Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

Forty-five people convicted of "conspiracy to subvert the state power" were sentenced to imprisonment ranging from 50 months to 10 years in Hong Kong on Tuesday. Marking the first case of subversion of state power in Hong Kong since the city's return to the motherland, it saw former legal professor and instigator of Hong Kong unrest Benny Tai Yiu-ting sentenced to 10 years in prison, and secessionist Joshua Wong Chi-fung to 56 months in prison.

The sentence shows that no one can engage in illegal activities under the guise of democracy and evade legal punishment. 

These 45 people organized or participated in the so-called "primary election" in 2020 and vowed that, after being "elected," they would firstly indiscriminately refuse to pass any budgets or public expenditure to be introduced by the government regardless of their contents or the merits; secondly, compelling the Chief Executive to dissolve the Legislature which would paralyze the operations of the government; ultimately causing the Chief Executive to resign entailed by the dissolution of the legislature. This is the subversion scheme with which they were being charged.

They continued to carry out this subversion scheme notwithstanding the passing of the National Security Law for Hong Kong on June 30, 2020, prompting the government to arrest them and adamantly saying they would never regret their actions. 

The National Security Law for Hong Kong Article 22 renders it illegal for people who use unlawful means to subvert by interfering with or disrupting the performance of duties and functions of the body of power of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). One of the basic constitutional functions of the Hong Kong legislature was to approve government budgets after debates and not to paralyze the operation of the government. 

One would certainly say they did not actually do what they vouched to do since they were arrested before the election and their scheme was never carried into effect. But they were being charged for conspiracy to commit, not the actual perpetuation of the crime - many of these 45 people signed a subversive agreement and disclosed publicly to voters that they had consciously decided to participate in the subversion scheme. After a long trial, they were convicted and have now received the prison sentences they deserve.

Not surprisingly, the news has triggered sensation from the Western media and governments, who quickly point an accusing finger at China and the HKSAR government. The US State Department issued a statement, openly attempting to exonerate the anti-China rioters, claiming that they were "peacefully participating in normal political activity," and threatened to "impose new visa restrictions on multiple Hong Kong officials."

Hong Kong, when it was returned to the motherland, was viewed as a seed to spread Western ideology into the mainland. The US and the West believe Hong Kong has a unique role and positioning in their China containment policy, and the lack of a national security law was one local aspect or factor that assisted the implementation of such China containment policy.

In particular, the US interference in Hong Kong affairs is evident. Its double standards on its domestic riots and the Hong Kong turmoil in 2019 are also laughable. However, after many attempts, the US containment strategy against China has proved to be ineffective. 

The sentencing of the 45 separatists sends a very clear and unequivocal message to those 2019 rioters and their supporters that national security should be taken seriously, and I am sure they will be deterred. I am confident that these former participants will certainly think twice in the future when they are tempted by financial reward or enticed by a foreign power to endanger national security.

The author is the Chairman of the Hong Kong Legal Exchange Foundation. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn