UK, EU slammed over Article 23 comments
The Foreign Ministry's office in Hong Kong on Wednesday condemned comments made by Britain and the European Union (EU) on the passage of Article 23 national security legislation. In a statement, a spokesman accused British Foreign Secretary David Cameron of slandering the legislation, belittling the rule of law in the SAR and denigrating the principle of One Country, Two Systems.  The spokesman said the legislation will not in any way affect the high degree of autonomy that Hong Kong enjoys under the Basic Law, or undermine the rights and freedoms of residents.  He pointed out that the offences contained in the legislation are clearly defined and target only a very small number of people who endanger national security, so law-abiding residents need not worry about inadvertently breaking the law. Cameron said the new law was rushed through the legislature and would have far-reaching implications for Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy and protection of the rights and freedoms. In a separate statement, the Foreign Ministry's office hit back at suggestions by the EU that Article 23 undermined freedoms and political pluralism in Hong Kong. The office said Hong Kong's homegrown national security laws draw on the legislative experience of other countries, fully incorporate the SAR's existing legal provisions, and strike a good balance between development and security and the protection of rights and freedoms.  The office urged the EU to stop interfering in Hong Kong and China's internal affairs.