EU deplores China's approval of Hong Kong security bill - European Council
Moscow/Sputnik: The European Union has deplored China's approval of the new national security bill for Hong Kong and criticized the legislation as detrimental to the Hong Kong autonomy, European Council President Charles Michel said on Tuesday.
"This law is seriously undermining the high degree of the autonomy of Hong Kong and having a detrimental effect on independence of the judiciary and the rule of law. We deplore this decision," Michel said at a press conference.
Earlier in the day, the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the top legislative authority in China, was reported to have voted unanimously in favor of the national security bill, sparking a firestorm of negative comments from the Hong Kong opposition as well as several Western officials, who claim the bill would undermine the city's autonomy guaranteed during its transition from the United Kingdom to China.
The new legislation bans separatist, subversive and terrorist activities, along with any form of foreign interference in Hong Kong. The move is supported by the Hong Kong leadership but has been met by a wave of protests in the city, as some residents fear their rights may be infringed. According to Beijing, the new security law aims to punish illegal activities in the city without harming the existing democratic freedoms of locals.
Image: PIxabay
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