중국, 홍콩보안법 강행 '총력 여론전'…홍콩선 내부 갈등
Despite massive opposition from Hong Kong's pro-democracy protesters and a number of other nations,... China is set to pass its national security law which many believe will take away many of the freedoms enjoyed by people in the special administrative region.
Despite the ground swell of public opposition,... a number of prominent Hong Kong officials with close ties to Beijing believe it's the right move.
Lee Seung-jae reports.
Last week, Beijing introduced a draft national security law that will bypass the legislature in Hong Kong,... prohibiting any act of treason, secession, sedition and subversion against the Chinese government.
Despite the massive protest launched last Sunday by a pro-democracy group in Hong Kong,... the bill is set to get the green light on Thursday.
According to Bernard Chan,... deputy to China's National People's Congress,... the Chinese central government is introducing the law in Hong Kong because the territory's authorities have not been able to do it locally for over 20 years,... calling it a "failure".
The Hong Kong government is required to draft a national security law in accordance with Article 23 of the territory's mini constitution known as the Basic Law,... but it has not been able to,... as a previous attempt in 2003 was shelved after mass protests.
According to Chan,... Beijing feels an urgency to introduce the law after the now scrapped extradition bill led to massive unrest in Hong Kong.
While the introduction of the law on Thursday will almost certainly lead to further unrest in Hong Kong,... Chan says Hong Kong does not have a say in whether it wants a national security law or not.
Washington is continuing to express concerns over the law,... as White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow on Tuesday said China was making a "big mistake",... and pledged Washington would pay the expenses of U.S. firms that want to shift operations from Hong Kong or China.
President Trump also expressed displeasure over the law,... and says he finds it hard to see "how Hong Kong can remain a financial hub if China takes over."
Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam, however, says other countries "have no place" interfering,... as she defended the law,... calling it a "responsible" move to protect Hong Kong's law-abiding majority.
Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.
