rule of law. Democratic politicians in the city have said that the new national security law is the final nail in the coffin in ending Hong Kong’s semi-autonomous status.

Beijing has reiterated that the new laws will be key in restoring Hong Kong’s stability and will be essential in ensuring the long-term prosperity of the city. But Deng’s remarks deepened fears that Hong Kong freedoms will be further eroded.

His remarks also came one day after the city’s justice minister said the new law should be drafted in accordance to mainland China’s legal system because it would be impractical to refer to the common law system when it comes to China’s national security.

“It is a complete betrayal of the Basic Law,” said Alvin Yeung, a lawmaker of the pro-democracy Civic Party. Deng remarks, according to Yeung, mean that the new law will open the window for mainland authorities to intervene in the local law enforcement and legal system.

He feared that the laws would allow Hong Kong residents to be sent back to China for trial. “Hong Kong people have not even seen the actual law and now they are already talking about the special case. This is bringing nothing but harm,” he said.

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