Hong Kong has adopted China’s definitions of national security risks, calling into question its status as safe gateway to China for Australians.
Already a subscriber?In the nearly three years since Beijing imposed a draconian national security law upon Hong Kong, the city has been subject to a major crackdown on its freedoms.are on wanted lists. And Hong Kong’s economy is in the doldrums.Fairfax Media
To begin with, the new laws expand upon what constitutes “sedition”. A criminal act with “seditious intent” will include that which might create hatred, contempt or disaffection towards China’s and Hong Kong’s systems of government, its officials and its laws, even where there is no call for violence.For Australians who, in exercising their Australian democratic rights, criticise China or Hong Kong, they should be worried if they ever consider visiting or transiting through Hong Kong.
As for Australian businesses, these new laws mean operating in a legal environment that will become more like China’s. They will adopt China’s definitions on state secrets, which have long been problematic for businesses. For example,was jailed for divulging a Chinese government report a few minutes before its publication, while Chinese auditing firms had been unable to comply with international regulatory disclosure requests due to these definitions.
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