Article 23 reaction: US and Britain criticise ‘incredibly vague’ new Hong Kong national security law

The US and British governments on Tuesday criticised Hong Kong for its passage of a new domestic national security law, claiming the measure was rushed and that vague language in its provisions created uncertainty for some of the city’s residents.

While they stopped short of announcing any immediate countermeasures, the US State Department said it was “analysing” the law to understand what risks were involved for American citizens and Britain suggested it might put diplomats on shaky ground.

Hong Kong lawmakers unanimously passed Hong Kong’s domestic national security law just hours earlier, at the end of a marathon session, in which they fast-tracked the constitutionally mandated legislation.

The bill had been shelved for more than two decades because of initial public opposition.

The new Safeguarding National Security Ordinance covers 39 offences divided into five categories: treason; insurrection, incitement to mutiny and disaffection and acts with seditious intention; sabotage; external interference; and theft of state secrets and espionage.