by Li Ping

The National People’s Congress Standing committee (NPCSC) will hold additional meetings in the coming week. Although it seems that the Hong Kong version of national security law is not on the agenda, it is rather a typical tactic of communist China to confuse Hong Kong people and the international community. Once we are getting focused on the evil details of the draft, our attention has in fact been diverted away from the core issue: the law in itself is devilish and should never exist in the first place. Similarly, it is yet another deception when Tam Yiuchung, one of the delegates to the NPCSC, said the supposed 10-year imprisonment involved is a demonstration of Beijing’s mercy to Hong Kong. But what we should be concerned about is not the term of imprisonment at all. The truth is that freedom of speech and freedom of press should never be a crime, and the independence of judiciary should never be obedient to the communist party committee.

Emendation of details to pacify foreign countries

In fact, the draft content of the Hong Kong version of national security law has not been made public so far, even though it has been submitted to the NPCSC for “deliberation”. It is partly because, as a rubber stamp, the NPCSC just cannot give out anything without the approval of the communist party. And the so-called consultation is nothing more than a front for the arbitrary process. Also, the content is concealed because communist China has to leave room for adjustments as it observes the reactions from Hong Kong and the international community. But the most tricky part is that by subsequently revealing the details bit by bit, it helps to sidetrack everyone from the focus on the illegitimacy and viciousness of the law itself.

Beyond doubt, the Hong Kong version of national security law is evil. From principles to procedures, the legislation is utterly against the Basic Law. Even judging it by the legal requirements of the mainland, it does not comply with the article in the “Legislation Law of the People’s Republic of China” , which outlines that “as a general rule, a bill on the agenda of a session of the Standing Committee shall be put to vote after deliberation at three sessions of the Standing Committee.” Nor does it follow the requirement of the “Organic Law of NPC of PRC” that meetings of the Standing Committee are “usually held once every other month”. Of course, all these can be done with the excuse of “extraordinary cases”. And as usual, everything is up to the communist party to interpret and manipulate.

The implementation of the Hong Kong version of national security law has violated the Sino-British Joint Declaration, undermined Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy and eroded human rights, democracy and the rule of law of the city. Without surprise, it has aroused serious outcry from countries like the US and UK, which react by offering citizenship or right of abode to qualified Hong Kong people. What’s more, the US Congress plans to assert direct sanction on state-level Chinese leaders such as Wang Yang and Han Zhang. All these have in fact exceeded Beijing’s estimation, threatening not only Hong Kong’s status as an international financial center, but also the personal interests of the privileged few in China.

Distrust the Chief Executive with double containment

That’s why since the recent meeting between Yang Jiechi and Pompeo in Hawaii, communist China has slightly amended the details of the legislation in exchange for a mitigated sanction from the western world. To be specific, the former wordings of “activities of foreign and external forces to interfere in the affairs” have been adjusted to “collusion with foreign and external forces to endanger national security”. To foreign countries and their organizations in Hong Kong, this amended version is relatively mild, though it probably implies the opposite to the Hong Kong people.

Such an expedient amendment is again another communist China’s tactic to divert attention. What matters most is not to bargain for better details. The devil is more than just in the details, the law itself is the devil after all.

Besides the arbitrary manner of the legislation, the supposed establishment and operation of new national security institutions directed by Beijing and insertion of respective advisers for the Chief Executive of Hong Kong clearly demonstrate communist China’s deep distrust of the SAR government officials. Ridiculously, the latter and the pro-establishment camp are those who are trying hard to promote and justify the evil law. Recently, Elsie Leung Oi Sie, vice-chairperson of the Basic Law Committee, has made a vivid remark about the intimidating nature of the evil law by pointing out that even if the Chief Executive and major government officials commit national security offences, it will be reasonable to send them to the mainland for trial. Obviously, the threat is right against every single individual in the city, just that a shameless few, including the Chief Executive, the Secretary for Justice, the Secretary for Security and the Chairman of the Legislative Council, choose to cheer for it and the others decide to stand against it.

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