Hong Kong file Photo: VCG

China’s top legislature voted on Thursday to adopt a draft decision on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) to safeguard national security at the closing meeting of the third session of the 13th National People’s Congress. 

The new Hong Kong national security legislation entitles the central government's national security organs to establish agencies in the SAR to safeguard national security, while the chief executive of the Hong Kong SAR government will report to the central government at regular intervals. 

The reports will include performance of duties in maintaining national security, conducting national security promotion education, and prohibiting acts that endanger national security according to law, details of the draft show.

The draft stipulates that the relevant legislative responsibilities of the NPC Standing Committee are to effectively prevent, stop, and punish any activity occurring in the HKSAR territory that attempts to split the country, subvert state power, organize and perpetrate terrorist activities, including other actions that seriously endanger national security.  

No matter how hard the US tries to pressure China by playing the Hong Kong card, Washington would be too naive to think that it can deter the decisive collective will of the Chinese government and people to safeguard the country’s sovereignty, some observers noted.