UK, EU Condemn Hong Kong’s New National Security Law

The UK and the European union on Tuesday condemned Hong Kong’s new rubber-stamped national security law, saying it would further erode freedoms in the financial hub and may affect diplomatic missions.

British Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said the law will “have far-reaching implications” for Hong Kong residents, including foreign diplomats, and “enable the continuing erosion of freedoms of speech, of assembly, and of the media.”

The European Union also criticised the law, raising concerns over its “sweeping provisions and broad definitions.”

In statements issued on Wednesday, Beijing’s foreign affairs representative in Hong Kong accused the UK and the EU of “smearing” the law and “interfering” with China’s “internal affairs.”

The controversial Safeguarding National Security Bill, known as Article 23, was passed unanimously on Tuesday by Hong Kong’s Legislative Council, a 90-seat body now dominated by politicians backed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) following its “patriots only” overhaul of the city’s electoral system.