The Hong Kong Autonomy Act, approved by the US Senate unanimously on Friday, poses “a significant threat to the business sector in Hong Kong”, warned leader of the pro-business Liberal Party Felix Chung Kwok-pan.

To defend Hong Kong against Beijing’s National Security Law, the bipartisan Hong Kong Autonomy Act seeks to impose mandatory sanctions on individuals or companies that undermine or are complicit in hurting Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy and “one country, two systems” principle.

In an interview on Commercial Radio, Chung described the new sanction bill as much harsher than the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act passed and signed into law last year. Chung expected new legislation to bring far greater consequences, as it does not only take aim at officials that jeopardize Hong Kong’s autonomy, but also their families, related entities and banks.

Wong Kwok-kin of the pro-Beijing Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions dismissed US’ latest moves, calling it a “minimum charge” that is within Beijing’s expectations. The European Union has only voiced concerns over the national security legislation, but has not taken any actual action, he said. International concern is insufficient to push back on the legislation, which is very likely to be passed before July 1, Wong added.

Chung lambasted the pan-democracy camp for vilifying and obstructing the implementation of Article 23 of the Basic Law, which entitles the Hong Kong government to enact its own national security law. While the law should take five years to complete, “the central government cannot wait for another five years. They act because there’s nothing else they can do,” he said.

Wong also agreed that it is not ideal for Beijing to bypass the city’s legislature to impose national security legislation on the city. But Beijing had no choice but to intervene because Hong Kong has descended into chaos since the onset of the anti-extradition movement last year, said Wong.

Under the new law, Chinese security agencies to be set up in Hong Kong may hold jurisdiction over select cases involving criminal acts that seriously endanger national security.

The Democratic Party chairperson Wu Chi-wai expressed worries that by retaining jurisdiction in special cases, the central government will frequently use its power to interpret the Basic Law. Wu also disagreed that the law only affects a small number of people who threaten national security. China often considers religious and cultural activities, as well as criticisms of the government, as inciting subversion of state, he said, citing examples such as the late Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo and dissident writer Tan Zuoren.

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