Top News 头条

Top News 头条 Last Thursday, Hong Kong leader John Lee used a Q&A session at the Legislative Council to double down on the upcoming National Security Law under Article 23. In an unusually candid assessment of the new government’s priorities, Lee said that the city plans to prioritize new legislation clamping down on civil society over economic prosperity or growth. He further announced the creation of special teams aimed at promoting Article 23 and at pushing back against criticism of the law online. Lee’s comments were particularly hostile towards international NGOs, referring to them obliquely as “wolves” threatening the city through anti-China activities “in the guise of so-called human rights.” Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao reported that Amnesty International and Greenpeace may be among those organizations targeted as national security threats under the new law. Following China’s Universal Periodic Review, analysis last week pointed to mixed feelings in the international community. Some activists felt that China failed in redirecting attention away from its human rights abuses, but that real change would require players like the United States to follow through on their support. Western countries certainly used the opportunity to challenge China on its abuses in Tibet and Xinjiang, as well as against minorities, journalists, and civil society, but many smaller countries fell in line and praised China’s efforts. Some commentators felt that China’s efforts to manipulate the forum may have reduced the effectiveness of the mechanism. However, member states were responsive to the issues raised by civil society in the lead up to the review: 11 countries raised LGBTQ+ rights as an issue during this review, nearly twice that of the prior cycle, and at least eight states recommended the repeal or revision of Hong Kong’s National Security Law.