Closing Down Hong Kong: 5 Years of the National Security Law

On 30 June 2020 the members of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China passed the Law of the PRC on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Known ubiquitously since as the National Security Law (NSL) it was passed unanimously within 15 minutes of starting the meeting.

That evening, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, effected the document by signing it. It went into operation the following day.

This established as crimes: subversion, terrorism, collusion with foreign organisations, and secession – the latter including any speech or intention to encourage or consider Hong Kong's separation from the PRC.

A special office was created that was placed beyond Hong Kong's jurisdiction, to enforce this law. The authorities were granted powers to surveil, search and detain people suspected of any of these new crimes – which followed mainland PRC provisions in including substantially, crimes not only of deeds but of discourse. Publishers, hosting services and internet service providers are required under the law to block, restrict or remove content which the authorities perceive as violating its provisions.

The NSL has proven a masterstroke in terms of subjugating Hong Kong's former "animal spirits," enabling the hobbling of HK media, forcing the demise of free trade unions, of independent non-government organisations, and of HK's democratic political parties. Many leading Hong Kongers have gone into exile.

Prominent Hong Kong expert Kevin Yam will discuss the NSL in conversation with AIIA Fellow Rowan Callick.

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