Anyone who plans to wave American or British flags or banners that advocate independence for Hong Kong in protests should think twice as such acts would be illegal once the Hong Kong national security law is passed, warns a Beijing loyalist.


Ip Kwok-him, an executive councilor who also sits on China's rubber stamp parliament, made the warning on Saturday before he left for Beijing to attend the National People's Congress Standing Committee meeting on Sunday during which the national security law Beijing has tailor-made for the city is expected to be passed.


"Let's say if you are taking part in the July 1 march and you display a banner in support of Hong Kong independence, or wave the British or American flag, [such acts] would violate the national security law based on the explanatory statement [published by Xinhua News Agency] regarding the draft of the law," Ip told reporters after attending a radio interview.


"The law would have no teeth if it can't even tackle [these people]," he said, adding that flag waving in support of Hong Kong independence would not be "tolerated". Ip, however, said he was not sure yet if the police could enforce the law three days later on July 1.


While the full text of the law has yet to be revealed, Ip said he did not know the reasons details of the law have not been revealed, but he believed they would be before the law is passed.


Informed sources told Apple Daily that the NPC's standing committee is expected to make public the full text of the law the earliest Sunday and pass the law on Tuesday and, on the same day, add it to Appendix III of the Basic Law, Hong Kong's mini constitution, so that the law would be effective on July 1, symbolic of the “second handover” of the city to China for the world to see.


While the punishment for "acts and activities" of secession, subversion of state power, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces to interfere in Hong Kong affairs, all of which the law targets, remain unknown, Ip said serious offences of subversion and secession should be punished by life sentence for the law to have deterrent effect.


On the controversial provision for the central government to itself enforce the law in Hong Kong and have trials in the mainland for "special cases", Ip said it is a reasonable fail-safe procedure as such cases may involve sensitive information on espionage or international relations which Hong Kong courts may not be able to handle.


He also slammed the U.S. for passing the Hong Kong Autonomy Act which he described as "an act of bullying that would limit Hongkongers' freedom to travel."

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