Hong Kong file photo

Some politicians from a few countries, such as the US, have recently launched baseless attacks and slanders against the verdict of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) courts and the National Security Law (NSL), revealing their malicious intent to disrupt Hong Kong and oppose China. However, these actions cannot undermine the security fortress established by the NSL in Hong Kong, which has already shown significant results in deterring and punishing subversive forces.

On May 30, the HKSAR court delivered a verdict on the case of conspiracy to subvert state power involving some defendants who planned the infamous "35-plus" political strategy. In total, 47 people were prosecuted in this case, and 45 of them have been convicted so far, demonstrating the scale and severity of the criminal plan. The court clearly stated that the case involved conspiracy to subvert state power with the aim of undermining, destroying, or overthrowing the current political system and framework of the HKSAR established by the Basic Law and the One Country, Two Systems policy.

In its 318-page judgment, the court clearly outlined the reasoning and considerations for the convictions, also confirming the occurrence of the crime of conspiracy to subvert state power. However, faced with the ironclad conclusion, some Western politicians eagerly jumped out to attack and slander the court verdict. Rep. Chris Smith and Sen. Jeff Merkley, who lead a US congressional panel on China, criticized the Hong Kong government for "bulldozing" its freedoms and rule of law. Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the UK's minister for the Indo-Pacific, also said the verdict sends a message that the people of Hong Kong can no longer "safely and meaningfully participate in peaceful political debate." The EU's foreign affairs office echoed that the defendants were "penalized for peaceful political activity that should be legitimate."

In reality, anti-China disruptors in Hong Kong have in recent years incited extreme emotions and concocted a series of plans to create chaos in Hong Kong. For example, the clearly convicted "35-plus" plan involved Benny Tai Yiu-ting and others conspiring to control the legislature through the so-called "primary," with the ultimate aim of paralyzing the HKSAR government and seizing control of Hong Kong. They intended to turn the HKSAR into a base for "color revolutions" and infiltration and subversion activities.

Some countries do not reflect on whether their own stringent national security laws infringe on human rights and freedoms, yet they baselessly criticize Hong Kong's judicial authorities for fairly implementing the NSL, revealing their double standards. Three years ago, the Capitol riot in the US shocked the world, resulting in five deaths and about 140 law enforcement officers injured. More than 1,200 individuals have been charged with federal crimes over the riot, with over 700 having pleaded guilty, making it one of the biggest criminal investigations in American history. The UK's National Security Act, formally passed by Parliament in July last year, also greatly broadens the political concept of national security. The scope and severity of national security laws in the US and the UK far exceed those of Hong Kong's NSL.

For anti-China politicians who support the disruptors, their sinister intentions to create chaos in Hong Kong and China are once again laid bare, an anonymous expert told the Global Times. However, any attempts aimed at interfering with the normal enforcement and judicial work of the HKSAR, obstructing the effective implementation of the NSL, allowing anti-China disruptors to escape legal punishment and bring Hong Kong to chaos, are doomed to fail.

Conspiracy to subvert state power is a serious crime under the NSL and must be legally punished. As Hong Kong Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung stated, the trial shows that anyone who intends to endanger national security cannot escape justice. 

"This verdict is a very good NSL case, clarifying legal definitions and ensuring national security in Hong Kong, which is of great significance," Willy Fu, director of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, told the Global Times. The HKSAR police's lawful arrests of suspects and the court's lawful trials are necessary requirements for comprehensively and accurately implementing the NSL in Hong Kong, as well as acts of justice to uphold national security.

Since the enactment and implementation of the NSL, it has demonstrated significant legal power, promoting Hong Kong's transition from chaos to governance and then to prosperity. In recent years, major anti-China disruptors have attempted to flee in various ways to escape legal sanctions. The anonymous expert told the Global Times that the implementation of the NSL, including Hong Kong's local national security regulations, has established a two-tiered, multi-dimensional legal system and enforcement mechanism to safeguard national security. On the one hand, it serves as a deterrent to subversive forces; on the other hand, it ensures political security for Hong Kong.

The enactment and implementation of the NSL and Hong Kong's national security regulations, along with the improvement of the electoral system and the reshaping of the district council system, have established a systematic framework for maintaining stability and promoting good governance under One Country, Two Systems, giving Hong Kong more confidence to face potential risks and challenges. Western anti-China forces who still hold hypocritical double standards and the malicious intent of using Hong Kong to contain China will ultimately be swept into the dustbin of history by the increasingly improved national security system of China.