The director of Beijing's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, Xia Baolong, said Hong Kong should "tightly hold" onto the bottom line of national security to safeguard development on Monday (April 15), in a speech coming weeks after the enactment of sweeping new security laws. - REUTERS
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00:00 China's top official on Hong Kong affairs said on Monday the city should tightly hold
00:06 onto the bottom line of national security to safeguard development.
00:12 The director of Beijing's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, Xia Baolong, spoke at a ceremony
00:17 for the city's annual National Security Education Day, just weeks after Hong Kong enacted a
00:23 new national security law, also known as Article 23.
00:27 "To achieve governance and prosperity, we need to firmly uphold the bottom line of national
00:33 security in order to safeguard Hong Kong's high-quality development."
00:38 Article 23 updates or introduces new laws to prohibit treason, sabotage, sedition, the
00:45 theft of state secrets and espionage, with jail terms up to life imprisonment.
00:50 Some foreign governments, including the US and Britain, have criticized the new law as
00:55 a fresh tool for authorities to clamp down on dissent.
00:59 The legislation adds to another national security law China directly imposed on Hong Kong in
01:05 2020 in response to mass pro-democracy protests the year before.
01:11 "The damage caused to Hong Kong by the turmoil in 2019 remains a pain in our hearts and we
01:16 will never forget it."
01:19 Xia emphasized that the law posed no threat to investors.
01:23 "For the vast majority of Hong Kong citizens and foreign investors, this law is the guardian
01:30 of their rights, freedoms, properties and investments."
01:35 The US Consulate General in Hong Kong said on Saturday that visitors to the city should
01:40 exercise increased caution.
01:43 The State Department is also updating its travel advisory given the new national security
01:48 legislation.
01:50 One hundred and seventy-four people and five companies have been charged under the national
01:55 security law so far, including Joshua Wong and prominent China critic and businessman
02:01 Jimmy Lai, who is currently on trial and could face life imprisonment.
02:07 Liberal media outlets and civil society groups have been shut down.
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